Many marathons, including destination marathons, are held in the spring, summer, or fall to take advantage of the warm weather. This choice appeals to most runners, but it doesn’t appeal to all of them.
Maybe you love the idea of running in a destination marathon but fear the tropical temperatures found at events such as the Angkor Wat Half Marathon, the Easter Island Marathon, the Inca Trail Marathon to Machu Picchu, or the Kilimanjaro Marathon will be too much for you. If so, perhaps the Ishavskraft Marathon in Norway will be more your style.
Read on to learn all about it.
Where the Marathon Is Held
The Ishavskraft Marathon is held in Tromsø, Norway. As the race organizers explain, Tromsø is a small island about a two-hour plane ride from Oslo. In case you’re not familiar with Norway, you might like to know these facts from the Encyclopedia Britannica:
Oslo is Norway’s capital and largest city and is known for the winter sports of cross-country skiing and ski jumping. Tromsø is located north of Oslo and is far above the Arctic Circle. This means in the summer the sun never sets and in the winter it’s a leading place to see the Aurora Borealis, also known as the Northern Lights.
When the Marathon Is Held
The Ishavskraft Marathon is held in January, with the next event scheduled for January 7, 2023. The race website indicates it’s held in the afternoon and evening, with bib pickup ending at 2:45 p.m. and the award ceremony held at 7:30 p.m. local time. This will be just the third anniversary of the marathon.
According to the Norwegian Meteorological Institute, the average temperature in Tromsø in January 2022 was -2.8 degrees Celsius, which converts to about 27 degrees Fahrenheit. The lowest temperature recorded in January 2022 was -9.9 degrees Celsius, or about 14 degrees Fahrenheit.
Because of the cold temperatures, the race organizers recommend the following gear: winter tights, windbreaker pants, woolen long underwear, woolen socks, woolen shirt, windbreaker jacket, a vest, a neck gaiter or scarf, a headband or hat, woolen gloves, and, depending on whether there is ice and snow on the ground, spiked shoes.
Who Can Participate in the Marathon
According to the race organizers, runners must be 18 years old to participate in the Ishavskraft Marathon. Participants must also have proof that they have completed a previous marathon in the preceding two years in four hours or less.
Additionally, participants are required to provide their own reflective vest and headlamp to use during the race. The Ishavskraft Marathon is held outside of the city limits in a remote, completely dark area along the coast to enable the viewing of the Aurora Borealis. To reach the finish line, participants must be able to reach the 20K mark in no more than 2 hours, 25 minutes.
Should these requirements be out of reach for some runners, organizers also note they hold other events that same day. There is a 5K race (called the Mørketidstrimmen) with no age limit, a 10K race (called the Mørketidsmila) that allows runners as young as 12 years old, and the PolarNight Halfmarathon that allows runners 15 years old and older.
These events are held within the city of Tromsø. If your aim is to see the Northern Lights, then you’ll need to make time to take an excursion away from the city to escape its brightness.
Why Should I See the Aurora Borealis?
You may be wondering what the big deal is about the Aurora Borealis. According to the Space Weather Prediction Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Aurora Borealis (and the Aurora Australis, the southern hemisphere’s equivalent) occurs when electrons collide with the Earth’s atmosphere.
These electrons travel along the Earth’s magnetic fields to the Polar Regions where they strike oxygen and nitrogen atoms. The impact creates energy that is released as light as the energy dissipates.
The Aurora Borealis is most likely to be seen during major geomagnetic storms. It is most visible late at night and requires clear skies to be seen. In the northern hemisphere, viewing the Aurora Borealis is easiest in the winter months nearer the polar latitudes. In the summer months, when the sun never sets in this region, it is impossible to see the Northern Lights.
Because they require geomagnetic storm activity, darkness, clear skies, and a location in the extreme northern latitudes to be seen, viewing the Northern Lights can be challenging and remains only a fantasy for many people. This is why the Ishavaskraft Marathon is so special. Runners who don’t mind running in the cold and dark can not only compete in a destination marathon, but they can also count themselves among those lucky enough to have seen the Aurora Borealis in person.