Earlier this week I posted a story on the Last Desert ultramarathon, a tough six-stage, seven-day race that just wrapped up in Antarctica. The event capped the 2012 edition of the 4 Deserts series of races and was a grueling event that tested athletes both physically and mentally.

One of the competitors in the event is a 60-year old adventurer by the name of Len Stanmore and by completing the race he has managed to add yet another accomplishment to his already impressive resume. Len is now officially the first person to ski to both the North and South Pole, climb all of the Seven Summits and run each of the 4 Deserts ultras. That's quite a bit of adventure for one lifetime.

Len's adventurous life actually began back in 1998, when he sold off his successful telecommunications company and suddenly found himself financially secure and with plenty of time on his hands. A bit out of shape and looking for ways to motivate himself, he decided to set a goal for climbing Kilimanjaro and in 2001 he did just that. After that he was hooked, and soon found himself pursuing a host of other active endeavors including running in the Transrockies Run and numerous marathons, in addition to the expeditions mentioned above.

Perhap's Len's greatest achievement falls in the realm of fund raising for his favorite charity. At the end of the Last Desert, he'll have raised more than $100,000 for Trekking for Kids, an organization dedicated to improving orphanages around the globe through the use of purpose-driven, socially-conscious treks. The non-profit actually organizes some of the world's most iconic treks and sends hikers off on adventures as a way to raise funds for the cause. Some of those treks include hikes to Everest Base Camp, up Kilimanjaro and through the Andes of Peru.

According to the official results of the Last Desert, Stanmore has finished 31st of 49 competitors, putting him right in the thick of the pack. But considering he adventurous outlook on life and approach to raising funds for a good cause, I'd say he more than finished out front. You definitely have to respect a person who has found a way to enjoy their life and pursue all of these great adventures, while still finding a way to give back in the process. We should all be so fortunate.

One of the more unique ultra-marathon events in the world got underway this past weekend with the start of the Last Desert marathon in Antarctica. The event annually draws a group of very dedicated runners who travel to the bottom of the world to compete in an endurance event in one of the more extreme environments on the planet.

The seven-day, six-stage race if the fourth and final event in the 4 Deserts ultra-marathon series. In order to compete in the Last Desert, the 49 competitors, from 27 countries, first had to finish at least two of the other three events. Those races are held in the Sahara, Atacama and Gobi Deserts and are equally as grueling as this one.

 The Last Desert course covers 250 km (155 miles) that are spread out over six days of racing. During that time, the athletes will visit such locations as the South Shetland Islands, Jougla Point, Petermann Island and Deception Island. Those locations will serve as the challenging and dramatic backdrops for one promises to be one of the most difficult endurance challenges that these competitors will ever encounter.

Simply getting to the starting line of this race is quite an endeavor. The competitors first had to fly to Ushuaia, Argentina where they then boarded a ship to sail across the infamous Drake Passage, a place that is well known for its rough seas and unpredictable weather. With that crossing complete, they were then free to begin their week-long test of endurance, during which they are running more than a marathon each day in conditions that include plenty of ice and snow that can be as much as a meter deep.

The Last Marathon will run through Sunday of this week and at its completion, the entire group will once again have to sail across the Southern Ocean to return to Ushuaia.

Pretty amazing event. I have a great deal of respect for these men and women and their obvious love for  running long distances in somewhat less than ideal conditions.