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RUNNIN' FUN UNDER THE MIDNIGHT SUN
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More than just a running race, the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner Midnight Sun Run is a uniquely Alaskan event that attracts participants from all over the country. Now in its 21st year, this years race will be held on June 21st at 10p.m. Despite its late evening start, there's no need to bring flashlights, as the summer solstice sun shines brightly in the skies above, from start to finish and beyond. In recent years the race has attracted over 3,000 participants, from the elite runners who are aiming to break the finish line ribbon to back of the pack strollers simply out to have a good time.
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In 1984, it was the first year they had costumes.
Photo courtesy of the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
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Even those who don't enter the race have opportunities to enjoy the event. The race course, which starts at the UAF Patty Center and ends at Pioneer Park, meanders though a number of Fairbanks neighborhoods, where spectators are often times lined up elbow to elbow to cheer the runners on. Each year a Couch Potato Award is given to the best cheering section.
While most participants prefer to wear shorts and a t-shirt, others choose rather unconventional clothing, such as a cow costume. The costumed division is perhaps one of the most anticipated aspects of the race, and given the fact that folks in Fairbanks have plenty of hours of daylight to work on costumes, the final products are unique, to say the least.
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Trish Livingston was the Top Female Finisher in 83'.
Photo courtesy of the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
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HISTORY OF THE RACE: YEAR ONE
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Ironically, the very first Midnight Sun Run had very little to do with the midnight sun, as it started at 9:05 a.m. the morning of June 25th, 1983. Close to 350 runners participated in the inaugural race, which, like today, started at the UAF Patty Center. The course was slightly different than the one used today, and the finish line was in downtown Fairbanks at the corner of 11th and Turner. The race was sponsored by Dairy Queen and KAYY radio.
“Runners from all over Alaska as well as California and Canada entered the event,” said the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner in its coverage of the event. “The race had some fairly fast times considering that the temperatures were in the high 70s at the start. To avoid overheating, many runners were hosed down by residents along the race course.”
Kent Karns was the first runner to cross the finish line, with a time of 32:28. Tricia Livingston was the first woman finisher, with a time of 40:29. Karns was followed by Audun Endestad with a time of 32:43 and Rick Solie with a time of 33:58. Lathrop running sensation Ricky Wilhelm was fourth with a time of 34:20 and Andrew White rounded out the top five with a time of 34:37. Another Lathrop runner-and a young one at that---was Mike Kramer, who finished in 9th place with a time of 35:37. Kramer would go on to win the MSR almost 20 years later in 2000.
On the woman's side, Livingston was closely followed by Pat Kling with a time of 40:59, Marion Johnson with a time of 41:32, Bobbi Fyten with a time of 41:42, and Beth Nava with a time of 43:34.
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Tom Ratcliffe was the winner in 84'.
Photo courtesy of the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
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HISTORY OF THE RACE: YEAR TWO
In 1984 the Midnight Sun Run became an actual midnight sun as the start time was moved to 10p.m. The 1984 race was a truly memorable one, as it featured the debut of the costumed division, which was won that year by Bob Ritchie and Joe Kiff, who entered the race as a canoe. Race director Mike Styles said the idea of the costumed division, as well as some of the other race day activities, was to create a Fairbanks version of Bay to Breakers, a popular race in San Francisco known for its zany atmosphere. That year's race also featured a spaghetti feed at the Traveler's Inn, where various running films were shown to get runners pumped up for Saturday's event.
It might have been billed as a fun event, but for Outside elite runners Tom Ratcliffe and Ron Gilooly, it was all about competition. Ratcliffe and Gilooly recorded the first and second fastest times in the race with times of 29:14 and 29:19, respectively. Those records still stand today. Gilooly was followed by Fort Yukon runner Pat Cross with a time of 30:14, Audun Endestad with a time of 31:42, and Pete Bolin with a time of 32:44.
The top woman runner was local standout Mara Rabinowitz, with an eye-popping time of 35:49. Rabinowitz was followed by Trish Livingston with a time of 38:50, Bobbi Fyten with a time of 39:12, Marion Jones with a time of 39:19, and Nancy Felix with a time of 39:23.
HISTORY OF THE RACE: 1985 - TODAY
1985
Participation was up to 800 people. 1984 runner-up Ron Gilooly finished with a time of 29:48. Outside runner Nancy Ditz was the first woman finisher with a time of 34:06. Surprisingly, the News-Miner did not publish any results beyond the Top Three Finishers, an action that spurred a letter to the editor asking to have all results printed. Since then the News-Miner has not only printed the entire results of the Midnight Sun Run, but also the results for every other running race held in Fairbanks throughout the year, a rarity for a local newspaper.
1986
The race finish switched to the Immaculate Conception Church on Illinois Street, and became an officially certified race that year. Grayline of Alaska came on board as a sponsor to provide shuttles for runners. Outside runner Benji Durden won the men's division with time of 30:16 while Ditz repeated at the woman's champ with a time of 34:23.
