As a life long Alaskan (39 years), there were a lot of things that I had yet to accomplish. One of these was running a 10k race on June 21st, the longest day of the year.

The 10k race held on the summer solstice is called the Midnight Sun Run. The race begins at 10 P.M. at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, meanders through local neighborhoods, and ends at a recreation site, enjoyed by locals and tourists alike, called Pioneer Park.

Come rain or shine, year after year there is no need for street lights (or any lights for that matter) along the course because the 21st of June in Fairbanks, Alaska is proof of a term that is frequently used to describe Interior Alaska, the Land of the Midnight Sun.
With a lot of bravado and a little bit of training, myself and at least a half dozen of my fellow Fairbanks Princess Lodge co-workers joined forces to compete in the 10k race in 2009.

With parking at a premium we all met at Pioneer Park and rode a complimentary shuttle to the beginning of the course. When the race started at 10 P.M., I and the thousands of other participants, enjoyed a bit of liquid sunshine. Although I’m pretty sure that no one minded, a little rain and a lot of light sure beats a race on December 21st at 40 below zero and no light.

When my co-workers and I arrived at the finish line, we unanimously agreed the best part of this year’s race was the dry shuttle bus ride to the start of the race at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.