[Author’s Note: This article is the seventh in an 11-part series in AJW’s Taproom celebrating under-the-radar races.]
The Kenai Peninsula, off the southern coast of the Alaskan mainland, is home to many wondrous things — grizzly bears, Chinook salmon, massive stands of native conifers and, each year in late July, the Resurrection Pass Ultra Races.
Directed by cousins Brandon Wood and Sarah Hurkett, this event is a throwback to the early days of ultrarunning. There is no entry fee, although donations are welcome. There are no awards at the finish line, although in recent years, runners have taken it upon themselves to create handmade buckles, design t-shirts, and, best of all, for a few years now, a runner has provided stickers for everyone.
The start line of the Resurrection Pass 100 Mile is a decidedly low-key affair. All photos courtesy of Resurrection Pass Ultra Races.
The course has changed a few times over the years, but the essence of the race remains the same. The 100 miler starts at 3 p.m. on a Friday afternoon and the 50 miler at 6 a.m. the next morning. Legendary Alaskan ultrarunner Geoff Roes holds the current course record, but that doesn’t really matter to these folks all that much.
What matters to the organizers and the participants is easily summarized by Wood — it’s those timeless qualities that brought many of us to the sport to begin with.
Woods says, “From the very beginning, these have been very low-key, community-driven events. There has never been an entry fee. It’s all donation-based. I like to refer to this event as a well-organized fat-ass. This event has gone through a number of different RDs [race directors] over the years (this will be the 28th year for the 50 mile, and the 21st year for the 100 mile), but it’s always managed to maintain the same low-key vibe.”
The scenery of the Resurrection Pass Ultra Races is not lacking.
Like any ultra, especially one held in a remote, environmentally sensitive area, the race has faced some obstacles.
Woods says, “The growth in popularity of the event over the past few years has caused us to approach things a little differently. For many years, this race operated without a permit or even much of an official registration process. These days, we have a permit with the U.S. Forest Service and handle registration through UltraSignup to help make things more manageable.”
Few races in North America have embraced the low-key, old-school vibe of early ultramarathons quite like this one. When I asked Wood about this, he said, “These have always been, and likely will always be, low-key, mostly self-supported races. Due to the nature of the trails we use, which are remote with very little access, racers have to be mostly self-sufficient and help other racers. The 100-miler has two aid stations at the only two accessible trailheads at mile 42 and 70, and the 50 miler only has one at mile 22, and even for that, volunteers must hike in four miles just to set up the aid station.”
The Resurrection Pass Ultra Races are mostly well-organized, self-supported adventure runs with only a couple of checkpoints and aid stations.
In this day and age of big-time events producing big-time experiences, the Resurrection Pass Ultra Races choose to move to the other side of the boat by embracing community, shared suffering, and the simple pleasure of being together.
Each year, it’s clear what the entire team looks forward to most. Woods says, “[It’s] the people. We see a lot of the same runners come back year after year, so we always say it feels like a family reunion. We also get a lot of first-time ultrarunners, and it’s always great to see people pushing their limits and getting their first ultra finish. There’s a great vibe at the finish line all day long, with lots of friends and family coming to hang out, young kids running in with their parents, and runners hanging out long after they’ve finished to cheer on other runners and swap stories.”
There is no fanfare at the finish of the Resurrection Pass 100 Mile, just the comfortable Alaskan ground to recover on.
This year’s race starts on July 26, and while it’s full, there’s always next year.
Bottoms up!
AJW’s Beer of the Week
This week’s Beer of the Week comes from Alaskan Brewing Company in Juneau, Alaska. The Alaskan Amber is a classic old-school amber ale with hints of malt and a refreshingly hoppy finish. Typical of most things that come from Alaska, it’s a little different, but not too much.
Call for Comments
- Have you had a chance to race the Resurrection Pass Ultra Races?
- Do you prefer low-key vibes or big-production events?
