King Salmon Marathon

RG's comments from 2017 were spot on, and could have described the 2019 race exactly. I heeded the warning and bought bear spray and a bell, as I was concerned about bears, especially for those first 13 miles way out there when there were only about 30+ of us spread out. I ran with a couple other runners, but we saw none. As this race grows I imagine the concerns will lessen as the sound of voices tends to make them leave the area anyway. I was the only one with spray, too, but I felt better with that insurance policy. We hiked Mt. Eyak the next day, which is an easy access trail from town, and got a great view of the area. Not many restaurants in town, but all are encouraged to be at the Salmon Jam festival the night of the race. It was where you wanted to spend your time anyway in a tiny little town like this, hanging out with locals. Yes, I could have used some protein immediately after the race but was prepared and brought my own. The race had a cheap entry fee, so it didn't feel unfair. The medal also reflected this (very simple), but that's just fine, too. It is a great place for a 50-stater to claim AK, and certainly more interesting than a race in Anchorage. Wild and remote, but not too much for those of us not prepared to run some trail race in the wilderness but wanting some of the scenery and more personalized AK experience. Hotels are not fancy and they are not cheap, but I didn't feel this was as hard to get to as anticipated b/c AK Airlines flies daily into Cordova. Still quaint, though, b/c the cruise ships can't access the town, and there are no roads in. I get the feeling that a few gatherings like this per year help keep this community alive, and although folks were extremely friendly the few days we were in their town, they seemed ready to regain their autonomy by the end of the weekend. No spectators except for a bald-eagle putting on a show. Very responsive race director Kristin. Super-friendly volunteers at EVERY station. Definitely recommended race. Now Boston certified. I'd expect this race to grow quickly so enter this one while you can.

Stunning scenery combined with a small well run race made this fun and worthwhile for my first marathon.

Cordova and the surrounding Chucagh National Forest are a great place to visit, so when you come for this marathon, give yourself a few extra days to enjoy some hiking/fishing/etc. Just make sure you have bear spray. The course is beautiful, with 26.2 miles of great views. The first 14 or so is gravel road (which I love); the remainder is on paved road, but with some softer shoulder. Course markers count down, but they all matched well with the Garmin. The course is advertised as flat and seems that way when you drive it, but there are some subtle, gradual hills (Garmin recorded 850 feet of elevation gain over 26.2). They drove us out to the start, where we all jumped out and found a bush (no porta-potties, but there is a USFS outhouse about five miles in). We got there a little late, so started at 7:20 instead of 7am. It was no problem because we had ideal conditions (cloudy and 55 degrees). It also worked out well for me, because it meant I had to chase down my wife who was running the half that started at 9:30. The aid stations are 4-5 miles apart, so be ready for that. Given the mild conditions that was perfect spacing; with warmer conditions one might want to take their own hydration. Course support/fans was pretty much limited to the aid stations, and the emergency vehicles making sure we didn't get attacked by bears or moose. At mile 16 I had a black furry beast run alongside in the bushes; I was relieved to see a lab when it finally jumped out of the bushes onto the road. The post-race food was sparse compared to other events (water, oranges, bananas). The swag (t-shirt, small medal, can of salmon, and tote bag) were nice. It wasn't my fastest marathon ever (though fastest of recent marathons), but mentally it went by quickly. Overall it was a great event and a nice place for a running vacation.