Ketchikan’s Totem to Totem half-marathon is back in full force in 2022 after a COVID-19 outbreak prevented runners from competing in person last year. The race will take place on Saturday, May 14 and will span 13.1 miles, beginning at Rotary Beach Park and moving north to finish at Potlatch Park.
Laura Coleman, who’s President of the Ketchikan Running Club and head of its Race Committee is ready for the race to make its comeback after last year’s event was moved to a virtual format. She explained that a COVID-19 outbreak the week of the race prevented runners from competing in person. Instead, participants ran their own routes and submitted their times online in order to compete against one another, although most runners followed the official route.
The race will feature individual and team relay divisions. Participants can decide whether to walk or run the 13.1 miles, and teams can also choose when to switch runners at five different aid stations along the route. Start times are 8 a.m. for walkers and 9 a.m. for runners.
Coleman wants to reward this year’s participants with a true race, as well as some extra treats to encourage more people to sign up and serve as a “thank you” to everyone who participates.
“It’s super exciting because I know a lot of people were disappointed last year, which was outside of our control,” Coleman said. “So this year we’ve worked really hard to not only have it in-person, but also offer a really good race and cool swag for our participants. The Hatch House is going to be there with their taco truck at the finish line, and all participants and volunteers are getting a free taco meal.”
In addition to free tacos, participants will receive complimentary gear such as a pair of Darn Tough socks, glucose gel pouches and Nuun hydration tablets. There will be additional prizes offered for the three fastest men and women runners and the fastest relay team. Individual prizes for first through third place include free entry to next year’s race and finishers plaques made by local artist Sarah Gardiner featuring the Totem to Totem logo designed by Tina Booth. Additionally, the first place finisher will win a pair of Jaybird headphones, second place will win a pair of Goodr sunglasses and a half case of smoked salmon (courtesy of Blue Seafoods) and third place will win a coupon donated by Sporthill. First place relay finishers will receive a case of smoked salmon, free 2023 race entry and a finishers plaque.
Coleman stressed that nothing would be possible without all of the sponsors, the full list of which can be found on the official race website.
In a new addition, raffle tickets will also be sold at this year’s race. The proceeds will benefit the Ketchikan High School cross country team, and will go towards new uniforms and travel expenses.
The deadline for runners to sign up online was May 11, but additional in-person signups will be held on May 13 at the Ketchikan Recreation Center during bib pickups. As of early afternoon on May 11, there were 173 runners signed up.
The current weather forecast for the race date calls for a cloudy day with a chance of rain, which Coleman thinks are ideal conditions.
“It is Ketchikan, so the last time I checked it was supposed to be cloudy,” Coleman said. “That’s perfect conditions for running, because when it’s hot your pace goes down and you risk runners getting heat illness. If it’s cloudy that’s great, and if it rains, Ketchikan runners are really tough. I see runners out there in the pouring rain when it’s blowing sideways.”
*This article was originally published in the Ketchikan Daily News*
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