Richard Donavan, from Galway, ran 160 km (100 miles) in one day through a wind-chill of minus 25 degrees, snow, and ice in Antarctica. He broke a new world record by running this distance in 24 hours, 35 minutes and two seconds.

The ultra-marathon runner broke the record for the furthest distance anyone had ever covered on foot in a single day, on a frozen continent.
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Although he was worried he might suffer frostbite, snow blindness, or severe injuries, he survived almost unscathed.

He told the Irish Times, “I did feel one of my eyes freeze and I certainly had blurry vision for a short time, but nothing much came of it...I thought I’d have a little snow blindness as my eyes were completely bloodshot at the finish, but nothing developed.

“In fact, my lips and nose appear to be the only body parts showing the physical impact of the cold - they are swollen, scabbed and weather beaten, but will heal in a few days.”

Donavan said that until the 136th kilometre (85th mile) he had no pain.

Speaking from Chile, he said, “I actually felt very good until the accumulated fatigue and a sore hip and knee bothered me, but that was to be expected...I dragged my injured leg around over the remaining distance and felt remarkably well at the end of it.”

He dedicated his Antarctic challenge to his brother Denis who died suddenly in 2010.