Hatcher Pass Marathon slated for Saturday

WILLOW — Registration is ongoing for the fourth-annual running of the Hatcher Pass Marathon & Relay slated for Saturday at 9 a.m. in Willow.Runners may register online for the full marathon, or the three-person relay, via www.ultrasignup.com. Registration on race day is also available. The individual marathon entry fee is $50 online until July 11, and $60 on race day. Teams pay $150 to enter the relay online until July 11, and $180 on race day.

The Mat-Su Valley’s only summer marathon begins at the Willow Creek bridge on Shirley Towne Road, near mile 43.25 of Willow Fishhook Road. The mostly graveled race course, which features a cumulative elevation gain of almost 4,000 feet, follows Willow Fishhook Road over the summit of the pass and finishes near Independence Mine State Park. The first 25 miles climb continuously, followed by a steep mile-long descent to the finish line.

The individual record for the marathon is 3:00:58, set by Sam Tilly, then of Indian, in 2011, the race’s inaugural year. The second-fastest time was set that same year by Patrick Conway in 3:13:00. Marina Fleming, in 2013, set the individual women’s mark in 3:50:41. The relay record is 3:01:09, set in 2013 by a team called Kicking Pass and Taking Names.

Hosted by the Willow Running Club, the race has attracted nearly 100 runners each year. Runners interested in participating should visit the club’s website at www.willowraceseries.com, look up Willow Race Series on Facebook, or email race organizer Andrea Hambach at andreahambach722@yahoo.com to learn more about this event.