Anchorage Daily News

In a town without many cross-country footraces, it dominates.

In an economy that's struggling, it prospers.

A sure sign of autumn, the 42nd edition of the Tuesday Night Race Series begins next week at Kincaid Park. The family-oriented races have divisions for speedy runners (Lightning League), middling runners (Farm League) and kids (Munchins), making it an ideal family night out.

Last fall, the Tuesday Night series averaged 614 runners and walkers over a nine-race series that didn't end until the snow covered the ground on Oct. 28. On Sept. 30, some 963 competitors registered. Organizers of most Southcentral footraces envy such numbers -- if not the work that goes into serving them.

"It's organized chaos," allowed Margaret Timmerman, who organizes the series for the municipality. "But it's truly a community event.

"It doesn't matter if you're the best runner in Anchorage or just want to do a walk that night -- we want you to come out and have the camaraderie with other folks."

These days, the Tuesday Night Races stands alone. With the APU Classic and the Tom Besh Memorial Homestead Hill Race scuttled, there are virtually no cross-country races for adults in Anchorage.

Perhaps key to the success of the Tuesday Night series is the come-as-you-are and all-ages-welcome atmosphere.

"You don't have to be in Lyrca to participate," said Timmerman. "You can be in blue jeans."

That's paid off, for the series and the municipality, which earned a "best ever" $11,000 on the series last year, Timmerman said, and took in $9,000 of in-kind donations.

"It is a revenue-producing program," Timmerman said. "It offsets other programs that don't produce revenue in low-income school around the city. The more successful Tuesday night races are, the more free programs we can offer."

This year, Alaska Regional Hospital is a $5,000 cash donor and the race series is a Healthy Futures event sponsored by Providence Hospital.

With the race series in its fifth decade, more and more runners compete side-by-side with parents and, in some cases, grandparents.

"We are providing cradle-to-grave service," Timmerman joked.

And it happens rain or shine.

"Last year, every race was a rainy event, it seemed," Timmerman said. "The pattern seemed to be rain during the day, late afternoon clearing and then rain around 7:30 p.m. just to make sure our work crew was drenched."

Unlike last year, the series extends into November. Also unlike last year, the first Tuesday of November isn't a presidential election.

"I didn't think Tuesday Night Race Series could compete with that," Timmerman said.

42nd Annual Bonny Sosa Tuesday Night Race Series

Sept. 8 — Kincaid Park Chalet

Sept. 15 — Russian Jack Springs Park / Cartee Fields

Sept. 22 — Providence Hospital Cancer Center/ APU Trails

Sept. 29 — Kincaid Park Chalet

Oct. 6 — TBA

Oct. 13 — TBA

Oct. 20 — TBA

Oct. 27 — Kincaid Park Chalet

(costume run)

Nov. 3 — Kincaid Park

(potluck and awards)

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