To Tromso, Norway, for a run in polar night, and the northern lights
Reindeer burgers, a half-marathon in the snowy dark and a romantic, if slightly scary, dog-sled ride are all overshadowed by Norway's aurora borealis, writes Chris Graham
It is mid-afternoon but it feels like the dead of night. I've started marathons in the dark before, but usually (as will be the case at next Sunday's Hong Kong event) dawn is never far off. In Tromso, the sun will not rise.
Taking place on the first weekend of each year, the Polar Night Half Marathon is characterised by the beauty, the cold and, of course, the dark of northern Norway. Compared with other marathons, it is as different as, well, night and day.
That's not to say Tromso, with a population of 72,000 and located 400km north of the Arctic Circle, mostly on the island of Tromsoya, experiences 24 hours of pure darkness at this time of year. From about 8am to 2pm, twilight shows off the snow-capped mainland mountains that overlook the city, but by midday a bright moon is already rising.
Heatstroke is no concern for runners of this half-marathon. As pre-race temperatures hover around freezing - quite balmy for this time of year - some runners try to warm up to the techno beats pumping close to the start line; others stomp their feet and jump up and down.
When the horn finally blares, at 3pm, we surge past the brightly painted wooden houses of Storgata, Tromso's main street, under heart-shaped lanterns strung over the road and by the imposing cathedral. Flaming torches planted in the snow alongside the route help light the way, although the glow of the street lamps makes them more of a cosmetic touch than a necessity.