Big Wild Life Runs--Frequently Asked Questions

| Where can people watch? | What medical support will be on the course? | How many aid stations are there and where are they located? |

Where can people watch?

The first (and last) half-mile of each event is on the streets of Anchorage and therefore the viewing opportunities are superb in these segments. All three events start by going westbound on West 6th Avenue to "H" Street; turning right (or northbound) onto "H"; following "H" to West 3rd Avenue; following Christensen Avenue obliquely down the hill past 3rd Avenue for a block to West 2nd Avenue; making a sharp left on to West 2nd Avenue, and proceeding westbound for two blocks to the trail head of the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail. The return is simply the reverse of the above description.

Once on the trail system, the following viewing instructions pertain to the half-marathon:

Elderberry Park. This small urban park commemorates some of the old original Alaska Railroad housing units built almost 100 years ago. Elderberry Park is on West 5th Avenue extended, i.e., west of the "L" Street intersection. Follow 5th down the hill and turn right into the park's parking lot near the bottom. Be careful, it is a steep hill.

Westchester Lagoon. Humpy's legacy start-finish venue now provides excellent viewing opportunities. Westchester Lagoon is reachable by proceeding south on "L" Street from the downtown area to a right-hand turn onto West 15th Avenue. Follow 15th for approximately 1/3-mile and the lagoon parking area - and the lagoon itself - will be on your left. The small parking area may be full; there is ample street parking available. Westchester Lagoon is located adjacent to a residential area, please do not park in people's driveways.

Half-Marathon turnaround/Lynn Ary Park. The half-marathon's first turnaround will be on the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail approximately 1/8-mile east of 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 southbound out of downtown to the stoplight at West 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-mile to Lynn Ary Park, located in the northwest quadrant of the Turnagain Parkway - Illiamna Avenue intersection. Take a left turn at Illiamna Avenue and proceed two blocks, past the open field and tennis courts on your right, to Foraker Drive. Take a right turn at Foraker Drive and proceed down the unpaved hill, and the parking lot for the park will be on your right. You will see the trail ahead by the water, 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! Access VOTM by taking "E" Street southbound out of downtown Anchorage. "E" will descend sharply past the 15th avenue stoplight and at the bottom of the hill is the park! Park your car and walk to the trail.

Mulcahy Park - Sullivan Arena. The 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 adjacent wooded area to cheer your runners on! To get to this viewing area, take Gambell Street southbound out of the downtown area - you reach Gambell by taking 9th Avenue eastbound to the stoplight at Gambell. Take a right on to Gambell Street. Past the 15th Avenue stoplight, get in the right lane and exit into the parking area at Sullivan Arena that is adjacent to the ball park. 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 of the half-marathon course. It is located at the eastern end of East 20th Avenue. From downtown, follow Gambell as if you were going to Mulcahy Park, 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 East 20th Avenue. Follow 20th to its terminus, which is right at the park. The course turnarounds around behind the ball field's backstop.

All the foregoing half-marathon viewing areas apply to the marathon. Here are the additional viewing areas for the marathon:

Earthquake Park. Earthquake Park memorializes that part of Anchorage which went sliding into the Cook Inlet during the 1964 Good Friday Earthquake. Follow the instructions for the Lynn Ary Park access but keep going on West Northern Lights Boulevard past Turnagain Parkway for approximately one mile to the park, which will be on your right.

Postmark Drive Pullout. Approximately half-mile past Earthquake Park is the parking area at the Postmark Drive intersection. The unpaved parking area will be on your right. You will know you are at the proper location when you see the directional sign for the Post Office. The road to the post office turns to the left at Postmark Drive. The pullout is about 200 feet past the Postmark Drive intersection, on the opposite side of the road.

Point Woronzof Park. Point Woronzof Park is approximately 3/4-mile past Postmark Drive, after you have gone around the end of the north-south runway at Anchorage International Airport and descended a hill. Beware low-flying aircraft! Look for the park on your right. This is the last possible viewing area on the marathon course before it turns around.

What medical support will be on the course?

Volunteers from the Alaska Medical Support Team (AMST) are our designated medical support group. They will be stationed at several locations along the course, and will be dispatched immediately to any situation requiring medical attention. There is no pre-race taping or similar service available; it is the professional opinion of AMST that any runners requiring pre-race taping for ankles, knees or related injuries should not consider running an event of this length.

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How many aid stations are there and where are they located?

We'll have aid stations approximately every two miles. Expect to find plenty of water and sports drink, at these stations, plus food like bananas and oranges at some of them. Many of our aid stations are staffed by local high school cross-country teams, and they will help pump you up as you pass by. We suggest you carry energy gels and/or whatever snacks you prefer on the marathon. At the finish line there will be plenty of food and water.

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