In this episode, we share our recent adventure to Antarctica — completing a half marathon on the seventh and final continent — and what the whole journey taught us about goals, health, and refusing to let age hold you back.
Episode Transcript
Welcome back to the podcast. Today we're talking about our recent adventure to Antarctica, where we finished off a goal neither of us really knew existed until it was within reach.
Everybody has goals in life, and those goals change as ideas change and as our bodies change — which can make them harder to achieve. We want to walk through what transpired, what might be in store next, and maybe spark some ideas about goals you could set for your own future endurance events.
We went to Antarctica in March of 2026, specifically so that Tandi could complete a half marathon on all seven continents. It wasn't originally on her radar, but as the events stacked up — one continent here, another there — it started to feel like, why not finish out all seven? It worked out nicely. The whole thing really began because Mark was already on this journey when the two of us met, and that became the jumping-off point.
Getting There: Argentina, the End of the World, and the Drake Passage
To get to Antarctica, you make your way to Ushuaia, Argentina, and board an expedition cruise ship. The first flight goes from the States down to Buenos Aires, then a second flight south to Ushuaia — the southernmost city in the world. They call it "the end of the world" down there, fin del mundo.
Then comes the fun part: roughly a three-day boat ride across the Drake Passage to the continent of Antarctica. Because it's a circumferential ocean with no land mass to stop the wind and waves, the swells can be enormous. Part of the challenge is simply getting across while keeping your sea legs intact, so you're actually able to run the next day.
On the way out, the passage was relatively kind — what they call "Drake Lake." We wore scopolamine patches for nausea and dizziness, and while some people still got sick, it was tolerable, with seas around six to nine feet. The way home was another story: one day brought swells over 22 feet, rocking the ship so hard it was difficult to even stand up. Quite an experience.
Race Day on King George Island
When you reach Antarctica for the race, the ship takes you ashore in Zodiacs — small boats that ferry you from the ship to land. One thing that surprised a lot of people who saw the photos: there wasn't much snow where we actually ran. It sleeted and snowed on race day, but the terrain itself was mostly gravel and mud — sloppy running — because it's the end of summer down there and most of the snow had melted.
The race took place on King George Island, a peninsula that juts up well above the Antarctic mainland. The course ran past several research stations. We started at the Russian research station, passed the Chilean station, and because of the weather our route turned around at the Chinese research station. (An earlier voyage had been able to include the Uruguayan station on the other side.) For the half marathon, we ran the lap from the Russian station to the Chinese station and back, three times.
The weather actually cooperated that day — temperatures in the 30s, a little snow, some sunshine, and plenty of wind. That's not always how it goes. Ten years ago, when Mark ran the full marathon there, the weather forced officials to call the race, and a few people couldn't finish because everyone had to get off the island and back to the ship safely. You never know what Antarctica will give you, but it's often not as harsh as people imagine.
A common misconception is that you'll be running on snow and ice the whole way. That can be true in some circumstances, but not so much at that time of year. The course was also surprisingly hilly — not the flat terrain you might picture. Antarctica is actually the driest continent with the highest average elevation, and much of the terrain sits between four and six thousand feet. Between the hills and the loose gravel — a bit like running on sand — it made for a different kind of run.
Overall, the race went very well. We took our time, took lots of pictures and videos, and saw plenty of wildlife: lots of penguins (no polar bears — those are only in the north), plus seals near the boarding area. A lot of wildlife all around.
Running It Together
This race was a little different for us. Normally Mark runs a full marathon while Tandi completes a half. This time we debated whether Mark should run his own race and just get it done — but he stuck with Tandi and we did it together, walking, documenting the whole thing. Crossing that finish line together made for a really good experience.
The hills and conditions meant it took longer to complete — about 30 extra minutes on average compared to a typical race. For reference, the full marathon there took Mark roughly 45 minutes to an hour longer than usual ten years ago.
How the Goal Started: A Last-Minute Bib in Madagascar
The seven-continent goal traces all the way back to Africa. Mark invited Tandi to come along to Madagascar for his Africa full marathon, and she agreed. The night before, he signed her up for the half — she'd only done one half marathon before. When he went to pick up his bib and saw that people could register that day for the small race, he signed her up on the spot and came back with a bib in hand. Her response: "Okay, well, I guess I can at least walk it." And she did.
At that point, Mark still had Oceania (the Australia/New Zealand area) and South America left to finish his own seven continents. That race in Madagascar became the jumping-off place for Tandi, even though the full seven-continent goal still wasn't really on her radar until it came down to the very last one. And when it's the last one, you think — well, why not?
