A group of friends and I flew into Anchorage on Thursday, and wen to the expo on Friday. The expo was small but still had many things to look at, and bib pick-up was super easy.

The race was on Saturday and started at a local high school a little outside of downtown Anchorage. They offered shuttles to the start, but we opted for a cab. They had plenty of portapotties, and even an aid station where you could apply bug spray. They sang the National Anthem and even the Alaskan State Anthem, then we all lined up at the start. The field was small enough that there were no corrals, you just lined up and went.

The course is definitely not for the faint of heart. It consisted of streets, multi-use trails (paved), gravel roads, and single track paths. You ran through neighborhoods, next to the highway, up a mountain, and even on the Airforce Base. Although the course itself was fairly difficult (if you are used to running that type of terrain), NOTHING compared to the scenery! It was definitely one of the most beautiful courses I have ever had the experience of running (we even saw a bear and a moose!).

Major aid stations were about every 6 miles (for the relay exchange) and others in between. All were well stocked and some had some pretty good food selections.

I would absolutely recommend this race to anyone!

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