The word “inspire” comes from the Latin root “inspiratus,” which means “to blow” or “breathe into.” This is what Irene Webber did when she ran the first King Salmon Marathon, on her own, in 1986.

With her perseverance and enthusiasm, Irene created an event in which all of us have been inspired to take part. Her motto, “See you on the road!” means just that, as she encourages others to live a healthier life. Our Alaska Salmon Runs honor the salmon, the keystone species of our daily lives in this commercial fishing village and the anchor of our surrounding ecosystem.

Cordova is surrounded by extraordinary ecosystems that combine to form one of the world’s most spectacular natural environments and host to a thriving wild salmon migration. We now host participants from all over the world, and in one of Alaska’s most beautiful and friendliest communities. We have welcomed runners from Japan, Australia, Brazil, Norway, and several states in the continental U.S.A such as New York and Florida – plus many more. Some people come back year after year, and we hope that you will do the same. Our salmon runs are dedicated to the five species of salmon native to our area.