SparkFire President Chris Fagan Heads to the South Pole!

SparkFire helps businesses and entrepreneurs ignite creativity, imagine possibilities, and push outside comfort zones.  Now SparkFire’s President Chris Fagan puts these principles into practice on a personal quest in Antarctica.

In late November, Chris Fagan and her husband Marty will fly to Antarctica to set off on an expedition with no guides or resupply. They will attempt to become the first American married couple to ski 570 miles from the edge of the continent, where land meets sea, to the geographic South Pole.

 The Pole sits atop a featureless, barren, windswept, icy plateau at an altitude of 9,301 feet above sea level.  To get there, Chris and Marty will each haul their own sleds with 220 pound of gear, nine hours a day, for approximately 40-45 days.  Enduring the coldest and windiest place on earth, this will be an enormous physical and mental challenge – something few married couples would ever attempt together.

What’s the attraction?  Chris says, “Adventure is in our DNA, and we long to experience the challenge of Antarctica’s unique environment while still wild and pristine.”  Her husband Marty adds, “Only about 100 people have completed an unsupported and unassisted full expedition to the South pole.  This is in stark contrast to the over 3500 people who have summited Mt. Everest. 

The Fagans are poised to succeed.  Between them, they have amassed a resume full of impressive accomplishments, climbing some of the highest mountains in the world (e.g., Denali, Aconcagua, Kilimanjaro) and running numerous 100-mile mountain races to hone their endurance.  After attending a 5-day polar training camp, expert polar guides say they are ready.

Chris notes, “We do feel ready to go, but we are also parents.”  When asked how it will feel to leave their 12-year old son for 6-7 weeks, Chris says, “We’ve been planning this expedition for close to 3 years, and leaving our son is by far our hardest decision.”  Chris continues, “It is easy for people to judge us as parents, believing we are being selfish or irresponsible.  But we feel that we have an obligation to be true to ourselves, and to be role models to our son and show him how to embrace life to its fullest.”  Through their experience of planning and training as a family, the Fagans have never been closer.

Chris hopes their journey will inspire their son, along with students at his school who will be following the journey.  “We want to inspire people to imagine possibilities that seem beyond their reach, to push outside their comfort zones, and reach their full potential,” says Chris.

Chris continues, “I know this expedition will fill me with powerful energy and creativity to positively impact the business of my SparkFire clients.”

Chris will be posting daily voice blogs at www.3belowzero.com/blog or you can follow her on her expedition Facebook page www.facebook.com/3belowzeroexpedition.