Commissioner
Don Kiely — donkiely@alaskaisg.org
Schedule
Monday, August 7 at 6:30 PM: 5K
Wednesday, August 9 at 6:30 PM: 10K
Check-in both days begins at 6:00 PM. Pre-race meetings at 6:20 PM.
Site
Both the 5K and 10K will be held at the Chena Lake Recreation Area in North Pole, almost entirely on paved bike paths. (The only non-paved surfaces are when the courses cross the road, which happens twice in the 5K and four times in the 10K, since the courses are both out and back.) Both courses are very flat for fast times. Both are USATF certified.
Both events start at the southwest corner of the main parking lot of Lake Park. From Fairbanks, take the Alaska/Richardson Highway south through North Pole. Take the Dawson Road exit and turn left at the light. Immediately after you pass under the highway, turn right onto Laurence Road. Follow that for about six miles past the park’s entrance station (you’ll need to stop there, if it’s open), then turn left on Lake Park Road. Follow that until just before you get to the lake straight ahead of you, and go into the large parking lot on your left. We’ll be in the southwest corner of the lot. GPS coordinates are 64°46’09.40 N 147°13’46.35 W, according to Google Earth.
Courses
Both courses start at the southwest corner of the main parking lot in the Lake Park portion of the recreation area. They follow the bike path around the south side of the parking lot, cross the gravel Lake Park Road, then continue along the bike path around the south side of the lake. At about 3/4 miles or so, the route turns right, away from the lake and toward Moose Creek Dam. Shortly thereafter, the 5K and 10K courses diverge.
5K Course
Note: The 5K course will be a bit different than what is described below in 2023 because of construction near Moose Creek Dam. The course will be the same as the out-and-back 10K course, other than, of course, turning around sooner. We’ll post a map with GPS track when we can get out there.
The 5K course continues out to about mile 1 at Laurence Road, then left on the bike path on the west side of the road. The bike path continues north along Laurence Road to the turnaround, just past a pullout on the road (which is a great place for spectators to see you pass by). Then return along the same course back to the finish.
There will be an aid station near the turnaround with water.
10K Course
The 10K course continues a short way to the bike path that runs along the west side of the Moose Creek Dam slough, about an eighth of a mile before Laurence Road. It turns right just before the one mile mark to cross Lake Park Road and continues along the bike path south for another two and a half miles. You’ll cross a driveway at about mile 1.75 or so that goes to the flood control project offices. Continue south to the turnaround, enjoying the heavily wooded section along the slough. Then return to the finish along the same course.
There will be an aid station with water at about 1.75 mile, which you’ll run by again on the return.
Fee
No additional fee
Details
The races will be run rain or shine, so please come prepared for rain or shine before, during, and after the race.
We will provide water at the start/finish and a single aid station (the 10K passes it twice), but no other food or refreshments. Please come prepared with whatever you want or need.