Balloch and Shandon friends compete in 'brutal' Antarctic marathon

02.03.2022 - 14:01 / dailyrecord.co.uk

A super fit Balloch mum has completed her toughest marathon yet in Antarctica as part of a gruelling challenge to conquer marathons in all seven continents.

Fitness instructor Debbie Savage went on a 10,000-mile journey, spending 16 hours in the sky and two days on board a vessel, to reach the southernmost continent, which is the site of the South Pole.

The event means the 45-year-old has now run marathons in six continents and has just one more to go in South America.

She told the Lennox Herald : “Antarctica was awesome, it was honestly so amazing getting to travel somewhere so far away to do what I love.

“We covered 3,000 feet of elevation and it was honestly the hardest race we’ve taken part in.

“It was very tough mentally.

“But it was as brilliant as it was brutal and the icing on the cake was seeing penguins as we crossed the finish line.”

Debbie took part in the 26-mile race alongside Shandon friend Jan Fellowes, who came in first place in the over 60s, as well as Paul Thompson, who won the event’s half marathon.

The friends first landed in Argentina where they spent three nights in Buenos Aires before heading to Antarctica on a two-day voyage.

Debbie said: “It was really humid in Buenos Aires so we went from one extreme to the other.

“It was bright and sunny, though absolutely freezing.

“There were people there from warmer climates who found it hard but I think the cold Scottish weather definitely helped us with the training!

“Everyone was buzzing to be there and some said they had been trying to get on the waiting list for it for five years.

“It was amazing. There was 180 of us there from all over the world and I’ve kept in touch with a woman I met from Brazil.

“It was an incredible experience. I feel privileged to have