Alaska Marathons

Anchorage

Mayor's Midnight Sun Marathon - June. Starting at Bartlett High School (elevation 220 feet), on the east side of town, participants run northeast, parallel to the scenic Glenn Highway, along a paved bike trail until reaching the Fort Richardson Overpass that leads runners to the rolling, scenic Arctic Valley Access Road at 4 miles. The course continues southwest for 3 miles to Arctic Valley Road (Ski Bowl Road). Runners turn southeast, running past the military guardhouse and crossing crystal clear, tumbling Ship Creek at the 7.1 mile mark. Participants stride alongside the majestic Chugach Mountains via Bogard Road, a gravel roadway leading northwest. The legendary Oilwell Tank Trail, beginning at the 9 mile mark, provides a gradually ascending, rolling and turning course that meanders south through wooded foothills until reaching the highest elevation of 500 feet at 14 miles. Adventurers turn right at 15 miles heading northwest and catch sight of glimmering downtown Anchorage in the distance. Campbell Airstrip Road (Stuckagain Road) offers runners a gradual descent alongside rushing Campbell Creek until reaching Tudor Road (elevation 300 feet), one of the city's main thoroughfares. Runners merge with a paved bike trail at mile 17.8 and continue west along Tudor Road until Checkmate Drive where they enter the scenic and quiet College Gate neighborhood. Note from the race director: due to safety concerns, the course was changed in 1999 and no longer goes through College Gate neighborhood; the new route crosses Tudor Road at Bragaw using the award winning bridge, skirts University Lake, then cuts through the scenic University of Alaska Anchorage campus and joins the original route at Goose Lake (approximately mile 20). Emerging from Wesleyan Drive at mile 20, the course becomes a picturesque bike trail through tunnels, woods, parks, neighborhoods, and alongside swift Chester Creek heading west. Runners push onward until reaching Westchester Lagoon (elevation 15 feet). After striding around the lagoon, marathoners merge with participants in the concurrently running "5 Miler" and "Half-Marathon". Together they assault their last major challenge – "Insult Hill" – a short, but steep ascent of Forest Park Drive (elevation 90 feet) leading to Hillcrest Drive and onto the West High School track for the last mad sprint to the Mayor's Midnight Sun Marathon finish line! This marathon event is one of Alaska's longest running traditions, occurring during the summer solstice. It offers runners and spectators the opportunity to welcome the long days of summer in a picturesque and pristine environment. It is without a doubt an "adventure collector's running experience".