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The marathon is a "keyhole" course with two embedded out-and-back loops. Think of the marathon as a 23.1-mile double-loop course tacked on to the end of Humpy's 5-K course. That is effectively what you have. The first mile-and-a-half of the marathon course follows the 5-K course. At the 5-K turnaround point, the marathon continues on for two out-and-back loops of approx. 15 and 8 miles, respectively.
The run starts by going westbound on West 6th Avenue to "H" Street; turning right (or northbound) onto "H"; following "H" to West 3rd Avenue; following Christensen Avenue obliquely down the hill past 3rd Avenue for a block to West 2nd Avenue; making a sharp left on to West 2nd Avenue, and proceeding westbound for two blocks to the trail head of the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail. It follows the Coastal Trail for a mile and a half to the "Y" at Westchester Lagoon, where it bears to the right and continues to follow the Coastal Trail to approx. Mile 7.3, past Earthquake and Point Woronzof Parks, to a turnaround point. The course returns to the "Y", again bearing to the right, and proceeds eastbound on the Lainie Fleischer Chester Creek Trail for approx. 4 miles to a second turnaround at Tikishla Park. The course returns to the lagoon, again bears right at the "Y", and follows its initial path in reverse back to the start-finish line in front of Humpy's Great Alaskan Ale House.
The biggest climbs of the marathon course occur on the first loop, the one which takes them out toward Earthquake Park. The first hill is encountered on the approach to Earthquake Park, between Mile 4 and 5. Runners will climb approx. 50 feet over approximately a half-mile. The second hill comes between approximately Mile 5.5 to Mile 6. It involves a 75-foot climb which terminates at Point Woronzof, the highest point on the marathon course. The summit is located on the extended centerline of Runway 14/32 at Anchorage International Airport, and runners may be "buzzed" by large B-747 freighters departing to, or arriving from, far-flung points across the globe. What this means is that it could be very loud at times.
Immediately after having reached the summit, runners will lose all the elevation they gained by running down a steep and winding 0.1-mile grade. Just past the Point Woronzof pullout, they enter the "outback" portion of the marathon course--a four-mile (one-way) stretch through a heavily-forested area of the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail. As you enter the outback you will hear generators from the nearby municipal wastewater treatment plant. One of your other senses may kick in, too, depending upon which way the wind is blowing. But soon, the noise and aroma will dissipate and you will be enjoying a true nature experience! This portion of the marathon course is flat. For all you longtime fans of the movie, "The Wizard of Oz", this area will evoke thoughts of the forest where Dorothy et. al. cringe at the prospect of encountering lions, tigers, and bears. There won't be any lions and tigers; ditto for flying monkeys; it is highly unlikely that there will be bears (although, periodically, they are spotted in this region of the municipality); but it is altogether possible that runners will see and perhaps encounter moose in this area. More than likely, it will be from a distance, as these animals will be loading up on tree branches, bark, and other vegetation in preparation for the long winter ahead. Such benign encounters are what set our event apart from most other races. Many of our former participants have carried small disposable cameras and were lucky enough to get some good wildlife photographs!
All that having been said: if runners encounter moose on the running surface of the trail, our advice is to yield the right of way. Try and make noise, clap your hands, to encourage the moose to move along. Be assertive, but only to a degree. These tactics may not be effective and the moose may respond by looking at you like you're from outer space, in which case you have a choice to make: wait until the trail clears or take a detour through the woods. Even though it won't do your time any good, we highly recommend the former, as the woods are the moose's territory and they are much more mobile in that environment than a semi-fatigued marathoner. Safety first - always! Be especially careful if the moose is accompanied by a calf, as mother moose are very protective and have been known to attack anything or anyone they perceive as threatening to their brood.
This loop of the marathon turns around approximately 1.5 miles before the trail begins climbing to its terminus at Kincaid Park.
Upon emerging from the "outback" at approximately Mile 13, runners get to climb that steep hill they ran down just past the summit. That's the bad news; the good news is, "it's all downhill from here". Except for that hill in the last mile! On the way back, in the vicinity of the summit and beyond, runners will be treated to some really fantastic views of the Inlet and downtown Anchorage (providing it is a nice or semi-nice day).
Upon return to the "Y", the marathoners bear right and embark upon the second loop of the marathon course, which follows the Lainie Fleischer Chester Creek Trail eastbound, toward the mountains, to a turnaround approx. 3-3/4 miles away at Tikishla Park. This loop is flat and takes the runners through a forested, urban portion of the trail system. Moose may be encountered during this first loop, but it is more likely that you'll have seen them during the Earthquake Park segment of the course. While the Tikishla Loop is forested, it is within a suburban area that moose tend to shy away from.
Upon returning to the lagoon and the "Y" from the Tikishla Loop, the marathoners will again bear right and return to the start-finish area via the route they followed on the outbound course. This final segment is uphill. There is a small climb approaching Elderberry Park, and then the final push approx. 75 feet up the Christensen Grade in the last mile of the race. |
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