Equinox News
Course Reroutes for 2022
Stan Justice, the primary and longest-running Equinox Marathon course maintainer, reports that this year there will be some minor changes to the both courses to accommodate various conditions.
The seasonal pond just north of Ballaine Lake has not dried up this year, so we are going around it. This shortened the out and back 139 feet.
Both the half and the full will stay off Ester Dome Road a tad more. The landowner suggested we stay on the powerline to their driveway. I need to move the Susan Sugi sign.
The half is going to go right on Ester Dome Road and then right on the road to Goldstream Sports but not go into the parking lot. Stay on the road and then left up Ann’s airstrip.
The start for the half moves back 158 feet.
I hope that is all the changes and no surprise comes up.
Thanks for all your work, Stan!
Volunteers Needed for the Equinox Events
We are still in need of volunteers for the Equinox Marathon. Please sign-up here!
Contact race director, Stacy Fisk at equinox@runningclubnorth.org or 907-888-3193 with any questions.
Registration Open for the Equinox Kids’ Marathon!
Updated Course Map Posted
We’ve posted an updated course map on the Marathon Course page. Nothing substantially new for the marathon route, but the map now includes the half-marathon route, shown in dark blue on the map.
Registration for the Equinox Marathon is Open!
We’re pleased to announce that registration for the 2022 Equinox Marathon and Half Marathon is now open. All the details are on the Entering page.
We’ll see you at the start line in September!
2021 Marathon and Half Photos
Congratulations to all who finished either the full Equinox Marathon or the inaugural Half Marathon last weekend! There were a lot of photographers out on the course, and some have offered to share their photos:
- Paris Photographics – prints and downloads available for purchase.
- Mark Conde – Mark writes: I have reviewed about 2/3 of the shots I took, and posted an initial batch of shots to the gallery. I will be adding the rest over the next few days. The photos can be freely downloaded at around 6 mega-pixel resolution. If anyone doesn’t want their photo in the gallery, I’m more than happy to remove it. They can just email me at phasefront@gmail.com with a link to the photo in question, and I’ll remove it.
If you have a publicly accessible online collection from this year and would like to share them, please email Don Kiely at running@runningclubnorth.org. I’ll add them to this post, so check back for more.
Thanks to the photographers for sharing!
An IMPORTANT note from Running Club North
An IMPORTANT note from Running Club North:
Dear Equinox Participant,
The 58th running of Running Club North’s (RCN) Fairbanks Equinox Marathon and first running of the Half Marathon on September 18, 2021 will occur during truly unique times—dominated as they are by COVID. With unique times come unique responsibilities. RCN’s Board of Directors wants to mention its expectations of participants:
- Do not attend for any reason (including as an observer) if you have ANY COVID symptoms or have been in contact with anyone known or suspected to have COVID within the last 14 days.
- While in attendance please abide by the following:
- Maintain social distancing at the start of the race, at aid stations to the best of your ability, and, especially, during the pre-race briefing
- Mask up until the race is underway
Thank you in advance for your cooperation. The Equinox Marathon/Half Marathon is a highlight of the fall season for many of us and I look forward to seeing you on the trails. Race Director Stacy Fisk is doing an admirable job organizing these races under truly unusual times. Let’s all do our parts by keeping ourselves and each other healthy.
For the RCN Board of Directors,
Arthur Hussey, President
2021 Half Marathon Maps
We’ve received the course maps for the Equinox Half Marathon from the race director.
The first is the master map of the full Equinox Marathon, with the Half Marathon overlay: 2021 Marathon with Half Marathon Course
The second is a satellite view of the half marathon course: 2021 Equinox Half – Satellite
The third is a view with elevation contours and mileages: 2021 Equinox Half – Miles & Contours
We hope that your training has gone wonderfully, and we’ll see you on the course in a couple of weeks!
2021 Equinox Marathon Updates
UPDATE, 9/1/2021: We have maps for the Equinox Half Marathon! Check them out.
UPDATE, 7/31/2021: The course for the Equinox Half is coming together! Here is a brief description of the route, from the race director:
The half marathon course will start on the first eight miles of the full marathon to Goldstream Sports, with a short out/back from there. Then head straight back on the Sheep Creek Rd. bike path, and hook back up with the full marathon through the trails on your left just past Sheep Creek Extension [presumably the UAF West Ridge trails] to the finish.
We are putting together maps and more details, which should be ready early next week. Look for more information soon!
And a few other updates:
- For out-of-town visitors, the host hotels are Best Western and Sophies Plaza. Check out the Visitors page for the discounted rates.
- The Marathon starts 8am as usual. The Half Marathon will start at 8:45am. See the Schedule page for the complete list of events.
- There will be no banquet this year. Awards for the top five male and female racers for both the full and half will be near the finish area at 1pm.
UPDATE, 7/26/2021: Lifetime members of the Equinox Marathon are able to use their registration code for the half marathon, the same way it works in most years for the relay. So request your code and register today!
We’re happy to announce that the 2021 Equinox Marathon is on! But the set of events is going to be a little different. This post is a high-level view of the changes, and we’ll keep it updated as things evolve.
First, probably the biggest change is that there will be no Equinox Relay. We’re afraid that this is a concession to the need for social distancing and other logistical issues with getting runners to and from the relay start and end points.
But, there will be an Equinox Half Marathon, for the first time in a number of years.
If you have any questions, please contact the race director, Stacy Fisk, at equinox@runningclubnorth.org. But please don’t inundate her! There is a lot going on as fall approaches.
Passing of Nat Goodhue, Co-Founder of the Equinox
From Matias Saari:
We are saddened to report that Nat Goodhue, one of the Equinox’s founders, died Thursday in Vermont at age 80.
Goodhue was a student and skier at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks when he founded the Equinox along with fellow skier Gail Bakken and their coach Jim Mahaffey in 1963. Goodhue and Bakken each won the inaugural race. Goodhue won again in 1974, broke 3 hours in 1979 and eventually completed the race 13 times. His last race was in 2010.
Goodhue is pictured below shaking hands with race historian Stan Caulfield while Bakken looks on in 1968 (University of Alaska Photo).
Bakken died in 2015, while Mahaffey still resides on the Anchorage Hillside.
Incorporating Ester Dome into the course was Goodhue’s idea. “Let’s go up to the highest point within a 26-mile loop of the college where we can be inspired by that magnificent view of the Tanana Valley and the Alaska Range,” he said.
Goodhue’s vision continues to inspire hundreds of runners and hikers each September.
Stan Caulfield, Gail Bakken, and Nat Goodhue