Mayor's Midnight Sun Marathon celebrates 30th: race the full Marathon, a half Marathon or a five-miler.

• Author: Pilkington, Steve
• Position: Alaska this Month - Anchorage's summer trails

More than half of the 4,100 participants in the annual Mayor's Midnight Sun Marathon were visitors to Alaska last year, here to enjoy the run and the summer solstice scenery. This year, organizers are expecting even more for the race's celebration of its 30th anniversary.

Travelers from around the United States and the world have come to run through Anchorage's summer trails for this event, which began in 1973 and is sanctioned by USA Track and Field as well as recognized by the Boston Marathon as a qualifying event. If your running shoes are not too dusty and you're ready for a worthy challenge, the various events scheduled for June 21 have something for you.

The marathon event is 26.2 miles in length beginning at Bartlett High School and roaming through the eastern foothills and across Anchorage to the West High School finish line. Scenic city bike trails as well as gravel, rocky and paved roadways make up this course. The race start is at 8 a.m. All participants must finish the race by 4:30 p.m. A special award known as the Visitor's Cup is presented to the best performance by an out-of-state female and male.

The marathon relay is a four-member team event and will cover the same course as the marathon, but obviously requiring much less individual effort. The first team crossing the finish line with the marathon sash wins. Team runners can only run in one leg of the event. There are six divisions to choose from: corporate, school (junior & senior), military, open men, open women and open mixed.

The half marathon, which is 13.1 miles, begins and ends at West High School. The course travels down West Northern Lights Boulevard for three miles. It then follows the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail past...