New race aims to go the distance in Willow

WILLOW — Runners feeling a little anxiety over blowing their holiday diet can find some relief this weekend at the first Willow Winter Solstice Marathon and Half Marathon.

The race, which will take place on some of the more than 100 miles of pristine trails around the Willow community, helps fill a winter void for area runners, said race director Andrea Hambach.

“We started this winter race this year, which we hope to expand in future years,” said Hambach, who also owns Willow Running Co., a start-up business that’s hosting the Winter Solstice as its first official race.

It seems Mother Nature is favoring the new race, she said. While temperatures at the beginning of the week were well into double digits below zero, the forecast for Saturday’s race is a much more favorable 5 to 10 above, Hambach said.

“Which is an improvement from what we’ve been seeing this past week,” she said. “The trails have had time to set up pretty well, which will be good for running.”

The idea for a winter marathon and half marathon came from Hambach and assistant race director Dave Johnston’s jaunts along the Willow trails.

“We’ve been running on the Willow trails for a few years now and it’s actually a great place to run,” she said. “We thought this would be a great time to get people thinking about running a winter race.”

The route is described as an out-and-back course that begins and ends at the Willow Community Center. The course winds through lakes around Willow and out to Red Shirt Lake and the Nancy Lake Recreation Area. The marathon is 26.2 miles, while the half comes in at 13.1 miles.

Part of the allure, Hambach said, is the breathtaking scenery along the course.

“The marathon actually goes into Nancy Lake State (Recreation Area) and heads on to Red Shirt Lake on the winter trail there,” she said. “And the turnaround is one of the winter cabins out there. That’s a really beautiful trail through the state rec area. It’s really quite nice.”

The half marathon crosses eight lakes in the Willow area, she said, adding the difficulty level shouldn’t be a factor for runners in considering the race.

“It’s not a technically hilly or challenging course,” she said. “You don’t have to be a mountain runner. You should have some experience running outside and dress for the weather.”

Contact reporter Greg Johnson at greg.johnson@frontiersman.com or 352-2269.