Fourth of July fun peaks at Mount Marathon

For 800 Alaskans (plus a handful of out-of-towners), however, Fourth of July is the day they run, climb, sweat, summit, leap and descend a 3,022-foot mountain in the tiny seaside town of Seward about two hours from Anchorage. This crazy event is the Mount Marathon race, and it is one of the oldest still-run races in the country, second only to the Boston Marathon.

At 9 a.m. today, 200 junior racers (17-and-under) will line up, run the three-quarter mile to the base of the mountain, then branch off in one of several ways to ascend the mountain. Juniors go only halfway up the mountain (it seems plenty far for me), then turn around and scramble down as quickly as they can.

Mount Marathon began as a bet in a bar between two sourdoughs, so the history goes. One claimed that someone could run up and down the mountain in under an hour, while the other claimed it was impossible. A race developed from there, and the winning time was one hour, two minutes.

The loser of the bet had to buy drinks for the crowd, and the race stuck around. It's now in its 81st year of official racing, and the times have gotten significantly faster. The men's race record, set by Bill Spencer in 1981, is 43:23, and the fastest junior time was set in 2006 by Alex Stone at 31:28. Nancy Pease holds the women's overall record, set in 1990, of 50:30.

I'm approaching my fourth time racing (my first was in 2004, and I took 2006 off for a trip to Europe), and for me, the magic of this race comes from its uniqueness. Even other mountain runs have a marked trail or some obvious direction.

Mount Marathon presents a rock cliff on one side and a root- and tree-covered cliff on the other. Picking your route is one of the most important parts of this race because it's easy to get stuck on a rock with no way up and no way down.

I've practiced the mountain just twice this season, but I feel confident with the route I'm planning. During June, the mountain is crawling with locals on their lunch break, race legends and Anchorage residents down for the day. Everyone is helpful, pointing out their favored routes and sharing stories of the race.

Mount Marathon can be extremely dangerous, especially in the rain. The rocks and dirt trail get slippery and muddy, and one step up means three slides back down. The race was canceled for several years in the 1930s because of the death of a racer.

Each year, there seem to be a few injuries, almost always on the down route, as racers overestimate their fatigued legs and end up head over heels on the trail.

This spring's late snowfall has left the mountain snowier than usual. The down trail, usually covered with loose shale and rocks that are easy to leap around in, is now mostly snow fields. Some racers are willing to let themselves go and "ski" down the mountain, but many, including me, will take their time. I don't want to be the one heading down the mountain on a stretcher.

Mount Marathon brings approximately 10,000 people to Seward. In addition to the races, there is a parade, festival-type vendors selling crafts, food, Alaska fare and fireworks.

The few downtown streets are swarming with tourists and local alike, enjoying the (sometimes excellent) weather and atmosphere of the day. Watching the racers finish at the base of the mountain and at the finish line half a mile away is an exciting and inspiring experience. If you get the chance, head down to Seward and check out the festivities.

Chloe Miller is a junior at Service High School.