Why Goals Matter as We Age
It's worth remembering that as we get older, our goals change — and we need goals. The point isn't to wither away; it's to keep something to strive for so we can keep building, improving, and staying functional. Goals are what keep that drive to stay active alive. If people can change their goals, that can be the start of changing other parts of their life for the good.
There's a narrative about the "golden years" and what they're supposed to look like — and they can look very different from what people imagine. Just like Antarctica itself: we built it up in our minds as this impossibly hard thing to run, and it really wasn't that big a deal. The hard part was getting there, deciding to go, and yes, the financial side — it isn't cheap. But these things mostly come down to setting your mind to it.
Your health is the foundation of adventure as you age. What your health allows you to do is what opens the door to the adventures you can have. Goals give you a reason to optimize your health and your life. So ask yourself: Is my goal to live in a wheelchair when I'm older? Or is it to take care of my parents, play with my grandkids, travel? You have to train during your life for those goals.
The Body Will Surprise You
One thing that's always surprising is how much our bodies can surprise us. Mark trains all the time; Tandi does not train the way most people would assume you'd train for these events. But she trained more for this race than for any other — and the goal of that training was specific: to be strong enough to keep moving fast enough to generate body heat. The faster you can move, the more heat you produce, instead of walking in the cold for hours.
The training part is where the body surprises you. Your mind will hold you back long before your body does, so with the right mindset your body can perform. After the race, recovery went smoothly — you could feel it going up and down stairs that day, but overall it was easy. The body had conditioned and adapted, so it recovered faster.
Getting Comfortable Being Uncomfortable
Another lesson from these events: the discomfort is temporary, and over time you become more comfortable being uncomfortable. Early in our relationship there were races Tandi skipped — Little Rock, for one, where she was signed up for the half and didn't run because it was raining that morning. Of course, the rain stopped right at the start of the race. Lesson learned.
That mindset shift has been real. When it gets cold and dark in the winter, it's not a fun time to run outside, and a lot of people retreat to the treadmill. But if you layer up and get out there, it's usually not as bad as your mind tells you it'll be — and you get to prove it wrong.
The Connections These Events Build
These challenges also deepen connections. Beyond what it's done for the two of us — training and competing together has been something we've really enjoyed — these events introduce you to like-minded people, many of whom become lifelong friends. It's always fun to hear where they've gone, what they've done, and what they'd suggest next. In fact, talking to people at races is how we most often find our next adventure.
There's a misconception that the people doing these things are all elite athletes, and that only a very limited number of people could ever do them. But there are plenty of everyday people out there doing hard things simply because they have the mindset to get through it. There was an older couple we saw who did a wonderful job — not only were they in Antarctica with us in March, they were headed to Patagonia in October and had Madagascar on their list within a couple of months after that.
It's easy to say, "Oh, I could never do that." But the training is the hard, uncomfortable, not-always-fun part. When you push through the discomfort in training, the event itself isn't as bad. Better to take on more discomfort getting to the point of adaptation, so that you don't have to suffer through 13 or 26 miles on race day. That's the whole point.
Adventure, Freedom, and What's Next
It's honestly easier to keep training and keep moving when you're working toward something. And ultimately, none of this is about getting in shape just to retire and live in a nursing home — there's no intention of slowing down, because it's enjoyable. These events let you see amazing, serene surroundings, terrain, and wildlife — whales, seals, penguins — things you simply can't experience in a zoo. In nature, it's far more rewarding.
Being healthy and in shape also gives you freedom. Whether it's hikes, walks, events, or just keeping up with your grandkids, getting yourself to the point where you can physically do these things opens up a lot more of life. When you reach the end of a trail and the beautiful waterfall is just a little too far, knowing your body can carry you there means you get those special, up-close moments.
A couple of questions worth pondering: What's the thing you've been telling yourself you're too old for, too out of shape for, or too busy for? Everybody's busy — between kids, jobs, and travel, finding training time is genuinely hard (we've got all three). But what would you like to do if you knew your body could handle it? What's out of reach right now only because you assume it is?
There were people of all ages on this trip, which brings up a good line: age is not a cage. Don't let age hold you back from the things you want to do — instead, prepare for them by getting healthy now and putting in the work. It was also striking to see younger people on the trip, because this is something you have to save and plan for. It sells out, with multi-year wait lists, so it's a real investment — in your health and in your sense of adventure.
Once you do these things, the reaction is usually, "That wasn't too hard — what's next?" It's always about planning. Goals motivate the training, but it's so much easier to stay in shape and then sign up when something fun pops up.
That pretty much wraps up our journey. We're always open to answering questions, so reach out on social media. In the meantime, ask yourself: what's your Antarctica? What do you want to do?
Have a healthy day — and we'll see you on the next adventure.
