July 01, 2023
Get to know the Mount Marathon race
Every 4th of July, people from near and far flock to our town of Seward, Alaska for the famous Mount Marathon race, one of the oldest of its kind in America. Often referred to as “the toughest 5k on the planet,” the Mount Marathon race sees competitors start in downtown Seward, race 2,974 feet up Mount Marathon, and return to town. The average uphill speed for competitors is 2mph, while the average downhill speed is a whopping 12mph. This is an event that shouldn’t be missed!
The origin story of the Mount Marathon race says that it started as a bet made in a bar between two “sourdoughs” – people who have spent several winters in Alaska, making them long-term residents – about whether it was possible to make it up Mount Marathon and back down again in under an hour. One sourdough said it would be possible, the other bet against him, and so the Mount Marathon race was born! In case you’re wondering how that bet played out, the optimistic sourdough lost, with a there-and-back time of 1 hour and 2 minutes.
It’s unclear what year that original bet took place, but the race became officially recognized back in 1915 and has been held nearly every year since then, only being missed in years with groundbreaking or catastrophic events, such as the construction of the Alaska Railroad, WW2, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Over the years, the race itself has grown and changed – the race now has a clearly defined course; men, women, and juniors all have their own races held throughout the day; and that 1 hour and 2-minute original time has been blown out of the water. The current overall course record was set in 2016 by Anchorage-based competitor, David Norris, with a time of 41 minutes and 26 seconds.
The original bet may have been between just two men, but today’s race sees up to 350 competitors in both the men's and women’s races, and up to 300 juniors (split between boys and girls). Qualifying for the Mount Marathon race is a feat in itself, with more people wanting to run the race each year than there are spots available. As a result, an entry mechanic had to be devised specifically for the race and includes a combination of qualifying times, sponsored spots, lottery winners, and even a raffle.
This year marks the 95th Mount Marathon race, and it’s bound to be another one for the books, with a record number of first-time racers and lottery winners – we can’t wait to see how it’s going to play out!
If you want to learn more about this year’s race, the Mount Marathon Race Committee’s annual race guide is available now, which you can find HERE.
June 27, 2022
Tarryn Zerbinos
Vibrant is a word often used to describe Tarryn Zerbinos’s acrylic paintings. She enjoys mixing realism and abstract art to create a world that is thought provoking and warms your heart and home. She pulls inspiration from the world around her. This includes the mountains of Alaska, wildlife, traveling, and motherhood.
Tarryn was born in Alaska, but raised in Wisconsin. It was there she spent a short time studying fine art at Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, before traveling to Utqiagvik, AK where her love for Alaska was rekindled. Quickly her two week visit in Utqiagvik transitioned to a permanent move. It wasn’t until a few years down the road when she had her two children, that she realized she needed to get back into doing what she loves, which is creating. She now spends her time living in Anchorage, AK painting murals, windows for businesses, creating art on her down time, and exploring the backcountry of Alaska with her husband, her two sons, and their dog.
Can you tell us about your "process" / if there's a certain way you go about deciding your subjects/compositions - or favorite things to capture?
- My favorite things to paint are underwater critters and sunsets. I am in awe when I see a sunset in real life and I am so inspired to capture every color.
What is your favorite art form?
- Painting- specifically murals, there’s nothing like painting on a giant wall and then standing back to see the whole picture come together.
When did you first start creating?
- I’ve been creating my whole life but I didn’t start to hone in on my craft until I was around 17 years old.
What inspires you to create your work?
- Alaska is my biggest inspiration however I do tend to paint with my heart so whatever is on my heart in the moment tends to come out on canvas. When I was transitioning out of nursing my youngest I went through a phase of creating more maternal pieces.
What’s your favorite thing to see/do in Alaska?
-I love flying in the backcountry of Alaska with my family. We love finding little beaches to land on and camp on Prince William Sound. There’s nothing like the sea breeze and watching otters and seals play around in the water.
What advice do you have for aspiring artists?
-Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. The world needs your art now more than ever.
December 17, 2020
We continue to be surprised how easy Shopping Virtually is with anyone anywhere. Each Virtual Shopping experience has been a little bit different because of a particular Guest's schedule, needs or technological comfort level. It has been very easy to make it simple by using a mix of email, phone, text, and Video call. Whatever works best and is most comfortable. Here are some of the places that our Guest shopped Virtually from with us this week.
August 15, 2020