Anchorage Running Club's Big Wild Life Runs--FAQ

2009 Big Wild Life Runs--Frequently Asked Questions

How many aid stations are there? Where are they located?

We will have aid stations approximately every two (2) miles. There will be plenty of water and sports drinks at these stations plus food (such as bananas and oranges) at some of them. Many of our aid stations are staffed by local high-school cross-country teams, so they will help keep your spirits up as you pass by! We suggest you also carry energy gels and/or snacks for the half-marathon and marathon . At the finish line, there will be plenty of food and water.

What medical support will be available on the course? Alaska Medical Support Team

Volunteers from the Alaska Medical Support Team (AMST) are our designated medical-support group. They will be stationed at several points along the course, and will be sent immediately to any situation requiring medical attention. There is no pre-race taping or similar services available. It is the professional opinion of AMST that any runners requiring pre-race taping for ankles, knees, or related injuries should not be running an event as long as a half-marathon or marathon.

Where can people watch?

The first-- and last--half-mile of all three running events occurs on city streets, so the viewing opportunities are superb at the start and end of the races. Each race (marathon, half marathon, 5K) begins by going westbound on 6th Avenue to H Street. Runners turn right onto H, follow H to 3rd Avenue, and then take Christensen Drive down the hill for a block to2nd Avenue. Here, they make a sharp left onto 2nd Avenue, and head west for two blocks to the beginning of the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail. The return is simply the reverse of this route.

Half Marathon Viewing Opportunities. Once runners are on the trail system, spectators have these opportunities to watch the half marathon as it unfolds:

Elderberry Park. This small urban park commemorates some of the original Alaska Railroad housing units built almost 100 years ago. Elderberry Park is on 5th Avenue west of its intersection with L Street. Follow 5th Avenue down the short, steep hill and turn right into the parking lot near the end of the street.

Westchester Lagoon. This area has excellent viewing opportunities. It is easiest to get to Westchester Lagoon by going south on L Street from the downtown area. Take a right turn onto 15th Avenue. Follow 15th for approximately 1/3 of a mile: the lagoon parking lot--and the lagoon itself--will be on your left. The small parking area may be full, but there is lots of on-street parking available. Westchester Lagoon is located in a residential area, so please do not park in people's driveways.

Half-Marathon Turnaround/Lynn Ary Park. The half-marathon's first turnaround will be on the Coastal Trail approximately 1/8 of a mile from Lynn Ary Park. If you wish to view the event from this location, you will have to drive to Lynn Ary Park and walk on the trail to the turnaround point. (The course turns around before the trail gets to the park.) Follow L Street south out of downtown to the stoplight at Northern Lights Boulevard. Take a right on Northern Lights and follow it to the third stoplight (at Wisconsin Street and Turnagain Parkway). Take a right on to Turnagain Parkway. Follow Turnagain Parkway approximately 1/2 of a mile to Lynn Ary Park, which is on the northwest side of the Turnagain Parkway and Illiamna Avenue intersection. Take a left turn at Illiamna Avenue and go two blocks, past the open field and tennis courts on your right, to Foraker Drive. Take a right turn on Foraker Drive, and go down the unpaved hill. The parking lot for the park will be on your right. You will see the trail ahead of you by the waterside and past the ball fields. Take a right onto the trail and walk to the turnaround point.

Valley of the Moon Park. Yet another urban park which the half-marathon course runs right through! Get to Valley of the Moon by taking E Street southbound out of downtown Anchorage. E will descend sharply past the 15th avenue stoplight; at the bottom of the hill is Valley of the Moon. Park your car there and walk to the trail.

Mulcahy Park/Sullivan Arena. This summer home of the Anchorage Bucs and Glacier Pilots baseball teams has a huge parking lot where you can leave your car and walk to the wooded area nearby to cheer your runners on! To get to this viewing area, take Gambell Street southbound out of the downtown area. To reach Gambell, take 9th Avenue eastbound to the stoplight at Gambell. Take a right onto Gambell. Past the 15th Avenue stoplight, get in the right-hand lane and exit into the parking area at Sullivan Arena, which is adjacent to the ballpark. Walk to the southern edge of the parking lot and into the woods to get to the trail.

Tikishla Park. Tikishla Park is the second turnaround point in the half-marathon course. It is located at the eastern end of 20th Avenue. From downtown, follow Gambell as if you were going to Mulcahy Park and the Sullivan Arena, but take a left at the 15th Avenue stoplight. Follow 15th for approximately a mile and a half to the stoplight at Lake Otis Parkway. Take a right at this light and then take a left at 20th Avenue. Follow 20th to where it ends, which is right at the park. The half-marathon turnaround point is behind the ballfield's backstop.

Marathon Viewing Opportunities. All of the half-marathon viewing opportunities apply to the marathon as well. And there are these additional viewing areas for spectators interested in watching the marathon in particular unfold:

Earthquake Park. Earthquake Park commemorates that part of Anchorage which went sliding into Cook Inlet during the 1964 Good Friday Earthquake. Follow the instructions for getting to Lynn Ary Park (see the half-marathon viewing opportunities) but keep going on Northern Lights Boulevard past Turnagain Parkway for approximately one mile. The park will be on your right.

Airport Park. Approximately 1/2 a mile past Earthquake Park is Airport Park. It’s at the intersection of Northern Lights and Postmark Drive. The unpaved parking area will be on your right. You will know you are close when you see the sign for the Post Office. The road to the post office is to the left on the aptly-named Postmark Drive. Airport Park is on the right side of the road about 200 feet past the Postmark-Drive intersection.

Point Woronzof Park. Point Woronzof Park is approximately 3/4 of a mile past Postmark Drive. You drive past the end of the north-south runway at Anchorage International Airport and descend a hill. Beware of low-flying aircraft! The park will be on your right tucked away on the side of a hill. This is the last possible viewing area for the marathon race before the course turns around.

What is the race day weather forecast?

At the start it might be sunny and 55-60 degrees or it might be rainy and windy or it might be something between these two. Our weather page has listed the conditions for the last three years.

What If I Encounter Wildlife?

It is altogether possible that runners will see and perhaps encounter moose along the course. More than likely, it will be from a distance, as these animals will be loading up on tree branches, bark, and other vegetation in preparation for the long winter ahead. Such benign encounters are what set our event apart from most other races. Many of our former participants have carried small disposable cameras and were lucky enough to get some good wildlife photographs! All that having been said: if runners encounter moose on the running surface of the trail, our advice is to yield the right of way. Try and make noise, clap your hands, to encourage the moose to move along. Be assertive, but only to a degree. These tactics may not be effective and the moose may respond by looking at you like you're from outer space, in which case you have a choice to make: wait until the trail clears or take a detour through the woods. Even though it won't do your time any good, we highly recommend the former, as the woods are the moose's territory and they are much more mobile in that environment than a semi-fatigued marathoner. Safety first - always! Be especially careful if the moose is accompanied by a calf, as mother moose are very protective and have been known to attack anything or anyone they perceive as threatening to their brood.

We are happy to answer any other questions you have. Please send us an e-mail with your questions.