Summer running schedule full

MAT-SU - In most sports, the championship event is scheduled at the end of the season. But that is not the case for the local running season.

A full slate of races in the Valley kickoff with the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial state championship 5-K run, Saturday. What follows is a variety of events ranging from a single mile to 50 miles in length. It's enough to keep Valley runners busy throughout the summer.

Most of the events are held on the streets of the Valley. But for the more adventurous types, there are a few trail runs, a hill climb and two triathlons on tap.

There are 14 events scheduled for the summer, and one planned for mid-December - for those who just have to compete in the middle of winter.

Longtime running enthusiast Mike Janecek remembers a time when there wasn't a single running event scheduled in the Valley during the summer months, and since, he has been the driving force in starting several of the races which still are held.

&#8220The running community in the Valley has grown with the population,” Janecek said. &#8220There were times when the only people entered in the race were the organizers and a handful of friends who couldn't say no. Now there is a variety of running events throughout the summer.”

Mat-Su Borough Assembly member Talis Colberg took up running seriously a little more than five years ago, and the camaraderie has kept him hooked.

&#8220It's not so much about being competitive as it is meeting new and old friends,” Colberg explained. &#8220Plus, having a variety of races keeps it interesting. I really like the musk ox run; ‘Running with the Bulls,' is what they call it. It's just a fun race in the ideal setting for the Valley.”

A new event on the calendar this summer is the Bushwack This! Adventure Race scheduled for Sept. 16. Participants will race from point A to point B in this event, through the wilderness of the Mat-Su Valley.

&#8220Participants can expect to do a little hiking, climbing, mountain biking and even canoeing,” race director Brian Richardson said. &#8220The race is designed for those who want to get out and experience Alaska.”

The race, which is a qualifier for the national championship race, will feature a six-hour short course for first-time adventure racers, and a 12-hour advanced course, which will cover 50 miles.

The Dee Dee Dog Dash allows participants to bring their dogs along as they run the windy Crevasse Moraine Trail in Palmer.

&#8220It's a great event and is different from the typical road race,” Janecek said. &#8220You can run with your dog, plus it is a great fund-raiser for breast cancer awareness.”

Triathletes will be able to test their endurance twice this summer at the annual Frontiersman Big Lake Triathlon June 25 and the Knik Triathlon Aug. 6. The Knik Triathlon is the Alaska State Championship event.

For those who can't last the winter without competing in a triathlon, the annual Colony Christmas Triathlon is scheduled for Dec. 9. Entrants will have to brave the cold, snow and ice while running and biking before entering the pool at Palmer High School.

&#8220The great thing about the races in the Valley is that there is a race for everyone,” Colberg said. &#8220The competitive guys can race to win, and those of us who just like to run have some great races to participate in all summer.”

Like the Dee Dee Dog Dash, most races serve as fund-raisers for local charities, which helps attract participants.

&#8220It's certainly a healthy factor to have so many races in the community, but now I think there are too many choices,” Janecek said. &#8220The fund-raising efforts suffer because they don't attract the maximum number of runners. It's like shopping at the grocery store and having to select from 15 different types of Twinkies. It's hard to pick one.”

Contact Darrell L. Breese at 352-2267 or at darrell.breese@

frontiersman.com.