Before the Spartans or Dragon Boats, there was the Glacier Challenge.
Eleven years later, in the changing landscape of adventure competition, the annual multi-sport relay race remains a beloved homegrown event that sticks to the simple pleasures of fitness – biking, paddling and running.
Hundreds of families, friends and solo participants will gather in Whitefish this weekend for the latest installment of the 50-mile, six-leg Challenge. A pre-race gathering for competitors and spectators is Friday, July 5 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Riverside Park with live music by 20 Grand and registration pickups. Then the next morning, at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 6, the Challenge launches onto the area trails, roads and waters, with festivities ongoing at Riverside Park for spectators who want to take in the event and enjoy free activities, like a youth obstacle course.
It’s sure to be a colorful time as this year’s event has incorporated a Wild West theme, with participants encouraged to don their best western attire.
“I’ve seen (the Glacier Challenge) really grow in amazing ways,” said Hannah Plumb, the event’s organizer and the development coordinator at the Flathead Youth Home, which benefits from the funds raised by the Challenge.
“The community has gotten so involved and it’s been so fun to watch.”
Last year’s event drew record numbers, both for participation and funds raised. A total of 98 teams of various sizes signed up and roughly $33,000 was brought in for the youth home.
The youth home, an emergency shelter in Kalispell for local kids in crisis, is supporting more than 100 kids this year, Plumb said, and the Glacier Challenge is the organization’s largest fundraiser.
Rooted in that spirit of support, the Glacier Challenge stands out on the cluttered calendar of races for many people who take part in the fun yet competitive activity.
Like Bear Barinowski.
The Whitefish resident has participated for a handful of years, either on a team with his wife Linh, or even last year as a solo competitor.
“The thing I like most about this event is it’s a community event. You see all cuts of life,” Barinowski said. “And the cause that it’s about. You’re not just paying to do a race, you’re paying for something that helps kids. It doesn’t get better than that.”
 |
|
Photos by Scott Marksbury | Courtesy of Glacier Challenge |
Here’s a breakdown of the Glacier Challenge:
Run
Distance: 10.5 kilometers/6.55 miles
Last year’s fastest time: 35 minutes, 46 seconds
The Challenge begins at 7:30 a.m. Competitors line up at Riverside Park in Whitefish for the first of six events (the road biking segment is broken up into two legs). The 10K route has undergone a minor alteration this year due to construction on Highway 93 North. It’s one loop that travels west to Fourth Street before veering south on Karrow Avenue. Runners hit a straight stretch that passes the neighborhoods of Lost Coon and Blanchard lakes, before turning east on Blanchard Lake Road to Highway 93 South. Runners will try to reel in the competition along the final stretch up Spokane and Baker avenues back to Riverside.
Kayak
Distance: 3.2 kilometers/1.98 miles
Last year’s fastest time: 40 minutes, 35 seconds
This is an exciting event for both participants and spectators. Stand-up paddleboards are now allowed as well, which could provide some interesting twists. From the west side of Baker Avenue near Riverside Park, paddlers launch into the Whitefish River and maneuver into the lake near City Beach. Once they hit flat water, racers steer toward a buoy off lake’s edge at Bay Point Estates and then turn around and paddle back into the river downstream toward the finish line near Riverside. Paddlers are reminded to wear Coast Guard approved life jackets and have one whistle per watercraft. Kayakers must also be able to perform a self-rescue or sit on top of the kayak.
Road Bike
Distance: 21.4 kilometers/13 miles
Last year’s fastest time: 31 minutes, 21 seconds
There are separate sections of road biking broken up into two legs, but only one person per team can compete in both. The first segment is the longest of the entire event. Bikers are urged to be ready to hit the road from Riverside Park around 8:15 a.m. The route goes west to Karrow Avenue and veers south before meeting up with Highway 93. From there, it’s a straight stretch south along the highway before turning at KM Ranch Road toward the Stillwater River. This section features sharp turns that wind toward Bowser Recreation Area, also known as the Pig Farms, where the finish line awaits. Riders will either transition to the next segment — mountain biking — or await their teammate’s return before heading out on the second leg of road biking. Helmets are mandatory and riders must obey traffic monitors.
Mountain Bike
Distance: 13.3 kilometers/8.26 miles
Last year’s fastest time: 32 minutes, 29 seconds
This section is an adventurous one. The launching point is at the Pig Farms, which is off Farm to Market Road near Kuhns Road. Riders will maneuver winding single-track trails, dirt roads and minor obstacles like fallen trees. It’s one loop and ends where it started. Helmets are mandatory and biking gloves are recommended. Bikes must be in good condition, and cyclocross and road-style bikes are prohibited.
Road Bike
Distance: 15.7 kilometers/9.76 miles
Last year’s fastest time: 23 minutes, 52 seconds
For the second section of road biking, competitors follow Farm to Market Road north toward Whitefish. This route may slightly change in the days leading up to the race because of construction on Highway 93, but the path will be clearly marked. The finish line and exchange area are at Riverside Park.
Canoe
Distance: 10.2 kilometers/6.2 miles
Last year’s fastest time: 36 minutes, 56 seconds
Down to the final miles of the event, this segment can be maneuvered by either one or two-person canoes. Kayaks are also allowed during this stretch. Racers enter the Whitefish River near Riverside Park and paddle downstream toward a buoy, which marks the finish line and transition into the last leg of the race. Paddlers are recommended to be ready to launch by 9:30 a.m. Life jackets and whistles are required and racers are not allowed to have flip flops or bare feet.
Run
Distance: 4 kilometers/2.54 miles
Last year’s fastest time: 13 minutes, 38 seconds
The last leg of the Glacier Challenge features a dramatic race to the finish. The route begins on the bike path near the Whitefish River and travels north through residential neighborhoods before ending back at the event’s headquarters at Riverside Park. Runners are encouraged to be ready by 10 a.m.