Mount Marathon Race

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Runners shortly after the start of the race

The Mount Marathon Race is a mountain race that is run every Fourth of July in Seward, Alaska.

1 Race
2 History
3 Trivia
4 External links
5 References

[edit] Race

The race begins downtown, on Fourth and Jefferson, in front of the First National Bank, and ends a block south of where it began, on Fourth and Adams. The halfway point is a stone marker^[1] atop Mount Marathon, 3022 feet (921 meters) above sea level, and a mile and a half from the finish line. The total race course distance is about 3.1 miles (5 kilometers). Leading racers will typically reach the peak from the starting line in 33–40 minutes, and reach the finish line from the peak in 10–15 minutes. Average speed uphill is 2 mph. Average speed downhill is 12 mph. Some runners travel at burst speeds nearing terminal velocity as they plummet down the mountain nearing certain danger or even death. It is not uncommon for the racers who finish to cross the finish line injured or bleeding, covered in mud and blood, cheered on by sport-crazed locals and vagabond drifters in town for the holiday.

Due to an interest in limiting the environmental impact of the race, the entrants are limited to 350 men, 350 women, and 200 juniors. The slots are filled in the following order:
· Veteran racers who have completed the prerequisite number of races
· Prior year registered runners who have not completed the prerequisite number of races but have a waiver
· Current year special invitation^[2]

The remaining slots are filled up by a lottery. Previous winners of any prior year are allowed to enter until the morning of the race.

[edit] History

The first race was run in 1908 on an informal bet between a local bartender and a geologist. The bartender's challenge was to run from that spot, to the top of — what was then Mount Isabelle — and back, in under an hour. His finishing time of 62 minutes didn't win him the compass and map he'd wagered for, but they carved his name on the wall and challenged anyone in town to best him.

Mt. Marathon was first run as an organized race in 1915.^[3] The 2007 running was the 80th Mount Marathon Race. The Mount Marathon Race is one of a number of races believed to be the second oldest footrace in America.^[4]^[5]^[6]

[edit] Trivia

The Men's Race record time of 43:23 was set in 1981 by Bill Spencer."^[7]
54 women finished the first-ever women’s race in 1985.^[8]
The Junior Race, for runners 17 years and younger, run the main street and up to the half way point on the mountain and back down. Once the runner turns 18, they must compete in either the men's race or the women's race.
Every year, a safety meeting is held at the Seward High School gymnasium where there is a video to watch, and those who have not entered the race can bid on a spot. Some of the bids go up and over $1000.