The word Inspire comes from the Latin inspiratus, which means "to blow or breathe into." That is what Irene Webber did when she ran the 1st King Salmon Marathon, alone, in 1986. With her perseverance and enthusiasm, she created an event in which all of us have been inspired to take a part. Her motto, "See you on the road!" means just that, as she encourages others to live a healthier life. We now host participants from all over the world, and in one of Alaska's most beautiful and friendly communities. We have had runners from all over the world, such as Japan, Australia, Brazil, Norway, New York, Florida and many more. Some have come back twice. We sent some of our famous Copper River Salmon back to the King in Saudia Arabia. Our runs honor Salmon, a species that has long been a critical part of life for Alaskans. The Copper River Delta, along which Cordova is situated, is known for one of the largest remaining natural runs of Salmon in the world. Our 17th anniversary theme is "See you on the road."