Run for the Refuge
About this race
Celebrate the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge at the 30th Annual Run for the Refuge. Once again we are hosting an in-person run at the University of Fairbanks trails! If outside Fairbanks you can still participate virtually by running, walking, hiking, biking, or paddling a 5K or 10K route of your own design. Join our Facebook Event Page to discuss your routes and get inspired. Use #RunForTheRefuge and tag @NorthernCenter on Facebook and so we can see your adventures!
Shirts are pre-order only on Bonfire.com, link coming soon.
$30 for Adults, $15 for 12 & under.
ABOUT THE ARCTIC REFUGE
The Arctic Refuge comprises 19.3 million acres in northeast Alaska, land that has been stewarded and held sacred by Gwich'in and Iñupiat people for millennia. The coastal plain of the Arctic Refuge is known as Iizhik Gwats’an Gwandaii Goodlit, or "the sacred place where life begins," in Gwich'in. This sacred place provides calving grounds for the Porcupine caribou herd, which in turn provides for the food sovereignty and cultural practice of Indigenous people, who have led efforts to protect the lands, waters, wildlife, and people from harmful industrial extraction. The Run for the Refuge celebrates the place and its history of care and protection.
Find out more at the Sovereign Inupiat for a Living Arctic website
ROUTE
The main event will be on the UAF north campus trails, starting at the ski hut. The address is 1001 Seismic Rd, Fairbanks, AK 99775.
In the week leading up to the race, you could plan a 5k or 10k route of your choice. In the past, Fairbanks Paddlers put together these routes through town:
Fairbanks Paddlers' 2021 5K & 10K Paddle Routes
Support the conservation of Alaska’s largest refuge by participating in this fun, family-friendly event!
For any questions, comments, or concerns, please contact the Race Director at events@northern.org
Pick your distance
Running
5K Run/Walk for the Refuge
Otter Trot Mile Fun Run
5K Virtual
Create your own 5K route. Run, walk, jog, hike, cycle, or paddle and share your route and pictures with #RunForTheRefuge
10K Virtual
Create your own 10K route. Run, walk, jog, hike, cycle, or paddle and share your route and pictures with #RunForTheRefuge
5K In-Person Run
10K In-Person Run
Typical race-day weather
Based on 5 years of Open-Meteo archive data for this event's race dates in Oak Harbor, plus the 3 days either side.
The sun rises at 6:34 AM and sets at 8:41 PM local time (EDT) in Oak Harbor on August 8, 2026 — 14h 07m of daylight.
Course
No course map published yet.
The organizer hasn't released a route for this event, and we don't publish guesses. If you're the organizer, send us a GPX file and we'll draw the profile.
Reviews
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2026 results — Run for the Refuge
5K Run/Walk for the Refuge · 111 finishers
| Place | Name | Time | Pace |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CJ Buchanan | 17:29 | 5:38 /mi |
| 2 | Maddox Altman | 18:21 | 5:54 /mi |
| 3 | Owen Schassberger | 18:23 | 5:55 /mi |
| 4 | Rodney Wilhelm | 19:36 | 6:18 /mi |
| 5 | Kyle Price | 21:57 | 7:04 /mi |
Every finisher is on the results page, filterable by distance, gender and age group.
All results by year
Other races near Oak Harbor
Different organizers, within 40 miles, in the next three months
Night of the Dead Mud Run
Walk by Faith Remembrance Walk
Scarecrow Sprint 5K
The Sandusky County Jingle Bell Jog
🏃 Plan Your Next Race in Oak Harbor
Find upcoming events by distance:
- Oak Harbor 5K Races 2 races
- Oak Harbor Running Calendar 2026 2 races
Where this page comes from. Race details were last updated on . We re-check listings regularly and again in the week before race day.
- Entries, prices, waves and inclusions — the event's official registration page
- Temperature and humidity — Copernicus ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0)
- Elevation and terrain relief — Copernicus DEM GLO-90, ESA (CC BY 4.0)
- Comparisons and counts — Race Discovery calendar, 6 Oak Harbor events
Spotted something wrong? Tell us and we'll fix it.