Pick your pace, from grueling to a good time: Features

Finally, runners in Anchorage can take off those annoying grippers, put away the studded running shoes and call it spring. While there are still patches of ice here and there, for the most part, running season is in full rhythm.

If you don't believe me, just head to the University of Alaska Anchorage/Alaska Pacific University vicinity Saturday and watch the thousands of people running the American Heart Association's annual Heart Run. This event draws running enthusiasts out of the woodwork. Tired of treadmills, these ambitious folks battle the crowds to test their coming season.

The Heart Run is a huge fundraiser for the American Heart Association, and it honors those who have battled heart problems with its own category of "mended heart" runners.

But for many, the Heart Run is their baseline for the coming season, a way to measure their progress (or lack thereof) in running efficiency. With the run's mat-to-mat chips, runners needn't jockey for position at the front of the pack if they are only interested in personal times.

That has made the chaos of Heart Run race day much easier, said race director Ed Hall.

"We did it last year for the first time, and it was really in response to people who want to (track their times)," said Hall, who heads race registration. "It's a little more expensive, but it gives people who want to consistently compare their time from year to year a way to measure."

Competitive racers, Hall stressed, must still line up at the front of the pack to be considered for placement. The reason, she said, is because the Heart Run, despite being a huge fundraiser, also is a certified 5-K race, a qualifying event for racers hoping to compete nationally. The rules for qualifying events stipulate that all racers must be able to see their competition.

"The gun-to-mat time counts for placement in the Heart Run," Hall said. "It wouldn't be fair for a sleeper to start several minutes behind the competition. There is a strategy to running where the front-runners will hang back and pace each other. It's more than just who's the most fit but also about who is going to race the smartest."

It's amazing, actually, to think about how many running enthusiasts we have in Southcentral Alaska. This year's race had 5,800 runners signed up as of Monday, and another 1,500 or so are expected to register by the Thursday deadline.

"We've always gone over 6,000 entries, and I think we can go over 7,000 easily this year," Hall said. In fact, she said, it could be a record year.

"I'm a little worried we're going to run out of chips," she said. "We're well over 1,000 entries ahead for this time of registration than we've been in the past, and there are still three days left (to register)."

For those just getting into running, new to the state or simply interested in checking out the competition, there is no shortage of races from which to choose.

The best source of information comes from the 2008 Runners Calendar, an annual booklet put out by the Anchorage Parks and Recreation Department. The booklet lists races throughout the state -- from long, marathon-type events such as the Equinox in Fairbanks to grueling cross-mountain running like the Crow Pass Crossing from Girdwood to Eagle River. There are dozens of 5-K races, too, just like the Heart Run only drawing smaller crowds.

And here's one that sounds like a lot of fun (Am I kidding? I'm not sure). It's the Hills from Hell race in Ketchikan, which was scheduled for late April but has been postponed and may be run later in the season. The very hilly, "grueling" course, according to the race calendar, covers about 10 kilometers and begins at the local Alder Park. (Call Ketchikan Running Club race director Jack Davies at 1-907-225-2747 or go to ketchikanrunningclub. org). Now, there's a good reason to visit Ketchikan.

Other highlights of the racing season include the wildly popular Mayor's Marathon, half-marathon and 5-miler, set for June 21 at Bartlett High School. (343-4296, 786-1325, www.mayorsmarathon.com)

The ever-popular Humpy's Marathon/half-marathon and 5-K event is resurrected this year as the Anchorage Big Wild Life marathon/half-marathon and 5-K race. Anchorage Running Club organizers assure racers it's the same race, and Humpy's is still is a big supporter. But Skinny Raven Sports and Snow City Cafe have pitched in, along with the Alaska Museum of Natural History, which is hosting a kids fun run. Those events are set for Aug. 17. Check www. anchoragerunningclub.org for details.

The May 10 Salmon Run is a popular family-oriented event, sponsored by the Anchorage South Rotary. That event starts at 9:30 a.m. at Inlet View Elementary and has 2.5- and 5-K distances. The entry fee is $15. (Shareen Crosby, 317-8811, www.anchorage southrotary.org)

The Alaska Run for Women, set for 9 a.m. June 14, is an 8-K course that draws thousands of participants each year and benefits the fight against breast cancer. It's the largest women's running event in the state. (Missy Anderson, 561-3136, www.akrfw.org)

And then there are the mountain runs, which draw some of the toughest athletes in the state for top honors. The Crow Pass Crossing is the premier event, set for July 19, but the wildly popular Mount Marathon race in Seward, held each July 4, is the one that draws the most spectators. Others still include the Turnagain Arm Trail Run May 20, the Bob Spurr Memorial Hill Climb June 15, Matanuska Peak Challenge on Aug. 2 and the Lost Lake Breath of Life Run on Aug. 23.

Most weekends, in fact, there is a race somewhere in Alaska. Whether it's the Mosquito Meander in Fairbanks, the Mugwumps 10-K or the Only Fools Run at Midnight races in Southeast (Where do they get these names?), this season promises to be fast and fun.

• Play outdoor columnist Melissa DeVaughn can be reached at adn.com/contact/mdevaughn or call 257-4482.

Running season

Web: The 2008 Runners Calendar lists most of the races for the season. Find it online at www.muni.org/parks/runnerscalendar.cfm or pick up a calendar at locations including: Skinny Raven Sports, 800 H St.; The Sport Shop, 570 E. Benson Blvd.; Alaska SeaLife Center, Seward; Blue Mountains Wellness Studio, 120 S. Chugach St., Palmer; and Eagle River Physical Therapy, 11470 Business Blvd., Eagle River.