Tyrone native Rick Stonebraker will share a powerpoint presentation with the public, using 200 photos from his trip to Antarctica this past February.
The presentation will be held at the Tyrone-Snyder Public Library on Monday, May 9 from 7-8 p.m.
Stonebraker traveled to Antarctica to participate in The Last Marathon. He explained the phrase “Last Marathon” derived from the fact that a runner could claim the distinction of running a marathon on all the continents. At that time, the list included the six accessible continents.
“Tom Gilliland of Marathon Tours took care of that situation,” said Stonebraker, “and now one can lay claim to running a marathon on all seven continents, thus it is called ‘The Last Marathon.’”
At 54-years-old, Stonebraker has been involved in marathons for more than a decade, having first started running in 1993. He has participated in more than 30 marathons and other types of races during the last 11-plus years.
Although he now calls Houston, TX his home, Stonebraker is well-traveled, having been to 47 states and four continents, prior to his Antarctica trip.
“About four or five years ago I read about the Last Marathon in the running magazines and I really didn’t give it a thought,” said Stonebraker.
Eventually he realized that participating in The Last Marathon was an economical way to travel to Antarctica, allowing him to add to the list of continents he has visited.
Stonebraker’s parents still live in the area and he says he visits here several times a year.
Last December, he visited the Tyrone area, to test his clothing for the race, since Tyrone’s temperatures at the time were similar to what he might experience in Antarctica. In the end, he said the experimenting paid off as he was concerned about layering and was able to learn some things which he thought would help him for the race.
“Basically, it’s just colder,” he explained of racing in Antarctica. “In the wintertime, it’s the coldest place, it’s the driest place and the most remote place, it’s not for everybody.”
Hundreds of people made the journey to Antarctica in mid-February. Stonebraker traveled from Houston to Miami and then to Buenos Aires before finally arriving in Antarctica. Of the 205 participants who started the race, all but 29 finished.
Stonebraker chronicled his adventure in a four-part series that ran in The Daily Herald in mid-March. He will once again share his fascinating journey through the hundreds of pictures he took during his travels. From penguins to whales to the majestic glaciers and the beautiful scenery, Stonebraker will share the beauty of Antarctica and the thrill of The Last Marathon with the Tyrone area.
