In my never-ending quest to win SOMETHING associated with the North Pole Marathon, I’ve taken up winner Bobby Bostic’s side contest. He seeks ideas for the creative use of PowerBar products at the Pole. The winner gets a whole bunch of PowerBar stuff.

I suggested that Bobby make colorful, festive snow cones for all racers using the PowerBar Beverage System. It’s like tasty SWAG. Everyone likes SWAG.

Anyway, I made the final five. Now the vote is up to the public. You can vote for my idea over at Yourrunning.com, but you have to go through the bother of registering. That just seems like a big fuss. Heck, I think YOU ARE MIGHTY just for visiting my little corner of the blogoverse.

- Dean

The North Pole Marathon contest has been decided. Had I won, you would have already been alerted by my primal scream. Alas, I shall not run the Pole this April. I didn’t realize just how earnestly I wanted to go until the official announcement. However, vocal chords intact, I take solace in a few facts:

The winner is cool.
Bobby Bostic, is decidedly worthy. He’s a stellar runner from Oakland who gives his time and energy to a wonderful charity, Challenged Athletes Foundation.

I’ve expanded my horizons.
The hoopla about the North Pole Marathon has opened my eyes to the possibilities of adventure marathoning. Angie, I should warn you that I’ll be doing this sort of thing now.

A Cameo
Though I didn’t win the contest, I did appear ever so briefly in the Announcement video. That has to count for something.

Pole Blog ready for 2008
I’ve just had a blast with my contest BLOG, RUN THE POLE. It will remain active as a record of my earnest attempt to win the contest. That, and it will await revival next year for the 2008 race, contest or no. I am currently welcoming serious inquires from prospective sponsors. Really.

Coffee Anyone?
I may yet win something. I entered a supplementary contest with Pixie Mate, describing what I’d do to stay warm at the Pole. I suggested Science Fiction and Kittens. Anyway, the prize is a coffee gift basket. It would be an extremely small consolation in comparison to running the Pole, but heck, I’ll take what I can get. It’s just a shame that I don’t drink caffeinated beverages.

The Best Part
Mostly, I have been deeply touched by the outpouring of support I’ve been given. I can’t begin to thank everyone for the help, wonderful comments, enthusiasm, encouragement, and flat-out belief that I could do it. It’s both remarkably energizing and sincerely humbling. I set out to try and run the Pole, to win a contest. I received far more.

Thank-you.

Since Boston will have to wait until 2008, I’ve got a free weekend in the middle of April. What to do? How about a great northern adventure? It just so happens that the North Pole Marathon is held on April 15th. Yeah, the geographic North Pole; You know, top of the world, vast ice sheet, Robert Peary, Santa; The real deal.

Yourrunning.com is sponsoring a North Pole Marathon contest, and I’m entering with guns blazing. The winner gets entry to the race (including travel) and must complete a multi-media journal of the experience. Since I want the judges to know I’m serious, I’ve set up a full-blown blog called “Run the Pole.” It’s been active since January 8th. Please visit and enjoy. It’s like Zero to Boston, just colder. And there’s video.

Those who know me know that I’d jump feet-first at the chance to do something like this. I never once thought of NOT giving this a try. I am transfixed by the possibility of running on top of the world. I’m quite beside myself.

Besides journaling the experience, and raising awareness for International Polar Year (focusing on climate change and the Arctic), I’d be running to support a cause called the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America. It’s not a well-known charity. Of course, Crohn’s is not a well-known disease. It’s chronic, has no cure and several of my friends have it. I want to help them. This is a stellar opportunity to do just that.

My official contest entry is posted publicly at Yourrunning.com soon. Comments from supporters are welcome (scroll to the bottom of the screen), so I shamelessly beg for your help! Post a comment! Ask the judges to pick me!