It’s not often you’re asked ‘would you like to take part in the world’s highest altitude marathon..?’ Paul Gurney had created BecomingX in 2019 and I was interviewed about my life changing accident on Denali only a year or so later. We’d first met on the North side of Elbrus in 2012, and had become good friends. Paul creates many exceptional expeditions, and in January 2026, I was heading to Chile to attempt something very special.
I’m no runner. Without toes and heels, walking can be a challenge, but I’m experienced at crewing and safety, and that’s exactly what I was heading out to do. The team were a strong mix of mountaineers, runners and athletes who were ready to push hard and smash the existing record, by ascending Ojos Del Salado in the Atacama Desert, and running a full marathon from its summit. Could it be done..? We were going to find out.
Along with Paul, my great friend Sibusiso Vilane, flew in from South Africa. We’d discussed the idea last year as we crossed the Drakensburgs together, and I was overjoyed to have him on the team.
After a long flight to Copiapó via Santiago, we all assembled for the first time. There were 31 of us in total, including the running team, support team and film crew. The night was beautifully cool, with a bright moon in the sky, illuminating the barren peaks which surround the town.
The next day was one of organising, packing and relaxing. The sun soon woke and baked the town, which made me hide for shade at every moment. Skin grafts don’t like too much sun or a dry atmosphere, so you might ask what I was doing there..? Cream, cover and control were to be a huge part of my expedition rituals.
We began our trip out of Copiapó with a convoy film session on the coast about an hour away. Ford had sponsored four vehicles for the expedition, and one of the Raptors was attempting to drive the highest height gain of any vehicle on the planet. Working with film crews is nothing new to me, and the takes and retakes are part of what they do. We all had our part to play here, and there was a great deal of driving, getting in and out of vehicles, greeting each other and speeches, before the crew were happy. The beach sand was beautifully soft, and the waves rolled along its edge silently. Along the coast, small communities have sprung up, fishing the seas for a living. Some look a little shanty like, but everyone is happy, works together and enjoys life.
We returned to Copiapó for a quick break, before the runners sped off to film in a local mine. We in the support crew had an afternoon off, before we all met for the drive out to the desert.
Because of all the day’s work, we were later than we had hoped, and navigated the dirt roads after dark. It was certainly an exciting drive, with a height gain to 2000m. At the farmstead of Don Juan, we rested for the night, and many of us slept outside as the skies were clear and the moon almost full.
I drifted away, but the farms cockerels started to crow at 02:30..! After a fitful night, the crew rose, and we enjoyed a relaxing morning, before climbing again to Negro Francisco.
The mountains truly opened up, with colourful rocks dancing in the moonlight. An occasional oasis of green broke the rocks, we saw a number of Guanaco’s, and Flamingos in the salt lakes.
There was a great deal of camerawork to do, which was great fun, particularly as we ascended gorged passes, where minerals patterned the sides, and drones flew overhead. There was a great deal of stopping and starting, which inevitably caused delays, so we had to drive at a much faster pace to make Laguna del Negro Francisco before nightfall. Dust filled the air, and we struggled to see other vehicles in the convoy, but we made it. What a beautiful spot it was. A huge salt lake graced the plateau, and a delightful Refugio was our home for the next two nights.
It’s here you see the team work at their best. Food and drink were produced, and the entire camera crew worked late into the night editing their work. They never seemed to stop.
The next day we relaxed and acclimatised, as we’d driven to 4000m. The human body can only climb so fast, and many folk woke with headaches, so it was a day to drink plenty, walk a little, and rest.
The camp at Laguno Verde became our home for the next few days. The Laguno is azure blue, and high salinity. It’s certainly not for a swim, but there are hot springs dotted around which are beautiful for relaxing aching muscles. The horizon is surrounded with barren, but beautiful peaks, their screes multicoloured with minerals, and the odd touch of snow up high.
We ascended to 5000m on acclimatising walks and balanced the exercise with resting. You can easily do too much at altitude, but resting in the extreme UV and heat was difficult.
After a full day off, we took the vehicles up to the camp at Tejos (5837m). Nowhere in the world have I ever driven so high, and it was full off road driving from top to bottom. Speed, and stealth, approach and brute force were all needed to get the convoy up the mountain. What did shock us was the amount of fuel burned for such a short distance, but when your in 4×4, low ratio box, with all your diffs locked, and at altitude, what should we have expected..? I’ve driven off road before, but this put all my skills to the test.
At Tejos, we had a short acclimatisation walk, before heading down and preparing for the marathon to come. We could prepare no more, and it was time for the ultimate test.
Part 2 coming soon…