Bonnie Lind (left), Paola Banchero, Pam Barbeau and Anne Fielder participated in the Alaska Run for Women in June.
June is peak road race season, and two of the events raise money for cancer research and bring community together to fight their respective diseases.
The Alaska Run for Women, held on the first Saturday in June every year, had a big turnout thanks to good weather.
"This was our thirty-fourth annual run," said Alaska Run for Women board member Nance Larsen, a public relations professional. "It definitely exceeded expectations."
The 2026 run had 5,175 registered entrants; 1,100 participated virtually. There were also 432 breast cancer survivors who ran or walked the course.
"This event is so representative of the community," Larsen said. "We literally could not do this without the participants and donors. Almost everyone knows someone who is impacted by this disease. It could be a mom, an aunt, a coworker, a sister."
Breast cancer strikes an estimated one out of eight women in the United States. Over the history or the event, the nonprofit behind it has received $6.5 million in donations that goes to breast cancer research, education and awareness.
Larsen said it is also an event that has something for everyone. While elite women runners enter the timed 5-mile race, about half the participants are walkers or choose to do the 1-mile event.
The Alaska Men's Run is also a race with a long history. It raises money for prostate and testicular cancer. It happens on the second Saturday in June. It also gives out grants to individuals and agencies fighting cancers that affect men. The awards focus on educational activities, health awareness, and early detection.
