In Arctic Village, a growing race carries running, remembrance and recovery

Thirty-five people ran or walked through Vashraii K'oo — Arctic Village — on July 5 for the third annual John Fredson Day race, the biggest turnout since it began in 2024. Eight took on a 10K, offered for the first time. They ran in honor of loved ones, under a Gwich'in theme that translated to "Keep Your Fire Strong."

The gathering is built as much around healing as around finish times. "Running is my medicine, and I want to share that with my community," said Crystal Frank-Welker, who founded the race in 2024 to get her community excited about running and to honor an ancestor. Traditional Chief and Elder Dr. Rev. Trimble Gilbert and Mary Gilbert handed out the medals.

For some, the day was personal in a way a stopwatch can't capture. Jennifer Hanson had told herself a month earlier that she would walk the new 10K. She ran it, finishing in an hour and a half. "To complete the 10K in 1.5 hours was an accomplishment that made me feel proud of my heritage, to be in recovery, to be thriving in sobriety," she said. Donald Tritt returned to a running event after a decade away: "I've been losing weight all summer and can't wait until next year."

The race is named for John "Zhoh Gwatsan" Fredson, the Gwich'in leader who helped secure federal recognition for the Venetie Indian Reserve in 1941 and was the first Alaska Native Gwich'in to graduate from college. First Chief Galen Gilbert said he's watched it grow year over year. "It's very healing to our people," he said.