Australian woman runs through the snow for 28 days in longest ever Polar ultramarathon

Between 15 December 2023 and 14 January 2024, Donna Urquhart completed a majestic feat.

Running a total of 1,402.21 km (871.29 mi) across 28 running days in the snow, the athlete and pain scientist from Melbourne completed the longest polar ultramarathon on foot EVER achieved by a woman.

The record-breaking athlete started seriously considering the idea of a polar expedition during the pandemic in 2021.

Inspiration struck her during lockdown while she was listening to Eric Philips, an Australian polar explorer.

“I could feel the hair on the back of my neck stand up and something deep inside of me stirred. I wondered, 'Is it possible to run in Antarctica? And if so, how far? How far can we as humans run in a polar region?' That’s how it all started.”

However, Donna also stresses the importance of the right effort and preparation when it comes to sport while being aware of the support of the people around you.

No matter how big or small the challenge is, a holistic, all-round focus on body and mind is always key: “But you don’t just blindly step out in the middle of the road, so you need to do it in a strategic way – and by that, I mean a holistic way. Plan and prepare your physical body, your mind, your emotions, your spirit and importantly do it with great people around you.”

Using Donna's record as a platform and example, the Run Antarctica team launched a campaign with the goal of raising awareness of the high dropout rate of teenage girls from sport.

Donna’s run was aimed at inspiring others to push boundaries, explore what is possible for them with a focus on mental skills training.

With the Run Antarctica team, we have therefore established a not-for-profit organization, EmpowerHER Sport, to empower young girls and women to love and discover what’s possible for them in sport, and break down the barriers that prevent them from participating.

For now, though, Donna is enjoying her well-deserved rest and celebrating her record with her loved ones and her team.

She enjoys her time with her son and her husband, travelling around Melbourne and the three of them often go on day trips together. Her son Maxi is also her number one fan, and can’t wait for his mum to break new records.

“He has also said to me that when he grows up he would like to try and beat my record!” Donna said. “I would love to support him to do that.”

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