Pain, hunger, exhaustion — these were the feelings that Colin O’Brady lived for. This daredevil refused to back down from any challenge, even when his own life was at stake. But one 2018 stunt brought him to the brink of dangers that he never could have imagined.
Against his better judgment, Colin signed on for the deadliest and most grueling race ever conceived. There was no way for him to back out once he got started. Colin was the only living thing for miles around, except for his biggest rival, who was hot on his tail.
Every day, Colin O’Brady kissed his wife Jenna goodbye and went off to work. However, he didn’t slave away at some conventional office job. Colin’s occupation was pushing the human body to — and sometimes past — its limits.
To say Colin was an adrenaline junkie would be a major understatement. He dedicated his life to becoming one of history’s greatest endurance athletes. His first triumphs came in the triathlon circuit, though what Colin really wanted to do was conquer the deadliest place on the planet.
He dreamed of crossing Antarctica. With temperatures plummeting below negative 120 degrees Fahrenheit and barely any drinkable water available, the continent posed an unimaginable challenge to even this experienced climber and adventurer. But Colin added in a twist to his scheme.
Colin planned on doing it alone. That feat had never successfully been pulled off, but this daredevil was eager to make the history books. Even so, plenty of Colin’s loved ones were queasy about the idea. It could have lethal consequences.
British explorer Henry Worsely attempted the solo trek in 2016, but Antarctica proved too much for him. He died 30 miles from the finish line. What made that loss even more troubling was the fact that Henry was one of Colin’s most influential mentors.
Could the 33-year-old succeed where his teacher had fallen short? Colin believed the answer to that depended all on his preparation. To cross nearly 1,000 treacherous miles, he would need to be in the best shape of his life.
Aside from packing on more muscle, Colin needed to figure out the perfect balance of gear. On a team expedition, certain members could share the load of common equipment. But Colin, carrying everything on his own, had to make some serious sacrifices.
The New York Times / Tamara Merino
He collected the bare essentials and strapped all his supplies to a sled, which weighed in at 375 pounds. Colin was ready for the challenge of a lifetime. For better or worse, however, so was another man.
Colin wouldn’t be the only adventurer attempting the Antarctic trek in 2018. Louis Rudd, a British army veteran who’d previously traversed the icy continent with a group, was also gunning for the record. The two competitors shared a ride down south.
Even so, Colin was filled with optimism at the start. He was glad to have a competitor pushing him — though the unforgiving landscape would separate them almost immediately. But the harsh realities of hiking through Antarctica soon set in.
The athlete had weeks, if not months, of slow trudging ahead. His focus had to stay razor-sharp every second. If Colin lost grip of his poles, he could suffer a fall that would send him rolling down a hillside or plunging into a frigid pool.
Colin O’Brady
When he settled down to rest, there were no real creature comforts either. Colin quenched his thirst with bland water melted down from snow. Every morning he had to quickly relieve himself in a hole, before frostbite took over his more delicate regions.
Sleep didn’t come easy, either. After a 12-hour day of walking, Colin wrestled with the wind to set up his tent, which nearly blew away on more than one occasion. His single luxury was a satellite phone, his single lifeline to Jenna.
Colin O’Brady
She listened to Colin recount his struggles each night, often through tears. Jenna was taken aback by how miserable her confident, risk-taking husband sounded. Part of him wanted to quit and go home, before Rudd or the elements got the best of him.
What was also troubling was that Colin was shedding pounds at an alarming weight. Despite a diet of custom protein bars and nutrient-packed dinners, he was getting skinnier and weaker. All that fiber also brought him to rock bottom.
In the Arctic wilderness, Colin felt the need to pass gas one day. He was mortified to discover that something very solid came out. The real kicker was that Colin’s ultra-light pack didn’t contain a single spare pair of underwear.
Demoralized, Colin hiked onward in his soiled skivvies. The unrelenting landscape was starting to wear him down, as he felt like a “cork floating in the middle of the ocean, or a speck of sand on the beach.” He contemplated calling for help.
His iron will wouldn’t let him quit, however. Colin went out there to show what one determined individual could accomplish, and his mantra of “You’re strong, you’re capable” kept him going — until he could go no further.
And that was only because he reached the opposite Antarctic coast! The solo trek was finally complete after 54 days, though Colin could barely believe it. He frantically dialed Jenna to tell her that he made it — plus another piece of good news.
Twitter / Colin O’Brady
He beat Louis Rudd by two days! Following their extraction, the rivals celebrated their journey with beers and burgers, plus stories of their respective struggles. They both knew they were fortunate, given the history of disasters that struck polar expeditions.
