An Arlington ultramarathoner with a history of extreme athletic stunts is preparing for one of his most ambitious challenges yet: seven back-to-back 50K races on all seven continents.
Michael Wardian, a 51-year-old Arlington Forest resident who ran across the entire country from coast to coast in 2022, has already competed in the World Marathon Challenge twice before, running a full marathon every single day in a different part of the world. Later this month, he’ll be back in action with an even loftier goal — seeking to beat the world record for the even longer 50K option.
Used to running in Arlington’s hot and humid summers, and equipped with a strategy and specialty gear for potential sub-zero temperatures in Antarctica, Wardian is excited to continue pushing the limits of what is humanly possible in his latest globe-trotting challenge, which begins Jan. 31.
“I’m comfortable in that handshake with pain and discomfort. That’s part of what I sign up for, when I do these things,” he told ARLnow. “You’ve just got to be prepared, and know it’s going to kind of suck — and then, you know, you keep moving forward.”
Seven days of ultramarathons, each a bit over 31 miles long, will begin for Wardian at the bottom of the world: Ultima Base in Antarctica.
While it’s summer in the Southern Hemisphere right now, Wardian said the weather in Antarctica can be unpredictable — anywhere from above freezing to well below zero degrees Fahrenheit. No matter what, he’ll be dressing in layers and planning to be flexible.
The last time he raced in Antarctica, he said, it was 35 degrees there, which was actually warmer than in Arlington that day. About 10 kilometers in, he ended up ditching his pants to keep running in shorts.
“I was the first person to run in shorts, I think, that I’ve ever seen in Antarctica,” Wardian said.
In extremely cold temperatures, the runner said he has to be careful to avoid pushing too hard, since the sweat can freeze against against his skin and cause hypothermia.
“You want to be a little cold when you start, and you want to run until the point when you start to sweat, but not push much past that,” he said. “It’s kind of a weird balance where you have to run hard, but not so hard that you start sweating too much.”
The extreme cold — and high altitudes — of Antarctica will kick off seven days of races. He’s looking forward to some parts of traveling, like enjoying authentic hummus and tabouli in Dubai. But he’s also bracing for the heat he’ll experience there, as well as the humidity of his last race in Miami.
In hot weather, his plan is to keep hydrated and douse himself with liquid. As for the humidity, he said he’s not expecting anything worse than Arlington gets in the summer. He compared his advantage in muggy weather to the advantage that people from high elevations enjoy on their home turf.
“Our humidity is like our poor man’s altitude,” Wardian said. “The people that have it worst are the people from, you know, Colorado and the Northwest. Every time they come to heat, they just die.”
In preparation for the races, Wardian is running between 60 and 130 miles every week in addition to three days of CrossFit strength training and cardio, and two days of physical therapy personal training. He’s usually out the door by 4:45 a.m. for his first training session, which he follows with two other runs at different points in the day.
He’s also downloaded a lot of e-books from the Arlington Public Library to listen to while he runs, along with a new album from Zach Bryan and older hits from Metallica, AC/DC and Bob Seger. He said he’s always looking for music recommendations.
Arlingtonians may spot Wardian on the W&OD Trail, as well as the Custis Trail, the Mount Vernon Trail and the Potomac Heritage Trail. He was also one of the organizers for a Taco Bell-fueled 50K race that passed through Arlington, D.C. and Alexandria in November.
Wardian said he loves Arlington’s running culture and emphasis on fitness. Wherever in the world the ultramarathoner goes, he said he’s proud to represent the county he calls home.
“I love the fact that I’m an East Coast athlete competing around the world, and I feel very, very honored that so many people in Arlington are supporting me and our family,” he said. “I’m grateful to the Arlington community, because I do feel like it’s one of the best places in the world, and I feel like I am lucky to get a chance to represent it and show people what it’s all about.”
