An N.L. physician made Antarctica her ultra-marathon course

For Samantha Harper, a family physician from Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Antarctica wasn’t just a bucket-list destination — it was her racecourse.

Between late November and early December, she participated in an arduous ultra-marathon on the icy continent. 

Over five days, Harper covered 134 kilometres, running through snow, ice, and rugged mountains in one of the most remote places on Earth. The winner of the race completed 250 kilometres.

Runners disembarked from a small cruise ship, which sailed from Ushuaia, South America, across the Drake Passage to various islands and parts of mainland Antarctica.

“Coming from Canada, and especially from this province, you know, I’ve seen icebergs before, I’ve seen snow before. So I wasn’t sure how impressed I would be,” Harper said. “But wow, it really was next level — the scenery, icebergs, the water just crystal blue, so pristine, rugged mountains. It was really beautiful.”

The race was part of the Four Deserts ultra-marathon series, an elite competition that challenges runners to traverse some of the world’s harshest environments.

To qualify, Harper had to complete other extreme races, including a 245-kilometre run in Namibia in 2024 and another in Chile a decade ago.

Typically, these races require completing a set distance each day, but the Antarctic course worked differently due to unpredictable weather, environmental conditions, and the need to minimize ecological impact. 

Instead of specific distances, participants ran for set periods, aiming to cover as much ground as possible.

“The race organizers would go out, they would set up a loop,” said Harper. “It’s just basically, you know, you’re out there for 10 hours, and the first person to hit a certain distance or, you know, for so many hours wins the day. And then there’s an overall winner of the week.”

The terrain was anything but forgiving, with hills and rugged conditions dominating most of the course.

“There were very few areas that were actually flat, which, hey, this is the challenge. That’s OK. We didn’t sign up for a beach vacation,” Harper said with a laugh.

Despite the location, the temperatures weren’t as extreme as one might expect.

“It was only about -5 C, and some days were even slightly above freezing,” Harper said. “For those of us from Canada, running in plus 3 C is like T-shirt weather. It was great!”

She recalled a particularly memorable day on Danco Island, a scenic stop near the Errera Channel.

“It was just so serene, so surreal. There were penguins running around, whales frolicking below in the bay, and icebergs drifting by,” said Harper. “Next time I have to close my eyes and think of some place that’s the best ever, that would be Danco Island again. It was a pretty surreal day.”

While the experience was mesmerizing, the final stage was especially grueling.

“It was so windy, and everything is sore after five days of slogging through the snow because, again, there’s no trails here,” Harper said. “But you know what? As I approached the finish, I ran into a couple of other competitors that I’d known from other races, and we all finished together. So it ended on a high note.”

Harper finished 40th out of 55 competitors.

Now, with three of the Four Deserts races behind her, she’s gearing up for the final leg in Mongolia in 2026, where she plans to run 250 kilometres across the Gobi Desert.

Her advice to others considering big challenges?

“If not now, when? Today is the youngest you’re ever going to be, so why not give it a go?”

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