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Montana > Two Bear Marathon & Half Marathon
Whitefish,
MT
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Date
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Event
Details
Run for the first time in the fall of 2005 and timed to coincide with
the peak autumn colors of the leaves and trees along the beautiful,
majestic mountain peaks in northwestern Montana, the Two Bear Marathon
& Half Marathon offers a high-elevation course with ample views
of 3,300-plus-acre Whitefish Lake, along with some challenging uphill
and downhills stretches on the race toward the finish line in town.
While the full, 26.2-mile marathon begins west of town, just south of
Beaver Lake (and its first two miles are mostly uphill), the half
marathon begins on Upper Whitefish Road, about two miles north of the
intersection with East Lakeshore Drive, at the northern edge of the
lake. From there, runners in the half follow a winding point-to-point
course largely along the shores of Whitefish Lake, crossing railroad
tracks around the mile 3-4 markers (where trains may pass through,
giving runners a well-deserved break and time to re-group) and
encountering the steepest hill of the 13.1-mile course at around the
mile 7 marker (mile 20 for the full marathoners).
From there, the course features mostly gentle downhill stretches (with
a few rolling hills mixed in) on its way into town. Especially in the
race's early miles, runners can expect to see pastoral scenes including
wetlands near the lakeshore, horse ranches and farms. As the race route
makes its way into Whitefish, the course flattens out along Wisconsin
Avenue, Glenwood Road and Dakota Avenue, which organizers say is some
of the race's flattest terrain.
The last two miles of the race take
runners along the city's bike paths, which wind along the Whitefish
River toward the finish line on Baker Avenue. The race finish location
is The Wave, the Whitefish Community Aquatic & Health Center
that's home to a community swimming pool and health facilities open to
the entire community. The race's entry fee proceeds are donated to The
Wave Scholarship Fund, which helps local residents in their monthly
membership dues.
Runners are encouraged to sign up in advance for the race, as both the
full and the half marathons are limited to 300 runners each. The full
marathon starts at 7:30 AM, followed by the half marathon at 9:00 AM,
and all runners must finish by 2:30 PM.
Race
Weather & Climate
Located in Montana's northwestern corner, just a short drive north from
Kalispell and west from Glacier National Park, the town of Whitefish
typically experiences cool (and sometimes cold) to moderately warm
weather conditions in the late summer and early fall, with its wettest
weather in May and June, on average. In September, the town's
average monthly temperatures range between 69°F and
38°F, while precipitation totals average just over 1.2 inches
for the month.
Fees
$70 for the half marathon, if registered by August 13, 2009
$95 after Aug. 13
$80 for the full marathon, if registered by August 13, 2009
$105 after Aug. 13
Registration
To reserve your spot in the late summer 2009 running of Montana's Two
Bear Marathon & Half Marathon, register online at Active.com
or print out and mail in this downloadable entry form.
Website
www.twobearmarathon.org
Half
Marathon Course
Map - Start
View Larger Map
Half
Marathon Course
Map - Finish
View Larger Map
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Your Race Story
Ever run in Whitefish's annual Two Bear Marathon or Half Marathon?
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