Intro:

Petr Vabrousek of the Czech Republic and Australia's Heather Hawkins win the extraordinary North Pole Marathon.

Script:

Some ordinary run preparations for an extraordinary race.

This is the world's coolest marathon, it really is, temperatures are well below zero as competitors race 26.2 miles from Barneo camp to the North Pole.

They get a break along the way but for some, it's not quite enough...

UPSOT "Do I really have to go back?"

If they want to finish, the answer is yes, so socks back on and away they go again.

The fastest to reach the top of the world was this man Petr Vabrousek from the Czech Republic...

SOUNDBITE (English) Petr Vabrousek, Czech Republic, men's winner:

"It was very, very tough. Far away from real running, it was more squatting through the deep snow. But amazing experience."

The fastest woman, had come a very long way Australian Heather Hawkins...

UPSOT "Ah, that's unreal. What a run."

And what a finish from this guy.