1987
Race participation was up to 1,500 runners and walkers, and for the first time since the inaugural run, first place went to a local runner. Fairbanks schoolteacher Bob Murphy, a legend among Fairbanks runners, won the race with a time of 31:10. While happy with his time, Murphy told the News-Miner that he probably would not have gotten the victory had Outside runner Scott Williams not entered in the costumed division with Gary Finelli as the Blues Brothers. The duo of Williams and Finelli tied for second with a time of 32:50. Meanwhile, on the woman's side, the current race record was made, as Outside runner Kellie Cathey smoked the competition with a time of 33:57.
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Kent Karns was the male winner in 83'.
Photo courtesy of the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
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1988
In 1988 the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner Midnight Sun Run was born, as the newspaper came on board as the main sponsor. About 2,200 participants joined the run, which has now earned a reputation as being the premier race in the state of Alaska. Victories that year, as was so often the case, went to Outside runners, with the men's victory recorded by Jed Hopfensperson in 30:10 and the woman's victory going to Pam Clifford with a time of 35:24.
1989
The Murph is back! This time, Bob beat out an Outside runner who was not adorned in costume. Murphy won his second MSR with a time of 31:20, 19 second faster than runner up Gary Borbon. The woman's race was won by Leslie Lewis with a time of 34:50.
1990
Two former Lathrop runners, both of whom had participated in the inaugural run, went head to head in the men's division. Victory went to the oldest, with Rick Wilhelm (Lathrop class of 1984) won with a time of 31:10 and Mike Kramer (Lathrop class of 1986) came in second with a time of 31:30. “Just like old times,” smiled Kramer at the end of the race. Meanwhile, Valdez runner and a member of the U.S. Olympic Nordic Ski Team won the women's division, with Sue Forbes coming in first with a time of 37:07.
1991
The 1991 race was one of the hottest ones to date, with temperatures at start time ranging from the mid to high 80s. Invited runner John Koningh took first with a time of 31:16 while Sarah Gish won the women's division with a time of 38:44. The News-Miner estimated that close to 3,700 participants took part in that year's race, despite the high temperatures.
1992
The winners of the 1990 race repeated their victories for the 1992 race, with Sue Forbes winning the women's crown with a time of 38:51 and Rick Wilhelm winning the men's race with a time of 30:20. Wilhelm is the last MSR runner to break the 31:00 mark to date.
1993
Emil Magallanes, a smokejumper from Idaho, won the men's division despite the fact that he had just finished smokejumping less than a week before the start of the race. Magallanes' time was 32:51, and Anchorage runner Lisa Keller won the women's race with a time of 37:20.
1994
It was the Midnight Sun Run, but there was no sun. Temperatures were around 50 degrees and winds were up to 15 MPH, leading some to compare the weather to that of the kind found during the Equinox Marathon. The women's crown stayed home this year, as Kelly Larimore won her field with a time of 39:06. Anchorage runner Andy Ferguson beat Bob Murphy by a mere six seconds with a time of 32:20.
A common problem runners have in the Midnight Sun Run is timing meals for the day. Fairbanks runner Ron Johnson told the News-Miner that he had it all figured out. “I go to bed late and sleep in late,” he said. “I then eat a big pasta meal around noon and some pancakes around 5p.m. and that suits me just fine.”
1995
With the race now ending at Alaskaland, Anchorage runners Kirk Fisher (32:41) and Lisa Keller (37:37) beat Fairbanks two top local runners to win the MSR crowns in 1995. Murphy took second to Fisher with a time of 33:02, which was good enough to hold back Andy Ferguson, who beat him the previous year. Second place in the women's division went to Mari Shirazi, a newcomer to the Fairbanks running scene who would go on to make her name known in tougher races such as the Annihilator and the Equinox Marathon.
Why is that Anchorage runners like the MSR so much? It goes beyond the fact that they can usually hold off the best of the bunch in Fairbanks. “I love all of the support here,” said Ferguson. “You don't see that in Anchorage.”
1996
Kirk Fisher enjoyed his time in the 1995 MSR so much that he invited his best friends to come up for the 1996 race, which lead to an Anchorage domination of the race. Anchorage men swept the top five, while a trio of Anchorage women captured the top three in their division. Marcus Dunbar won the men's race with a time of 31:12, while Debbie Mumma won the women's race with a time of 38:05. Tina Devine was the top local woman, coming in fourth with a time of 40:24, while Bob Murphy was the top local man to cross the finish line, finishing in sixth place with a time of 33:00.
“I've been waiting for years for a good group of guys from Anchorage to come run this,” Murphy told the News-Miner after the race. “I only wish they would have done it when I was younger.”
1997
For the fourth year in a row, the boys from down south won the men's division. 1995 champ Fisher edged out training partner Paul Ruston to take first with a time of 31:23, while Fisher's girlfriend, Ruth Horton, won the women's division with a time of 38:39. Tina Devine handedly beat the 1996 women's champ, Debbie Mumma, with a time of 39:00 flat, good enough for second in her division.
