Events
Full Marathon
28 spots left. Registration ends October 1, 2024 at 11:59pm AKDT
Half Marathon
56 spots left. Registration ends October 1, 2024 at 11:59pm AKDT
Kids Half Marathon
19 spots left. Registration ends October 1, 2024 at 11:59pm AKDT
Place
Description
Giddy up!
This trail marathon covers some of the amazing trails in Girdwood, Alaska. Our town is known for over 30 plus meandering trails through the beautiful temperate rain forest. This is NOT the race to run if it's your first marathon. "This marathon feels like an ultra run" says marathon finishers, so perhaps volunteer to sweep race course, or work at an Aid Station your first year. Volunteers can race for free the following year!
This run includes the infamous Winner Creek Trail, the Upper, Middle, and Lower Iditarod Trails, Nordic 5K Loop, Tiny Trail, Athabascan Trail, California Creek Trail, Abe's Trail, Beaver Pond Trail, Bird-to-Gird Trail, Winner Creek Extension Trail, Alyeska Bike Path, and various Alyeska Resort mountain trails.
This run is the brain-child of Brian Burnett who is constantly connecting trails for a fun day outside. He ran a solid 26 miles one day and thought, "More people should experience this fun...we should have a trails marathon". So if you love soggy October runs through Alaskan forests and perhaps losing the feeling in your toes running through glacial creeks...come join us on OCTOBER 5th, 9:00AM for Full Marathon, and 10:00AM for Half Marathon (fewer cold toes). If you have someone coming to watch, or if you both want to check out the course and have unlimited access to Aid Station Gummy Bears - then volunteer your first year...or "volun-tell" your cheerleader to help out. (leave dogs at home) Seriously - leave dogs at home - even spectators.
AID STATIONS: 1) Alyeska Daylodge, 2) Bird-to-Gird Path Trailhead, 3) Crow Creek Rd at California Creek Trailhead, 4) NEW STATION at Middle Iditarod at USFS parking lot, and 5) Nordic 5K Loop / Winner Creek Trail connection.
Choose the full 26.2 (ish) mile marathon or 13.1 (ish) mile half-marathon. The race starts and ends at the Alyeska Daylodge in Girdwood. Aid stations? Yes, we will have FIVE stations stocked with snacks and water! WE have listened...more water. Got it. This is a BYOBS race (Bring Your Own Bear Spray), along with hydration packs, and a smile. We will start the race in ONE WAVE PER RACE from the Alyeska Daylodge. Parking is available, as well as bathrooms, and a place to store warm gear. THERE ARE NO REFUNDS OFFERED. (Yes, even if the race is cancelled due to weather) THERE ARE NO BIB TRANSFERS. PLEASE leave your dogs at home. You can tell them about the race later. Thanks.
AGAIN THIS YEAR! There will be a time cut off for the Marathon. Marathon only - not half marathon. The marathon cutoff time will be 2.5 hours at the 9 mile mark. This is the Crow Creek Rd Aid Station. This cut off time will be in place for the safety and sanity of the volunteers that help create a fun day for all participants. Really, it's safety. These are wet trails in October and we encourage you to budget time navigating a few areas. If you are interested in walking the course, then sign up as a volunteer course sweep instead of a racer.
AIRPODS are discouraged so you can stay alert to wildlife and other runners.
And again, PLEASE LEAVE YOUR DOGS AT HOME. This applies to racers AND spectators since they tend to stand & cheer close to the finish line and food tables.
Race Day schedule and updated maps will be emailed to all Race Participants and Wait List Participants. If you are on the Wait List, you have a 51% chance of running, so keep that Saturday open. We will notify you as space opens.
We will decide if Marathon Racers are running across Glacier Creek 5 days prior to the race. If the water level is too dangerous, we will choose Plan B.
After the race will be yummy Bake Shop rolls and Coast pizza to reward your efforts and keep you around for the awards!!
This is a fundraiser for the Girdwood Nordic Ski Club. We use the funds to maintain the snow machines for winter grooming, maintain trails, and create trail signage. We will also dedicate funds to help maintain trails on this marathon course. We do not offer refunds unless you have a really really good reason like being deployed, or volunteering instead of racing. EVEN DUE TO WEATHER. We appreciate all of you coming to play outside in Girdwood and sharing our love for the Girdwood trail system. We will have three categories for each race: Men's Division, Women's Division, and Non-Binary Division.
