Marathon Support 2009- Antarctica Style

There is a marathon held every year on the ice and the runners run along the snow roads that go out towards the airfields. I helped to coordinate all the vehicle support for this event this season, which was held on 1/18. I also went out and drove around to help monitor the runners as well. I had a great time! The day was really beautiful weather, no wind which was key. A couple people that work for me ran as well so it was fun to cheer them on.
This is everyone getting ready to depart town for the race.

Here is the start of the race- that's Jim with the stopwatch yelling to get ready. He was the main guy organizing everything for the race along with help from a few people.

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And they're off!! The start of the full marathon.

This is the start of the full marathon right before they took off. The runners are to the left, and the skiers are to the right. That's me in my green coat all the way to the left taking pics. I like my green coat- it's easy to find me in pictures. :) There were about 20 people for the full marathon.

The start of the half-marathon. I had to explain the route and get them all ready for the countdown to the start, so I didn't have my camera for the start line. But this is looking at all of them taking off in to the distance.

Scott Base had some people participate as well so they provided some support too. This is a Hagglund which is a tracked vehicle that pulls a separate cab for additional passengers.

After I spent a few hours driving around in a van to help monitor, I switched out and got on to the skidoo with Jim to help run around and monitor the runners. It was a fun time!

Again, without the green coat- wouldn't have a clue that's me inside that helmet. :)

YEAH JEN!!! Jen works for me and she ran the full marathon and she won every category she was in- first place for the women and over 40!!! She's awesome! We found a banana and got to her on the skidoo during the race to give it to her- you've never seen someone so excited for a banana!

YEAH PINKY!!! This is Chris that works for me- we had to give him a nickname so that we wouldn't get confused in the office and his friend sent this box addressed to Chris "Pinky" S. It was hilarious and it stuck! He skied the full marathon! This is him at the end of it before getting on the delta to come back to town.

It was a long day- we were out supporting the race for about 9 hours, but it was a really good time. I really enjoyed getting out and cheering people on. I even got a t-shirt from it- though I feel a little bit like a fraud if I wear it since I didn't actually run it- and I don't think it counts that I did the length of it a few times over on a skidoo!

Rugby Game 2009- Mt. Terror v. Scott Base

The annual Rugby Match here is a big event- more than 200 people go out to see the game. This is the first year I've been to the Rugby Game here on Ice and it was held on Jan. 11th. I had a really good time- Brandon from my crew was on the team and it was a blast to be cheering him on along with the rest of our team- Mt. Terror. I took these pics with my new camera lens (thanks Mom!!) and they turned out pretty awesome. I had a great time, even though we lost- which is pretty much expected against the Kiwis who play this all the time at home. This first picture is of the Kiwi team doing the Haka- a traditional Moari dance that was used by tribes to try and scare them off at the beginning of a battle.

This is called a scrum- when there is a penalty typically this is the option taken dependent on where you are at on the field (the other option is to kick the ball). The forward line from each team gets in to the scrum and the ball is dropped in the middle and it's basically a foot wrestle to get possession of the ball and work it out from the inside of the circle to the outside of the circle to your teammates waiting for the ball.


Scott Base Cheerleaders cheering Happy Birthday to the Referee during half time



This is called a line out, the purpose is to toss the ball in and see which team grabs it in the air to determine possession. The team should throw it straight down the middle and each team lifts up a few of their players to try to catch the ball.

Tackling each other to try and get possession.

The Kiwis were trying to kick in the ball through the posts for points here. This is usually the result of a penalty.

More running around trying to get the ball.

The Polar Plunge

The Polar Plunge is a psychotic tradition here in which a bunch of us off our rockers go and jump in to an ice hole that's been dug out in to the ocean at the edge of Scott Base (the New Zealand station over the hill from McMurdo). I've been here 5 seasons and this is my first time doing this! A bunch of us girl's went over during the girl's only time frame- the Kiwis at Scott Base were nice enough to ensure that they had female helpers and guards to ensure no men came to try and sneak a peak. So it was a great women bonding experience- and while I wasn't totally psyched about jumping in to the cold water- I'm glad I did it and can mark this off the list of things to do in life. I figure if I'm here I should take the opportunities!!


Here I am getting ready to jump in to the water. I was planning to do this in my underwear, but everyone else I went with did it in their birthday suits. So I did crack under the peer pressure (and it was all women- so the environment was pretty supportive- I was jumping with women of all ages which was a hoot!) But for your sake (and mine) I have left these images off of here. :) But for the record, I did actually do this in the buff, as it should be done if you're going to go ahead and do it. :)

I'm currently under the water thinking- huh- this isn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. Note- this might be because my body is undergoing a mild state of SHOCK!

This is me emerging from the water realizing- yes- now I am cold. And my body has started to realize what the heck is going on- get to the ladder, get to the ladder- get me outta this water!!!

I'm cold!!! Thank goodness that this ladder is wooden so I don't have a full body-"A Christmas Story"-stuck-to-a-metal-ladder problem. I think I almost asked this woman holding the blanket to marry me I was so grateful she was standing ready for me!

I'm so happy to be in the blanket, but now the nerves in my skin have started to register the cold and yes- its slightly painful- probably the worst pins-and-needles feeling you can imagine over my whole body!!

