The frostbite foot run is an annual running race where runners brave the cold. Some participants choose to run in costumes for the 2.5K race. Runners of all ages compete by running and walking for this fun Fur Rondy Event. It was held on Saturday, February 28th, on the second day of Fur Rondy in downtown Anchorage.
The course starts at the skybridge at the Egan Center on 5th Ave. It circles around the Performing art center down 6th Ave and then all the way down to Cordova St and then back down 5th Ave to the finish at the Glacier Brewhouse. This is a 2.5K course. For those who are running the 5K, or 3.1 mile, race, the runners did this lap around downtown twice to complete the course.
Runners had the option to either run the 2.5K or 5K Race. The 2.5K race is 1.5 miles and was a fun run where most of the participants dressed up in creative costumes for the race. Many people decided to dress up as a team with a common theme. Some notable costumes included S’mores, Supermans, a Whoopie cushion and many costumes fashioned after the Disney movie “Frozen”. The fastest runner for the 5K race was Jacob Moe who ran it in 15:40 at a pace of 5 minutes a mile. James Miller came in second, two minutes behind Jacob and John Kline finished it with a time of 17:46 seconds.
It was a fun time for both participants and runners who braved the 30℉ weather. One spectator, David Heyano, said, “I’ve never seen this before, didn’t even know it happened. It’s actually pretty cool, might come down next year.” The temperature wasn’t that much a factor in the race this year with previous years runners running in temperatures in the mid teens. “It really wasn’t that bad this year. It was a lot colder last year with a lots more snow and ice,” said Raymond Gerrot, a race organizer.
They organized it very well, and was an event that was fun to watch. The announcer was very energetic and made it that much more fun to watch and experience. There was a crowd of around 80 people lining the sides of the finishing half-mile, cheering on the runners as they came to the finish line. The whole event lasted about an hour and started at 9:30 a.m. After the event there was an awards presentation at the Glacier Brewhouse where awards were given out for best costumes and fastest runners in age and gender categories. Some students from West even came out, like Kayle Blackmore, who was the 4th female to finish and 25th overall in the 5K race.