See you soon!
And remember - no dogs.
Race Contact Info
If you have any questions about this race, click the button below.
Half Marathon Map
HALF MARATHON COURSE 2024 (clockwise)
Start at the Alyeska Daylodge, run down the Alyeska Bike Path towards the Glacier Creek Bridge, circle UNDER the bridge to the Lion’s Park and continue south down the Lower Iditarod Trail that turns and meets the Alyeska Highway (Flagger on site). Cross the Alyeska Highway to the USFS driveway and continue on Alyeska Bike Path and turn right down the Gird-to-Bird Bike Path. There will be an Aid Station at the Bird-to-Gird Bike Path Trailhead. From Bird-to-Gird trail, run north up Beaver Pond Trail to Abe’s Trail (up) to California Creek Trail (down) and across Crow Creek Road (Flagger and Aid Station on site at approximately 9 miles) to Athabascan Trail and Tiny Trail out across the road to Chair 5 restaurant and turn right to run through Town Square and then left to Hightower Rd, cross Hightower (Flagger on site) and run up Alyeska Bike Path towards DayLodge, cross Arlberg Road (Flagger on site) past the log Alyeska sign and up grass area next to Magic Carpet to Daylodge (Aid Station), turn left up to Challenge Alaska building to Winner Creek Trail Extension to Alyeska Mountain utility road down to the bottom of Chair 7, do a U-turn and run up Chair 7 Road and down Chair 3 road and FINISH at Alyeska Daylodge.
(Link to Garmin map by Lauren O'Connor) https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/166964209
Full Marathon Course
WE REVERSE DIRECTION EVERY YEAR SO READ DIRECTIONS
MAP PROFILE IS CLOCKWISE PROFILE.
MARATHON COURSE 2024 (clockwise) - PLAN A (Crossing Glacier Creek)
**AGAIN this year - cut off time 2.5 Hours at MILE 9 (Crow Creek Rd)
Start at the Daylodge, run down to the Alyeska Bike Path towards the Glacier Creek Bridge, circle UNDER the bridge to the Lion’s Park and south down the Iditarod Trail that turns and meets the Alyeska Highway (Flagger on site). Cross the Alyeska Highway to the USFS driveway and continue on Alyeska Bike Path and turn right down the Gird-to-Bird Bike Path. There will be an Aid Station on the Bird-to-Gird Bike Path where you will turn off to the Beaver Pond Trail, run north up Beaver Pond Trail to Abe’s Trail (up) to California Creek Trail (down) and across Crow Creek Road (Flagger and Aid Station AND 2.5 HR CUT OFF LOCATION) to Athabascan Trail and to the AWWU water road to the Iditarod Trail. Run on the Iditarod Trail down to Glacier Creek. Cross Glacier Creek on foot (Safety crew on site under old Hand Tram area) and continue up Winner Creek Trail towards Berry Pass. There is a TURN AROUND at the far end of the Rock Garden - a section of the Upper Winner Creek Trail before the ascent to Berry Pass. It has large granite rocks along the trail and trail bed - hence the name. It is right at the State/USFS boundary line. After the turn around, run back along Winner Creek Trail to "T" intersection, and turn left at the "T" (The "T" intersection is where the east-west Winner Creek Trail from Glacier Creek to Berry Pass meets the north/south Winner Creek Trail from the "T" to the Alyeska Resort) and run down to cut-off trail to the 5K Loop – run the Loop clockwise – and back to the SAME cut-off continue down Winner Creek Trail out on Alyeska Resort area and run up Chair7 Road and then down Chair 3 Road towards FINISH at the Day Lodge.
(links from Zach Behney) https://caltopo.com/m/MN6VT https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/3070156686
MARATHON COURSE 2024 (clockwise) - PLAN B (No River Crossing at Glacier Creek):
TBA
(Link by Zach Behney from 2018 Clockwise) https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/73299369
Directions
Alyeska Day Lodge
Race Participant Survey
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