The Lost Lake Breath of Life Run began as a passing thought. Having very little fund raisers for Cystic Fibrosis in the entire state of Alaska it was believed that there needed to be an event as big as the state itself. Since so many people in the Seward area love to run, we thought that would be the best type of event to have. But, where would they like to run to? There was only one suggestion – Lost Lake. A 16 mile U.S. Forest Service trail beginning at Primrose campground and leads to Lost Lake, ending near Bear Creek just outside Seward. We had the location, now we needed to make the race different
Most races have awards and t-shirts for the participants, but that seemed too generic. We wanted to make sure the runners knew we appreciated the effort they made to not only run the race, but to collect pledges for the fight to cure Cystic Fibrosis.
The evening before the race a “Carbo Feed” is held. This gives the runners a chance to get together and plan their strategies. It is also the first chance to pick up bib numbers for registered runners. The following morning, the 11th hour, more runners arrive and are able to check-in and pick up their bib numbers. One hour before the race begins, all runners are transported 12 miles up the road to the starting line. Approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes later the first runner crosses the finish line.
Shortly after the first runners cross the finish line, the barbecue begins. Time to relax, enjoy lunch, and cheer on runners. A couple hours after the first group of runners cross the finish line, awards are handed out. Awards are given to the top runners in the age categories.
The first year of The Lost Lake Breath of Life Run, 1992, there were 55 participants. Today, the US Forest Service permit allows 750 runners on the trail on race day. 2010 was the first year that the Lost Lake Run met its capacity, filling in 90 days. In 20165 the race filled in just over 5 minutes, making it one of the more popular mountain races in Alaska. Since inception, this event has raised over $2 million dollars for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
