Race The Planes 5k 27 Aug-The "bonus" race

 

Well, this race got moved to two weeks later this year, so I would miss it by a day because I had to fly back to work the day before....or so I thought. The jet could not land in Bethel because the fog was too thick! I was grateful that we turned back to Anchorage because getting stuck in Bethel (no planes were flying to villages because of the weather) is an expensive nightmare. I got to go home another three days since the flights back to Bethel were all booked! So, exhausted from the early getting up and chasing to and from Bethel the day before, I managed a slow win! Here is the interview on TV. Many of my students and parents saw it :D You know what they say-it's not over til the fat lady sings! So, I got one more in before the official end to the summer racing season.

https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2023/08/28/race-planes-5k-draws-over-100-runners/

This race also has the best bbq after!

Run Fest 49K 20 August

 I have been too busy too keep up posting :) This one goes in as one of the top highlights of the season. Official win number 8 for this event with my first one being back in 97! I have only ever missed this event that has been renamed over the years(Humpy's Marathon, Big Wildlife, and now Anchorage Run Fest) if I was either in Russia or in Tuluksak because school had already started. With the new calendar and being completely off from the beginning of May until roughly Labor Day weekend, I can now do this race again.

As for top accomplishments this year,  I would have to say the win in the 49 K, the win at Russian masters NCs, and Arctic Valley are up there. It's been a heck of a season. I had the win by nearly an hour this time, but was about a minute off my 2015 course record. I ran solo pretty much the whole way with nobody to push me. There was a guy who ran with me a little as we headed out the first 20km to Kincaid, ut he decided to pass after 8k. He was already a few minutes up at the Kincaid Hill turnaround. At  25 K I ended up passing him and continued alone the rest of the day. Leonid caught me at 30k/Westchester Lagoon on the bike after finishing 6th in the 5k. He grabbed the bike and crewed for me the rest of the way. I am not getting any younger, and do not take any of these wins for granted. It has been TWENTY SIX years since my first win! That's A LOT of history! 

heading back just after 40k

                                                        

Almost 20 years to the day-I spent the summer in Russia then came back for the win. It was one of my slowest because I arrived about 12 hours before the start because of delays from the NYC power outage. History repeated itself 20 years later but minus the last minute arrival ;)

                                                And that original article I found in my Moscow flat this summer!

                                                                And the link to this year's!

                                            https://www.adn.com/sports/2023/08/22/anchorage-runfest-draws-more-than-1000-runners-to-two-day-event/