Louis Alexander | Completes Alaska Marathon
Louis Alexander complete Alaska marathon as part of his Seven Marathons in Seven Continents project
Surrounded by bears, wolves, and reindeer, Louis Alexander completes his Alaska Marathon.
Running through the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Centre, Louis finishes his North American Leg of his seven marathons on seven continents project.
“That was one of the most unique experiences of my life: running a marathon on solid ice, surrounded by Alaskan wildlife and nature. If I ever needed motivation, all I had to do was look around me. It was nothing short of a privilege to be the first person to even run a marathon through the conservation centre, and everything I could have dreamed of for the North American chapter of my project.”
With more people having been to space or rowed an ocean, the feat of running a marathon on each of the seven continents is considered the pinnacle of adventure running. No one has yet completed what Louis is undertaking, and we couldn't be more proud of him.
So far, we've seen Louis conquer the Agafey Desert in North Africa at the start of his journey. A vast desert where battling the heat was the least of his worries, as he had to stay ahead of wild dogs and other dangerous wildlife.
Louis During his Agafey Desert Marathon
Afterwards, he conquered the Wadi Rum Desert in Asian, infamous for its soft sand, inclines and risk of dangerous wildlife such as poisonous snakes and scorpions.
Louis During his Wadi Rum Desert Marathon
When asked about the challenges between these climates, he said:
“There was a 50°C difference in the temperature from the desert in Africa to the icy conditions of Alaska. However the cold wasn’t my greatest challenge during this marathon, it was the ice! I had to wear ice cleats for the whole marathon, forcing me to adapt my running style and technique to ensure as much of my sole hit the ice on each stride. The ice was solid, which could have caused serious issues if I had slipped, and because this project and cause is so dear to my heart, I would have had no choice but to continue. Fortunately, I found a rhythm with the ice cleats, avoided slipping, and even managed to take a quick pit-stop in the company of a spectacular brown bear.”
Encountering a brown bear mid-run
Louis is embarking on this project in honour of his grandfather, an explorer and adventurer himself, Captain Rick Taylor, who was diagnosed with Dementia at only 58 years old.
Taylor served all around the world during his 38 years in the British Army, fighting against some of the most dangerous forces in the world. However, it was the battle against Dementia that sadly ended his life in 2019 after 17 years.
Speaking of his Grandad, Louis said:
“I had the privilege of speaking at his funeral and made the promise to family and friends to never give up on the fight for a cure, and to support Alzheimer’s Research UK until the day we beat Dementia. I will never break my promise.”
Louis' endeavours include 17 marathons in 17 consecutive days, swimming the Hellespont from Europe to Asia, rowing across the busiest shipping lane, and summiting some of the world's most notable mountains in the world have raised over £40,000 for charity.
We'll be cheering for Louis' success in the coming marathons. Keep up to date with his progress by following him on social media.
