A couple of weeks ago our COE (chief of everything) went to Greenland to run, not just once, but twice on the ice. The challenges are called: Polar bear challenge and include a marathon on Saturday, followed by a half marathon the next day...

Most of us who have said thanks, but no thanks but not the owner and creative mind of Fat Moose: Christian Bisgaard.

Tell us about the marathon:

I signed up for the Polar Circle Marathon because I wanted to challenge myself. It is a marathon day 1, and on top of that I chose to participate in half marathon the day after. This combination is called a Polar Bear Challenge. I wanted to test my boundaries and abilities in a foreign terrain, as snow and ice change the surface on which I’m running as well as the degrees being between -10 and -15 degrees.

Last summer I ran the Mozart Ultra Run in Salzburg where it was 35 degrees, so this Polar Circle Marathon would be of great contrast to my last ultra run. The Polar Circle Marathon was hard but at the same time, it was an unbelievable experience that I wouldn’t want to be without. Running on Greenland’s ice sheet with 130 other passionated running maniacs with 27 different nationalities. Together we have made memories for life, and we have a fellowship that’s very unique. This communal feeling made it all a lot easier to finish the run. It was challenging to run 63 kilometers on snow and ice, especially when it came to the clothing I had to wear and the energy gel I had with me that shouldn’t freeze, but everything went just as I had hoped.

How often du you participate in marathons, iron mans, or other ultra runs?

As I’m mostly passionated about Ultra Trail runs, that are longer than marathons and can be on any kind of surface and not just asphalt, I don’t participate in many half or whole marathons. I have run around 5 half marathons, 5 marathons, one half Iron Man, one Iron Man, and 10 Ultra Trail runs.

Where does your motivation come from?

My motivation came after the first marathon I participated in Copenhagen, where I had such a good experience. After that the motivation came naturally and I wanted to push myself to do better the next time. Given my age (a little bit more than 40+) and after I started running Ultra Trail runs, the need to run faster and beat my old times is secondary for me, now it’s all about the experience, the community and the touch of extremeness.

Which one of your runs are you most proud of completing?

That would be the Polar Circle Marathon in Greenland because of the extreme weather conditions and the surface, but the Iron Man I did in 2010 is something I’m also very proud of.

What is your next goal?

I don’t have a specifik goal or run in mind, but with my new running buddies from Greenland, there is bound to be new and exciting experiences on the horizon. Some of the runs I hope to partake in one day are: The North Pole Marathon, the Big Five Marathon in South Africa, the Petra Dessert Marathon in Jordan, and the Lost City Marathon in Mexico.

Which Fat Moose pieces did you bring with you to Greenland?

I had my new Sky Shell Jacket (will be in stores and online spring 2024) as well as our Fat Moose beanie and fleece tube, and they were used extensively.
I also had my Jamison 3M Thinsulate jacket with me to keep me warm before and after the race.

Thanks for the chat Christian and keep up the great work, both with new Fat Moose collections and testing the clothes during your adventure.