Skagway Grin and Bear It Marathon
Looking for a way to combine a cruise and a marathon run? We’ve got you covered. In May of 2010 a group of 21 of us made our way to Seattle to board the Carnival Spirit cruise ship to Alaska. This was the first of the Marathon Running Cruises.
During our days at sea Nat (my co-director) and I kept the group amused with a plethora of activities. We managed to fit in mini-golf tournament, stretching class, trivia games and more among the buffets. We kept a tally of who participated in what as there were fabulous prizes to be given away to the most active of the bunch.
Our days in port we were no less active. A Bike-n-Brew in Juneau that included a hike around the Mendenhall Glacier and finished at the Alaskan Brewery. In Ketchikan we could be found flying through the trees on a ziplining and canopy ropes course.
Our big event and reason for the trip occurred in Skagway Alaska. Upon disembarking we gathered in a nearby parking lot for the starting line of the Inaugural Skagway Grin and Bear It Marathon and Half-Marathon. The day was sunny, cloud-free and a perfect 60 degrees.
The marathon lived up to it’s name as a bear tried to join the runners on the course, but was shooed off by the bear patrol volunteers. All of the participants stated that the Skagway marathon was by far the most scenic course they’d ever run. Finishing up at the Red Onion Saloon was a just reward for our efforts.
This running/adventure cruise is a great way to reconnect with old friends and make new ones. Runners and non-runners alike will have a fantastic time. Past participants raved about the entire trip in general and the marathon course in particular – see more photos from the 2010 event HERE.
Dates are being finalized for the 2012 Skagway Marathon and Half-Marathon. Email Pangea Travel if you’d like to be included on the informational mailing list.
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