1998
Fairbanks runner Heather Hunt, who trains by playing soccer, clocked one of the fastest woman's time in years with a time of 37:04. She was followed by Tina Devine with a time of 38:35. Anchorage's Joe Alward won the men's division with a time of 31:35, and was followed by Noah Zabrosky with a time of 32:11. Fairbanks runner Tony Davies was the top local runner, finishing fifth with a time of 34:25.
1999
A trio of Fairbanks runners led the women's division. Tina Devine beat out Michelle Mitchell for first place with a time of 39:24. Mitchell finished second with a time of 40:08 while Moonsun Stone came in third with a time of 40:48. No such luck on the men's side, as Kevin Jacobsen of Anchorage finished first with a time of 31:45, followed by fellow Southecentral runners Will Kimball and Joe Alward. Local running sensation Kevin Brinegar, picking up the hole left behind by Bob Murphy, finished fourth with a time of 33:08.
2000
He ran in the inaugural MSR in 1983, and in 2000 he made a comeback to lead a contingency of five Fairbanks runners in the men's division. Mike Kramer came in first with a time of 33:22 to hold off his local rival, Kevin Brinegar, who finished in 33:34. The future and past of the UAF ski team---represented by Juraj Brugos and Peter Alden---took the third and fourth slots, respectively, while Bill Rodgers of Fort Wainwright completed the Fairbanks Five with a time of 33:54. On the women's side, 1997 champ Ruth Horton beat Jane Leblond to take first place with a time of 39:32. With a time of 39:45, Leblond finished seconds ahead of Susan Faulkner, who captured third with a time of 39:51.
2001
If the men's winner of the 2001 MSR looked somewhat familiar, that's because he was just recently on the cover of Running Times. One of the top distance runners in the country, LeMay came in second in the 1996 Olympic Time Trails in the 10,000 meter. His PR for the 10K is a 28:00. Fortunately for 1990 and 1992 winner, Rick Wilhelm, LeMay was not in his best shape for the MSR, although he was in good enough shape to finish with a time of 31:39. Wilhelm took second with a time of 32:23. The women were led by the Susan Faulkner, who finished with a time of 39:49. A good time, but nothing compared to what she would do the next year…
2002
Susan Faulkner cleared close to three minutes off of her 2001 time to easily take first place with a time of 36:57, the first time a woman broke the 37:00 mark in close to 13 years. Meanwhile, on the men's side, Kevin Brinegar got the best of his 2000 MSR rival Mike Kramer by edging him out at the finish line with a personal best of 32:50.
2003
Kevin Brinegar became the first male to win back to back victories in the race with a time of 33:22. In doing so, the Lathrop High School cross country coach beat one of his own students, Devin McDowell, who took second with a time of 33:52. On the women’s side, 1984 winner and one of the state’s all time top prep runners, Mara Rabinowitz, came in first with a time of 39:57. She was followed by a prep runner of the present, Davya Baker, who took second with a time of 40:19.
2004
The student beat his mentor, as Devin McDowell handily beat his coach Kevin Brinegar with a time of 32:45, almost a minute faster than Brinegar’s time of 33:40. "It was awesome," said McDowell. "It was something I’ve been trying to do for a long time." A Central Florida graduate, Sara Dillman, came in first on the women’s side with a time of 39:50. Second place went to 13-year-old Crystal Pitney of Fairbanks, who ran a time of 40:21. Not bad for a youngster, but wait until next year…
2005
Now 14 and a freshman at West Valley High School, Crystal Pitney shaved almost three minutes off of her time in 2004 to take first place with a time of 37:39. Mike Kramer posted his second MSR victory with a time of 33:04 over Kevin Brinegar, who came in second with a time of 33:37.
2006
Mike Kramer became the first runner to win the MSR three times with a time of 32:48. This time his closest competitor was up and coming runner Matias Saari, who posted a time of 33:06. Crystal Pitney repeated her victory as well, with a time of 39:28, two minutes faster than second place finisher Laura Johnson.
TOP TEN MSR FASTEST FINISHING TIMES
MEN'S DIVISION
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1. Tom Ratcliffe
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29:14
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1984
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2. Ron Gilooly
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29:19
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1984
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3. Ron Gilooly
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29:48
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1985
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4. Jed Hopfenserger
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30:10
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1988
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5. Pat Cross
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30:14
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1984
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6. Benji Durden
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30:16
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1986
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7. Peter Pfitzinger
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30:20
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1986
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7. Rick Wilhelm
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30:20
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1992
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8. Andy Ferguson
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30:29
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1988
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9. Kris Mueller
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30:47
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1988
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10. Bob Murphy
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30:50
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1985
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10. Michael Friess
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30:50
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1988
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WOMEN'S DIVISION
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1. Kellie Cathey
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33:57
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1987
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2. Nancy Ditz
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34:03
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1985
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3. Nancy Ditz
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34:23
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1986
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4. Leslie Lewis
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34:50
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1989
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5. Pam Clifford
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35:24
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1988
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6. Mara Rabinowitz
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35:49
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1984
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7. Susan Faulkner
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36:57
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2002
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8. Heather Hunt
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37:04
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1998
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9. Lisa Keller
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37:20
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1993
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10. Lisa Keller
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37:37
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1995
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