Page 60 - Flathead Beacon // 6.24.15

OUT OF BOUNDS 61 EXPLORE 62 WARREN’S WORLD 63 Outdoors
Runners take to the course at the 2013 Glacier Challenge in Whitefish. BEACON FILE PHOTO
A competitor in the kayaking leg of the Glacier Challenge. BEACON FILE PHOTO
BACK-TO-BACK
THE WHITEFISH LAKE RUN
PACKET PICK-UP: Sportsman & Ski Haus in Whitefish on Friday, June 26, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
SIGN UP: sportsmanskihaus.com/event/whitefish-lake-run
THE COURSE
10K RUN
BUS TRANSPORTATION: Saturday, June 27, 7 a.m. Depart from Whitefish City Beach
START TIME: 8 a.m.
START/FINISH AREA: Start 6 miles up East lake Shore Drive
and finish at Whitefish City Beach
AID: Two aid stations with water and cups along the course
5K RUN
PACKET PICK-UP: Sportsman & Ski Haus in Whitefish on Friday, June 26, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
START TIME: Saturday, June 27, 8 a.m. START/FINISH AREA: Whitefish City Beach
AID: One aid stations with water and cups along the course
THE GLACIER CHALLENGE
LOCATION: Riverside Park
PACKET PICKUP: Saturday, June 27, 2 p.m. to 6:45 p.m.,
O’Shaughnessy Center, Whitefish RACE DATE: June 28
PRE-RACE MEETING: 7 a.m.
RACE START: 7:30 a.m.
SIGN UP: theglacierchallenge.com
CHALLENGES
TWO CLASSIC RACES – THE WHITEFISH LAKE RUN AND THE GLACIER CHALLENGE – CONVERGE ON THE SAME SWEAT-SOAKED WEEKEND
FBY TRISTAN SCOTT
or the first time ever, two of Whitefish’s most popular peren- nial races are converging on the same weekend, and while they’ll
share similar eye-popping views of Whitefish Lake and the Flathead Valley, the events couldn’t be any more different.
This year, the Whitefish Lake Run and the Glacier Challenge will offer back- to-back feats of endurance when they commence June 27 and June 28, respec- tively. And while participants can surely sate their appetite for a physical chal- lenge by competing in one or the other, true to Montana’s characteristic grit, some hearty souls will sign up for both.
A new element that will define the weekend is a two-day film festival that is free to participants and their family members in either race, with nine short films about trail running premiering on Saturday, and the classic family running film “Saint Ralph” showing Sunday. On both nights, the films begin at 7 p.m. at the O’Shaughnessy Center in Whitefish.
Entering its 13th installment, the
Glacier Challenge has etched itself into the prominent canon of legacy sporting events in the Flathead Valley, offering participants a unique set of challenges that track along the Whitefish River and Whitefish Lake.
The beloved homegrown competition blends some of the valley’s most popular activities into a multi-sport relay race for individuals or teams. It consists of six legs of running, biking, canoeing, and kayak- ing across 40 miles of beautiful terrain in and around Whitefish. There is also a tri- athlon for those who want to do the first three legs, while teams can consist of up to seven members.
Afterward, a day of festivities kicks off at Riverside Park, with beer and food ven- dors, and tons of activities for the kids.
In its 38th year, the Whitefish Lake Run is a foot race with 10K and 5K options that annually draws hundreds of partic- ipants. The 5K starts and ends at White- fish City Beach, while 10K runners are bused 6 miles up East Shore Drive to the start and finish at Whitefish City Beach.
Proceeds from the Glacier Challenge benefit the Flathead Youth Home, while
leftover cash from the Whitefish Lake Run, sponsored by Sportsman & Ski Haus, will be funneled toward the same annual cause.
Flathead Beacon Running Club mem- bers receive a discount in both races.
In the Glacier Challenge, the road bik- ing and kayaking stages were changed this year so that cyclists can avoid traf- fic lights. To that end, the kayaking stage will end at City Beach, and the road bike route will track all of the way to the end of East Lakeshore Drive and follow Delrey Road to its terminus, where bikers turn- around and ride to the Swift Creek Trail- head to transition to mountain bikers at the Whitefish Trail.
From there, mountain bikers will pedal the winding forested track toward Smith Lake before returning to the trail- head and transitioning to the second road bike phase, which returns to downtown.
Organizers in the Glacier Challenge are encouraging participants to don their favorite ensembles from the Summer of Love to color the long, strange course with peace.
[email protected]
THE COURSE
RUN
KM: 10.5 Miles: 6.55
KAYAK
KM: 3.2 Miles: 1.98
ROAD BIKE #1
KM: 21.4 Miles: 13
MTN. BIKE
KM: 13.3 Miles: 8.26
CANOE
KM: 6.48 Miles: 4.03
RUN #2
KM: 4.08 Miles: 2.54
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JUNE 24, 2015 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM