In July of 2017, Glenda and I took the Great Alaskan Running Cruise with hosts John “The Penguin” Bingham and Coach Jenny Hadfield as our hosts. What a great way to get Alaska! We did 4 races (a fun run, a timed race, an adventure race and and trail race) as part of the cruise. While I suppose the timed race counts as getting state #44, all 4 of the races, and subsequent awards will be covered here.
Race #1 Moosehead 5K (fun run)
This race took place on the evening of July 20, 2017 in Anchorage…after a 9 mile hike in the morning. Wasn’t the fastest race…but it was fun!
And we wore moose antlers and Whattsamotta U. t-shirts to kick off the race week
On July 23, after a day at sea, we arrived in Juneau for the Glacier 5K and Half. I did the 5k, Glenda did the Half. It was hilly but beautiful! This was the officially timed race…and my official time was 49.58 (the race was a tiny bit long…5K “ish”)
Glenda and I pre-race in our silly shirts (and her bunny ears)
Scenery at the 5K turnaround
On July 24 we had an Adventure race in Skagway. We were given 60 minutes to find a number of checkpoints and photograph ourselves there. It was a really fun was to see the town! We were celebrating our “honeymoon-iversary” and wore our anniversary/bridal costumes.
In our costumes in front of the ship in Skagway. The skirts say “love you more”
On July 26 we did our last race of the cruise, a trail race in Tongass National forest, at Ward Lake. I did the 5K in a bit over an hour, enjoying amazing views. We wore bear ears that I had knitted the night before. We didn’t actually plan costumes for this race, but everyone kept asking what our costumes would be….so you do what you gotta do!!
Coming into the finish, Lake in the background, bear ears and all!
At the end of the Cruise came the awards which included a really awesome finisher’s medal for all participants. There were also the “Courage to Start Awards” based on John Bingham’s book of the same name and honoring people who embody the Inspiration-Perspiration-Dedication-Celebration cycle he talks about there. And Glenda and I were incredibly honored to receive the Great Alaskan Running Cruise 2017 Courage to Start Celebration award!
Fantastic finisher’s medal
Our celebration award, we each got a water bottle, a coveted yellow hat and a bottle of champagne
Glenda and I with Jenny Hadfield and John Bingham
More Races
July 21, 2019 Hightail Quarter Marathon (1:56:24)