Outside US & Canada?
01/21/2004
Athlete Pigs Out On Pizza, Cheeseburgers in Preparation
to Become the First American to Reach the Geographic North Pole -
Solo and Unsupported
Fast-approaching start of WorldWideLearn.com North Pole Solo
2004 expedition drives Wave Vidmar to wreak havoc on his
body
Oakland, California - January 21, 2004 - As Americans across the country struggle to keep their New Year's resolutions to shed unwanted pounds, lifelong adventurer and athlete Wave Vidmar is gorging himself to add bulk to his slender frame. And while he may be training hard, it's not just muscle he's after. He's going for good old artery-clogging fat - and lots of it. This rather unhealthy endeavor is part of Vidmar's intense training program, and key to his survival as he launches WorldWideLearn.com North Pole Solo 2004 (http://www.worldwidelearn.com/northpole) in February.
This historic expedition is Vidmar's personal quest to reach the geographic North Pole - solo and unsupported. At the completion of his journey, which will include 60 days of walking, skiing and swimming across the constantly moving Polar ice, Vidmar will be the first American to accomplish this feat, the third person to ever attain this goal, and the second person to reach the Pole from the Russian side.
In addition to 'pigging out' on a daily basis, Vidmar is also following a strict exercise regimen. While these activities may appear to be at odds with each other, consuming large amounts of high-fat foods and rigorous physical training strike a perfect balance for an Arctic trek of this magnitude.
"During a typical North Pole expedition, you can expect to lose 40 pounds," explains Wave Vidmar. "North Pole Solo is a bit different, though, because I'll be completely on my own, pulling a 330-pound sledge full of food, clothing and supplies. If I don't have enough meat on my bones or sufficient physical stamina, I'm not going to make it out alive. But with my rigorous diet and training program, I feel confident that my body will be prepared."
Vidmar calls himself the 'calorie hunter' and consumes an average of 5,000 calories per day. His daily menu doesn't vary much. His standard breakfast includes six or seven bowls of cereal, followed by two or three donuts or pastries. For lunch, he feasts on a large Tombstone stuffed-crust pizza with cheese, sausage and pepperoni. His afternoon snack depends on his mood - he might munch on a few more donuts or pastries or opt for a cheeseburger. At dinner, he bellies up to the table for several more cheeseburgers - In-N-Out burgers are his favorite - and four helpings of pasta. Oh, and on top of that, he manages to guzzle nearly a liter of Sprite and two or three protein shakes throughout the day.
"I have a very high metabolism," says Vidmar. "For some reason, I burn 1,000 calories in my sleep. But packing on the weight like this isn't much fun. I constantly feel bloated, have stomachaches and suffer from horrible indigestion. It makes moving around a real effort. But I'm very focused, and know that this process is crucial to every aspect of my trek."
To maintain his strength and endurance, Vidmar ignores the uncomfortable consequences of his overeating and works out regularly. This includes swimming underwater in 50- to 100-yard increments, using Nautilus fitness equipment, hiking uphill with ski poles, scaling a climbers' wall, as well as completing 50 sit-ups, push-ups and pull-ups every day. He also works out with a giant truck tire. "I drag the tire around a park in Fremont," says Vidmar. "When people try to stop me with questions, I tell them it's a new form of exercise and suggest they give it a try.
Since devoting himself full time to his training program in July 2003, Vidmar has added nearly 50 pounds of muscle and fat to his 6'2" frame. He started out at 152 pounds, and still has at least 11 pounds to go before leaving in February. "I'd like to gain more than that if I can," adds Vidmar.
With funding from World Wide Learn, provider of the world's largest directory of e-learning courses and online education resources, Vidmar is slated to leave San Francisco on February 10, 2004, arriving in Moscow to gather last-minute supplies before continuing on to Cape Artichevsky (81°16'N-95°E) [see map http://www.worldwidelearn.com/northpole/maps] aboard a Russian MI-8 helicopter. For approximately 60 days, Vidmar will walk, ski, and even swim over 660 miles to reach his goal. He will endure average temperatures of minus 30°F, with lows around minus 50°F. With wind-chill, temperatures can plunge to 150°F below zero. "It's going to be a little chilly," deadpans Vidmar, who is no stranger to extreme conditions after spending years climbing mountains.
Some of the dangers Vidmar faces are encounters with the local denizens, including potentially frequent brushes with polar bears, as well as killer whales and sharks. He will also be exposing himself to the rigors of Arctic swimming, the continual potential of cold weather injuries, and the possibility of plain old freezing to death.
Vidmar will be staying in contact with the outside world via satellite phone, and will conduct live media interviews from the ice. Vidmar will also be able to send and receive email, images and video clips, and will also be the first solo polar explorer to shoot high-definition video and compose music while at the Pole. Complete coverage of the expedition, including daily logs, will be webcast from http://www.worldwidelearn.com/northpole.
Vidmar's historic expedition continues to gain attention. Already, there are several television specials in the works to be aired in the U.S. and Europe. Vidmar also plans to inspire kids to achieve their own goals through the educational component of this expedition, with visits to schools and a traveling interactive museum exhibit in early planning stages.
For more information about Wave's expedition, see http://www.worldwidelearn.com/northpole.
About WorldWideLearn.com North Pole Solo
2004
WorldWideLearn.com North Pole Solo 2004 is the bid of lifelong
adventurer and athlete Wave Vidmar to become the first American
to reach the geographic North Pole - solo and unsupported.
Vidmar's expedition officially kicked off December 2003 with key
financial sponsorship from World Wide Learn. Nearly 40 additional
sponsors are also supporting Vidmar's unprecedented expedition,
including Adobe Systems, Dryers Grand Ice Cream, JVC, Nike,
Nikon, SanDisk, 24 Hour Fitness, and others. Vidmar plans to set
off in early February 2004 and begin his 60-day odyssey walking,
skiing and swimming 600 miles to the North Pole. More information
about WorldWideLearn.com North Pole Solo 2004 can be found at
www.worldwidelearn.com/northpole.
About World Wide Learn
Founded in 1998, and based in Calgary, Canada, World Wide Learn
offers the world's largest independent directory of educational
services, featuring informative resources as well as hundreds of
e-learning courses in 247 subject categories. WorldWideLearn.com
enables its users to quickly and easily locate effective
e-learning courseware. The directory highlights free courses and
tutorials, computer training, corporate training, post-secondary
education, professional development, personal development, and
continuing education. Some of World Wide Learn's leading
university partners include Baker College, Capella University,
Kaplan University, University of Phoenix and Walden University.
More information about World Wide Learn can be found on the company's website at www.WorldWideLearn.com.