Oh yeah- still cold and trying to get to the warm-up hut. The lovely helper had to get the harness unhooked off of me while I'm cold. She was fast and efficient and I was so glad to have them all there to help support this event. I'm glad I did it- though I'm not sure this is something on my list of things to do again anytime soon!!

Jami's Back!!!!!

So I have to confess that I spent the first 9 days of this new year lying. But in my defense it was all for a good cause!! At the end of December it was decided that our department was going to bring in 2 more drivers, and since we ran out of other alternates, we ended up getting Jami- who worked here last year to PQ and come in last minute. She had been listed as an alternate but hadn't finished getting her paperwork in, so there was a last minute rush to get her cleared. My whole crew was excited that she might be able to get down, but Jami and I decided we would try to keep it a secret from everyone- so we lied. We told all the return crew that she didn't get cleared in time and that a different alternate was coming. I had to get in touch with so many people here that I think practically half the station knew- but I did manage to keep it a secret from my crew!! I even got in touch with housing to make sure that they didn't tell her roommate Taryn (who works for me as well and is friends with Jami) and had to talk to her roommates to tell them to keep it a secret too! A few people almost slipped and told the crew, but I just kept making things up and telling them that the information was a mistake and that Jami wasn't coming and that someone else was. So Jami arrived 1/9/09 and it was such a great surprise!! The week before I had watched the Sex in the City movie with Taryn and we laughed when all the women scream each time they see one another and said "no one really screams like that." But sure enough, when Jami showed up I was so excited to see her that I came running out of the van towards her and she had to brace herself for my hug- and low-and-behold, I actually made all the girly scream noises that I didn't think anyone ever made! Then we got on the radio and called Audrey and told her someone had a message for her- and Jami got on the radio- Audrey was so excited she was screaming over the radio (she threatened to kill me for keeping the secret and apparently almost drove off the road in her moment of surprise :) and then several others of the drivers got on the radio to say hi and welcome back as well. We called in Taryn since it was her day off, and drove by the dorm while she was walking up the hill towards work to pick her up, and Jami opened the van door to ask if she needed a ride- and sure enough- Taryn screamed too!!! It was a really great surprise and I'm so glad we were able to pull it off- it was a boost to everyone here!! Welcome back Jami!!!!! I'm glad I don't have to lie anymore- it was too much pressure!!

Inauguration Day At Last!!

Finally! A year and a president I can be excited about! Now while I can definitely see that there are going to be some tough times ahead, I feel that this is a really special and significant time that we are living in right now- we are seeing the change in the world that will reconnect us to our humanity and begin to separate us from the selfishness and misguided priorities that have consumed our nation and many across the world. It's unfortunate that historically great nations often reach a point where they have become too large, too quick, and without staying true to the ethical and responsible and caring nature; the nature that at the core of our humanity is necessary to live in harmony with one another and with our planet, and thus they fail and they fall apart.
In my travels away from the USA over the past 5 years, I was becoming more and more disheartened with the progress of my nation and also with the progress of people in general. How did we reach a point where purchasing the 30 room house for a family of four was the sensible thing to do when one could have bought something with a smaller footprint, and then donated the rest to charity and solved so many other problems? Now, I'm not saying I'm a saint in the least- I prefer my creature comforts, and I'm certainly living a comfortable existence. But at the core of it all, we should care about eachother- we should be trying to live greener lives- we should be aware that a decision that we make here and now could affect someone that we may never meet. Many of you have heard about the butterfly effect, but how often do you consider it in your decisions?
We are in a place that we have the opportunity to shift our thinking and our practices, to honestly make a change, and while that has always been a possibility, we somehow lost our motivation, and the downward spiral that followed became harder and harder to find our way out of. But now a shift in thinking has happened, a shift in our energy, a shift in our motivations. I came across an astrology book at a friends house this summer, and while I always take astrology with a grain of salt (because I don't want to turn a prediction in to reality through preconceived notions), I found the predictions for 2008 to be really interesting. It said that 2008 presents a year of change, that their would be a shift both politically and in human nature to begin to work towards approaching everything in a wholistic approach. Countries would unite in our struggles and work together to resolve conflicts and crises. Humanity would again care about one another and work towards the goals of the common good. Now this is a very broad prediction, but still at the core of it is hope. And are we not now with a President, whether it was for political intentions or not, who is sounding the bell of hope and change? Regardless of whether you consider it a political campaign message or his true approach, the message is resounding through the nation and through the world, and people are motivated. The next four years will be a defining time period in the history of our nation and in the history of the world. We are finally with a leader that can motivate and inspire- and truly great leaders must be able to do this or they will fail. People have to be excited to take on a difficult task and to see it through to the end, they have to know that their sweat and tears and frustrations will not be in vain, and more importantly, that their work will make a difference, a noticeable and lasting difference.
We have set the stage for change, for improvement, for resolutions to problems left long unsolved. And I hope that we can keep that in mind, that we can focus on that and hold to the message.

"On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted — for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom."

-Excerpt from President Barack Obama's inauguration speech.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090120/ap_on_go_pr_wh/inauguration_obama_text