Eric Strabel won the men’s division in the annual 4th of July Mount Marathon race in Seward today. The Anchorage Daily News reports Strabel won, setting a new record with an unofficial time
of 42 minutes 55 seconds. Ricky Gates followed him in seconds later, still fast enough to score a record-breaking finish at 43:05
The race was muddy this year but that didn’t stop a rookie from taking the women’s title. Palmer resident Christy Marvin clocked in at 53 minutes, 20 seconds, winning by nearly two minutes. Allison Barnwell a 21 year old Seward resident took second at 55 minutes 11 seconds.
This year, the race has undergone a few changes since 65-year-old Anchorage runner Michael LeMaitre was reported missing during the 2012 race. Almost a year later, there has been no trace of LeMaitre. Another Anchorage runner, Matt Kenney, is still recovering from a devastating fall last year.
For the 2013 event, runners have to sign a statement saying they’ve completed the race course before. Senior racers also have to get to the halfway point in less than 60 minutes, or they will be disqualified and sent back down the mountain.
Although the top finishers tend to be on the younger side, that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of elders who also take on the 3,022 foot peak on the annual 4th of July run.
Millie Spezialy is the author of a new book called Mount Marathon, Alaska’s Great Footrace. Spezialy moved to Anchorage in 1955 and started watching the Mount Marathon race in the 90s. She says she admired the runners but realized the race was about more than those who ran up the mountain.
Lori Townsend is the chief editor, senior vice president of journalism and senior host for Alaska Public Media. You can send her news tips and program ideas for Talk of Alaska and Alaska Insight at ltownsend@alaskapublic.org or call 907-550-8452. Read more about Lori here.
