Saturday, July 10, 2021

Marathon #121 (second round state #21): Hatcher Pass Marathon, Willow, AK

4:45 finish, 22/63 place overall. Very small remote race in the mountains about an hour and a half north of Anchorage. This was my third hardest marathon ever (after Pikes Peak, CO and Zermatt, Switzerland) with an almost entirely uphill course, gaining about 4,000 feet of elevation from start to finish. Luckily it was all road (mostly dirt) rather than trail with ideal cool weather, helping me stay relatively strong for most of the race and finish under five hours - very slow by my normal standards but good considering the very tough course. It was also one of the most scenic I’ve ever done and had very friendly race organizers and volunteers.

Race map and details

Photos