Saari, 2nd from right, finishes the Equinox Marathon hike with friends.
March 10, 2026
Running Club North is pleased to appoint the team of Matias Saari and Tobias Albrigtsen as Equinox Marathon and Relay Race Director and Assistant Director.
Both are well-known in the Fairbanks running community and are experienced Equinox runners. Running Club North President Arthur Hussey said he is excited to make the appointment. Hussey is confident that the team will take the beloved Equinox to new levels, while retaining and building upon the excellence developed by previous Race Directors.
Saari, a 24-time Equinox participant including 19 marathon finishes and six outright wins, is the author of the book, The Equinox: Alaska’s Trailblazing Marathon. He’s also the current director of the Mount Marathon Race, Crow Pass Crossing and Kesugi Ridge Traverse.
Albrigtsen is a six-time Equinox participant and finished in the top 10 five times. A past race director of three races (Bun on the Run 5k, and Borealis Fun Run 5k in Fairbanks and the Billy Dutton uphill race in Tahoe, CA), Albrigtsen is a former marketing manager at Beaver Sports, a freelance photographer (Untraceable Global) and a previous coach at Lathrop High School, Fairbanks Cross Country Ski and UAF.
“It will be a privilege for Tobias and I to direct the Equinox, one of Alaska’s truly special sporting events,” Saari said. “We look forward to engaging with Running Club North, runners, volunteers, sponsors, contractors and others to put on the best event possible.”
Albrigtsen nears the Equinox finish line.
Saari was not a runner until coming to Fairbanks, where he lived from 1998-2010 before moving to the Anchorage Hillside.
“Personally, this is a come-full-circle moment: the Equinox was my first marathon in 1998 and that began an annual September ritual,” he said. “In addition to 19 Equinox marathons, I’ve also done the relay, the marathon hike and written a book about the Equinox’s fascinating history. Now it’s time to devote my Equinox energy to managing the race and I embrace that challenge.”
Saari and Albrigtsen begin their work on the 2026 Equinox immediately.