Alaska.  Anchorage, Juneau…Cordova?  By far the smallest/most remote of my three Alaskan treks – but also, the most scenic.  Small fishing community on Prince William Sound.  Just over 2000 residents, accessible only by boat or by plane.  Day’s marathon route, the Copper River Highway, ends as the mountains get high.  Cut off from the lower 48; British Columbia borders east.

Early Saturday wakes, but well after Arctic sunrise.  Skies overcast; temps comfortable.  Run gods continue to smile.  5 July marathons, 5 unseasonably cool days.  Mile walk to Cordova’s Community Medical Center, 45-minute school bus ride to our Start.  Orange cone, line drawn on an empty dirt road.  Pre-race check-in, last minute announcements.  Been wetter & warmer this summer – no BEARS in town, more forest feeding vs dumpster diving.  [2018, one crossed the marathon course.]

13 miles of dirt, 13 miles of pavement.  Race Director assured no getting lost.  Literally ONE road across the peninsula, terminates in Cordova.  Inlet ocean both ends.  True point-to-point race.

Group photo.  Popped on tunes, but only one earbud – not gonna be bear FOOD.

[They say as long as you’re faster than the guy behind you.  Reality: I’m a back-of-the-pack runner.  Not super comforting.  Stand tall.  Yell?  Biggest thing I’d see all day were MOSQUITOS.]

Scenic postcard Alaska.  Massive snow-capped mountains.  Meadows full of summer – and swampy.  Glacier melt flooding creek beds with silt & grey-coloured water.  Not super eye-stunning but it’s part of the process.  Cooking the planet.  Arctic channels expected year-round by decade end.

Legs tight, left hamstring taped, hadn’t run in 6 days.  Sunday’s Quadzilla finish outside Portland.

Went out fast.  Pushed first 12 miles, coasted most of the second Half.  Hamstrings tight, both legs.  Body, feet banged up.  Too much running too short of time.  13 marathons past 3 months, FIVE different time zones.  Today, my last long run ‘til late August.

Dropped pace, talked to Halfers met on the back-end.  Continued my July streak of berry feasting.  Wild raspberries!

Lake Eyak last 3 miles.  Sun HIGH overhead.  Exposed road & warm.  BUGS, ‘tis the Alaska season: Gnat swarms & MOSQUITOS.  Inside my mouth/ears, ’round the eyes, welting backs of my legs/arms.  If nothing less, kept ya moving.  Run or be eaten alive.  Yikes!

FLAT FINISH & a new Alaska PR.  Shower, Salmon JAM & FOOD.  Happy, laid-back HOMETOWN VIBE 😊

Canadian Arctic next summer.  So long big wild beautiful Alaska, see ya 2021.  Fairbanks?

AK Salmon Runs Race Results

King Salmon Marathon, Cordova, Alaska

July 13, 2019

 

2646   04:42:05.1   K R HAGA   Louisville CO   M

Cordova ✈ Yakutat ✈ Juneau ✈ Seattle ✈ Denver

King Salmon Marathon

“We inter-breathe with the rain forests, we drink from the oceans.  They are part of our own body.”  ~ Thich Nhat Hanh