The men’s and women’s race portions of the 2015 Mount Marathon race in Seward will host running celebrities.
Seward Chamber Executive Director Cindy Clock said Allison Ostrander of Kenai will transition into the women’s race.
Clock: “It’ll be her first year running the entire race to the top and back and she’s been interviewed about that and she seems pretty confident. Last year she won the Junior Race ahead of any junior boys and that’s the first time that has happened.”
This year’s race also brings world-renowned trail runner Kilian Jornet who was given a special invitation by Seward to the race.
Clock: “World records all over, he’s got the fastest ascent and descent of Mount McKinley. He’s from Spain, he races all over the world and is very much an elite mountain runner.”
Jornet completed that record in June of last year with the 6,194 meter ascent and descent time of 11 hours, 48 minutes, on North America’s highest peak.
Back to Seward, the day after this year’s Mount Marathon race will see an independant race group will use the Mount Marathon course.
Clock: “There’s Expedition Alaska, they’re ending their 400-mile, seven-day, non-stop, adventure race in Seward. Their team of 80 elite athletes are doing their own version of the Mount Marathon race so their leaving the start line
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