I have been running Anchorage RunFest since it was still Humpy’s Marathon in 97. I managed 7 wins between 97-2003 (missed 1998 because I held over in Russia til late August). I did take a hiatus between 2004-2015 when I was living in Moscow full time. This one will be my 12th Anchorage RunFest. Honestly, I prefer the 49k. I’m an ultrarunner and I ran World and European Championships in the 100k 2010-13. I ran World Cup 50K 2011,12, and 14 in Daugavpils, Latvia with two 2nd place finishes in 2011,12 and a win in 2014. Anchorage RunFest has always been one of my favorites and pre 2004, I used to summer over in Moscow and get back just in time for this race. I was a Russian teacher and wrote those summers off as professional development! Well, I was doing grad school in Moscow part of the summer…
I came back to the US and Alaska, I ran and won the 49k in 2015, then was out again until 2022 due to my job teaching Science in Tuluksak. When we finally went to a subsistence calendar in 2022, it gave me 4 months off in the summer (May-Nearly Labor Day) and almost a month for winter break. As soon as school ends at the first of May, I’m off for summer racing and to live life to its fullest. Sitting on the couch doing nothing is not for me. I need to travel and do fun things while I still can. I live in Anchorage and split those 4 months between Moscow and Anchorage. This year, is going to be just a bit more in Moscow racing and spending time with friends and family.
Training in Moscow has always been easy peasy (unless we have a hotter than usual summer) because I have lived 400m from a park and extensive trail system for over 20 years. I’m out the door and onto the trails much like I am when I train in Anchorage. This year, I have had a very busy summer racing season. I tuned up in May at the Salmon run 10k (1st woman), Nurse’s run 5k (first woman), and one of my favorites-Trent Waldron 10k. I won the age grade there and was 3rd overall.
After that, I buggered off to Russia and am still in the midst of a very active season here. I mix it up and do track, road, and trails when I can find a trail race. I’ve been having a great season and June allowed for fast times because it was cool and rainy. Racing in Russia has always been high level and very competitive and I love it because it pushes me to strong performances. I have been racing in Russia since 98 and there is no doubt that coupled with the coaching I have had here pushed me to levels I never would have hit on my own. Highlights so far include winning the 1500 and 3000 at Moscow Masters Championships in June, three wins in the 1000m, another in the 3000m and mile, a win in a Rock and Roll style 10k, 4th overall and first masters in Volokolamsk Half Marathon (nice and hilly), and a come from behind to take 3rd overall with 400m to go to the finish July 12 in a half held in record heat(31C) in Ramenskoye south of Moscow. This was nice and hilly too which worked in my favor. I used that as a tempo run and a secondary workout that day to get in my 35k run to prep for the 49k. I’m not sure how it’s going to go because Nationals are in St Petersburg this year 25-27 July at a time I need to be finishing up my peak mileage for 49k prep. I need to do the opposite and rest going into Nationals so we shall see. I won the 10 and was 3rd in the 5 last year at Nationals in Moscow.
This year, I was 4th in the 5 and 3rd in the 10. Nationals were in St. Petersburg this year where we have been under heat warnings all week. It’s been 31-32C every day and it’s that northern sun just like in Alaska that just cooks you!
I’ll be back in time for Anchorage RunFest.
Michelle Isaev