This Man Just Crossed Antarctica All Alone

Avery Thompson
Photo credit: Colin O'Brady
Photo credit: Colin O'Brady

From Popular Mechanics

Antarctica spans almost a thousand miles filled mostly with cold, unforgiving ice. It’s arguably one of the most inhospitable places on the planet’s surface, which is why many people who've attempted to explore the interior of the continent didn't make it back.

Recently, however, one man from Portland managed to defy all odds and actually make it across the entire continent on his own.

Colin O’Brady is an endurance athlete who decided to cross Antarctica on his own, a feat never before accomplished. The first successful expedition to the South Pole, led by Roald Amundsen, had five men and dozens of dogs to carry supplies. O’Brady set off with only himself, a single sled to carry his supplies, and no dogs or other help.

Day 54: FINISH LINE!!! I did it! The Impossible First ✅. 32 hours and 30 minutes after leaving my last camp early Christmas morning, I covered the remaining ~80 miles in one continuous “Antarctica Ultramarathon” push to the finish line. The wooden post in the background of this picture marks the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf, where Antarctica’s land mass ends and the sea ice begins. As I pulled my sled over this invisible line, I accomplished my goal: to become the first person in history to traverse the continent of Antarctica coast to coast solo, unsupported and unaided. While the last 32 hours were some of the most challenging hours of my life, they have quite honestly been some of the best moments I have ever experienced. I was locked in a deep flow state the entire time, equally focused on the end goal, while allowing my mind to recount the profound lessons of this journey. I’m delirious writing this as I haven’t slept yet. There is so much to process and integrate and there will be many more posts to acknowledge the incredible group of people who supported this project. But for now, I want to simply recognize my #1 who I, of course, called immediately upon finishing. I burst into tears making this call. I was never alone out there. @jennabesaw you walked every step with me and guided me with your courage and strength. WE DID IT!! We turned our dream into reality and proved that The Impossible First is indeed possible. “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” - Nelson Mandela. #TheImpossibleFirst #BePossible

A post shared by Colin O'Brady (@colinobrady) on Dec 26, 2018 at 12:55pm PST

That quest began on November 3, nearly two months ago, and lasted 54 days, finishing on Wednesday, December 26. O’Brady's last "day" lasted 32 hours-starting Christmas day he decided to cover the last 77 miles in one go. In total, O’Brady traveled a full 932 miles across the continent, including crossing over the South Pole.

O’Brady documented his unique journey on Instagram, and you can check out some of the highlights here.

Day 50: STRUNG OUT BUT STILL MOVING. I can’t believe I been out here all alone for 50 days. Even having lived it, I can’t quite wrap my mind around it. This wind storm still has not subsided so I spent another day getting beat down. Fingers crossed I catch a break on the weather soon. I’ve been writing a lot about the mental game as it’s clearly the most crucial part of this challenge (or any challenge for that matter). However today I want to honor my body and health. I wholeheartedly believe that nothing in life is more important that being healthy. Without that it’s hard to do or do fully. I’m so fortunate to have parents that instilled that in me from a young age, teaching me the importance of healthy eating and exercise. My dad is an organic farmer so I guess you could say it’s in my blood. Despite feeling exhausted and worn out, I’m grateful for having lived a healthy lifestyle, for without that I’m certain my body would have given up by now. And on the health front, I’m glad to be partnered with @Grandrounds who go above and beyond to guide people to the highest quality healthcare. It’s incredible to know they provide access to medical expertise literally anywhere on the planet! #GrandRounds #TheImpossibleFirst #BePossible

A post shared by Colin O'Brady (@colinobrady) on Dec 22, 2018 at 8:46pm PST

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