The grind up Mount Marathon and the harrowing descent that follows in the annual Independence Day race on the 3,022-foot peak overlooking Seward is fraught with pitfalls.
Here are a few tips for making a potentially dangerous race more manageable:
DUCT TAPE: Because the scree on much of the descent can easily transport small, annoying rocks into a shoe(s), racers might consider wrapping duct tape around the tops of their shoes. Another option some racers employ is wearing gaiters, which also mitigate the problem.
GLOVES: No less an authority than 35-time finisher and Mount Marathon race committee member Flip Foldager of Seward swears by gloves. Gloves can prove helpful both on the sharp shale that covers the upper half of the mountain and in the event of a fall.
WATER: If it's hot on race day, hydration is particularly paramount. If it's really hot, racers should consider taking a filled water bottle carried in a lightweight waist belt. There's no water along the course, really, save what is offered by some generous spectators, and that may be gone by the time mid-packers and back-of-the-packers are well into the climb.
If it's scorching, past race winners like Eric Strabel and Holly Brooks have resorted to dunking themselves in Lowell Creek, near the base of the mountain, prior to the race to drive down their core temperature.
DELIBERATION AND VIGILANCE: Constant focus is required to make a safe descent of Mount Marathon -- even a momentary lapse in concentration can prove disastrous. Racers who feel they are getting out of control should check their speed and recalibrate their expectations -- a marginally slower time beats a hospital bed every time. Remember: There are no soft landings coming down Mount Marathon.