In honor of our “Race With The Sled Dogs Program“, we asked Coach White
from Orion Elementary in Anchorage, what it’s like to operate a run club for
students in Alaska. Here is what she said…
Do students run outside in the snow or inside the school?
We run outside in the
snow. Getting fresh air is important, especially during the long, cold, dark
winter months. On Dec 21st, Winter Solstice, which is the shortest day of the
year, we typically only have 6 hours of daylight here in Anchorage. The sun
doesn’t rise until about 10am and sets by 4pm. Further north in the Arctic
Circle, they have several weeks where the sun doesn’t rise above the horizon at
all!
How cold does it get?
I’ve seen it as cold as -20 here in Anchorage. Further
north in Fairbanks it is common for it to reach -40 in the winter. Our typical
winter temp is about 20 degrees for a high and in the teens or single digits
overnight.
Do you use EZ Scan to scan laps? Does the tablet work when it is really cold
outside?
Yes, we use EZ Scan to keep track of our mileage during the running
season. We keep our iPads inside the entryway in the window sill facing out so
that kids can scan through the window after each lap and the iPads stay nice
and warm!”
