Anchorage Running Club Board of Directors

Current Board members are: Betty Cronin, Ed Wilson, David Ramseur, Mike Halko, Gregory Dixon, Peggy Cobey, Jim Lieb, and Bonnie Swanson. One seat is currently vacant.

President -- David Ramseur (acting)
Vice President -- vacant
Secretary -- Peggy Cobey
Treasurer -- Ed Wilson | e-mail |

Meeting Minutes

Read the June 2, 2008 board meeting minutes.

President's Corner

“Big Wild Life Runs,” the Anchorage Running Club’s premier event on Aug. 17, promises to be the biggest and best ever this year, if early registrations are any indication.

Our club’s crack webmaster, Greg Dixon, reports that early registrations for all six events total 600 already, compared to 154 for the same time last year. This big wild enthusiasm is thanks largely to the persistent efforts of race director Mike Halko, who is pounding the streets in search of sponsors and runners like a politician hunting votes on election eve.

The Big Wild Life Runs feature six separate events: the traditional Humpy’s marathon, marathon walk, marathon relay, half marathon, 5-K and kid’s run. All start in downtown Anchorage and use our community’s spectacular trail system.

Mike has lined up numerous special perks for this year’s BWL Runs, including a unique poster created by local artist Kate Sevigny, a viewing of the film, “Spirit of the Marathon” at Bear Tooth on Aug. 14 and a special BWLR edition of Coast Magazine due out in early July.

Thanks to a whole host of new and continuing sponsors including: Humpy’s Ale House, Skinny Raven Sports, Snow City Café, Alaska Museum of Natural History, Oxford Assaying, Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau, Alaska Coast Magazine, Sheraton Hotel, Kaladi Brothers Coffee, The Dome, Bear Tooth Theater Pub, Aurora Collection and Michael Dinneen Photography.

Anchorage’s cool summer has made for perfect running conditions for the club’s other races so far this year. Race director Bonnie Swanson reported the May 14 Do Run Run attracted about 80 runners and Trent/ Waldron Glacier Half race director Charles Utermohle says a record number participated in the May 24 event.

Two runners banned themselves for life from the Mugwumps race by completing the June 18 10-K in under 45 minutes, reports race director Peggy Cobey.

Race conditions are expected to be perfect for ARC’s next race, the Boondocks Breakaway 5-K, at 11 a.m. July 13 on the scenic Kincaid Park trails.

The Club’s enviable collection of running equipment, from timers to T-shirts, are now nicely arranged in a new storage unit. One sunny Friday afternoon last month, Charles Utermohle, Bonnie Swanson and I transferred and sorted through years’ worth of gear which is now organized and labeled for easy use.

I read with particular interest a July 3 New York Times story about how to beat the summer heat during rigorous exercise. Not that it applies to us in Anchorage this year, but as this newsletter goes to press I’m off to the western North Carolina mountains for the Grandfather Mountain Marathon, billed as one of the 10 toughest in America. If the heat and humidity don’t kill me, the 3,500-foot elevation gain may do so.

I can hardly wait to return to cooler temperatures and the great line-up of Anchorage Running Club events during the rest of the year. Please join us.

David Ramseur, President
Anchorage Running Club