Wednesday, April 04, 2012

Pole to Pole


Pole to Pole

One man, 20 million steps
Pat Farmer

One of the greatest true adventure books of the decade - the incredible story of Pat Farmer's inspiring run from the North Pole to the South Pole.


In January 2012, Australia's Pat Farmer accomplished one of the greatest feats in human history. He'd arrived at the South Pole after the longest and arguably most dangerous run ever made, a physical and mental triumph that put him in the company of the world?s greatest adventurers - Sir Edmund Hillary, Robert Falcon Scott and Thor Heyerdahl.


Pat Farmer's 21,000-kilometre Pole to Pole Run, dedicated to raising funds for the Red Cross, began at the North Pole in April 2011 and took him through Canada, the United States, Central America and South America to his ultimate destination in the Antarctic, the South Pole.
He ran an incredible average of 65 kilometres every day, some days running up to 100 kilometres or more. The epic trek saw Pat brave blizzards, nearly lose his life when he became lost in the blazing deserts of Peru, and evade polar bears, snakes, crocodiles, armed bandits and rogue militias. He defied unimaginable pain, suffered dehydration and stress injuries and destroyed his feet.
Unbelievably, he set a new running record for the South Pole, while being blasted by ferocious winds and -40-degree temperatures.
Pat Farmer's diary chronicles the highs and lows of an extreme athlete, and reveals how he kept going through some of the most inhospitable places on earth. Whether you run or not, his account is sure to inspire, amaze and motivate.




About the author:
Pat Farmer commenced his passion of ultra-marathon running while working as a motor mechanic in the late-1970s. In 1992 he married Lisa Bullivant and they bought land in Catherine Field, where they began building their family home. They went on to have two children, Brooke and Dillon. In 1998, Lisa, aged 34, died unexpectedly of Mitral Valve Prolapse and Farmer was left to raise his two children on his own. During this period, Farmer set a number of ultra-marathon Australian and world records, which placed him in the elite of the sport. 
Before becoming a politician in 2001, he raised over $3 million for Diabetes Australia, Lifeline, Careflight International and the Westmead Millennium Institute for Medical Research. Farmer is perhaps best known for his record breaking 14,964 km Centenary of Federation run around all of Australia in 1999, taking 191 days. This event raised considerable funds for charity. He was named Achiever of the Year at the Australian of the Year Awards 2000.


Allen & Unwin - A$32.95 -  NZ$39.99

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