Alaska’s David Norris makes it 7 wins in 7 starts at Mount Marathon

SEWARD — When David Norris moved to Colorado a few years ago, he figured his career as an elite athlete was more or less over.

Norris, a Fairbanksan who trained as a world-class cross country skier for more than a decade, took a job coaching for the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club.

But somehow he has only managed to improve.

Norris won the Mount Marathon men’s race on Saturday, his seventh victory in seven races — putting him just one win off the all-time men’s mark of eight set by the legendary Bill Spencer.

What little bit Norris may have lost physically, he’s made up for with an alloy of balance and gratitude that continues to motivate him at age 35.

“I view myself as fortunate for sure,” he said. “When I moved to Colorado, that was sort of like me thinking I was done competing.

“I’m a full-time banker now, but I think I have time in my life to prioritize exercise, and my wife and I like to do it together. … It’s what I love to do, and so having races is just like little extra inspiration.”

As rain and mist traded punches on the field, the route to the peak was slick and unpredictable.

But Norris used the same approach that helped him win the previous six. He built a lead on the uphill and cruised on the downhill to finish in a time of 43 minutes, 8 seconds.

But even the champion fell victim to a tough race in tricky conditions.

“I actually fell like, three times,” he said. “Basically, I’d never fallen until this year. I didn’t feel like I really had a great rhythm in the downhill. I was driving to lift my toes, which is just weird, like my legs felt really stiff.”

The conditions meant Norris was unable to improve on the course record of 40:37 that he set in 2024. But the win meant he pulled away from Sven Johanson and Brad Precosky, who he was tied with in the all-time wins category with six.

Finding himself among the luminaries in the race has been an interesting turn of events as he has grown older and now represents the pinnacle of the race for a younger generation.

“I remember growing up being really excited watching Eric Strabel get the course record (in 2013), and then to be like, part of that now is super special,” he said. “It’s cool how much Eric and those guys inspired me. So hopefully, it’s good for all the junior racers that are out there.”

Following the race, Norris shared a nice moment in the finish pen with his parents, who made the trip down from Fairbanks.

Norris claimed his first title in 2016, followed that up with victories in 2018 and 2021, and now has won four straight starting in 2023. While he isn’t training like he was in those early years when he was a U.S. Ski Team member, what he’s doing is clearly working.

“I think I’ve gotten better at certain things and maybe weaker at other things,” he said. “But overall, I think I’m maximizing the amount of time I’m putting towards training and I’m having fun, so ultimately if I’m happy and it’s going well, I’m not gonna change it.”

[Anchorage’s Klaire Rhodes earns a 3rd straight Mount Marathon women’s title]

[Thale Randall, Wren Spangler take junior titles at Mount Marathon Race]

Squamish, British Columbia, runner Jessie McCauley placed second, finishing in 43:54.

McCauley said the Seward conditions were just like being at home as temperatures hovered in the low 50s while rain fell on the runners.

“Coming from Squamish, we’re used to six months of rain, so it kind of felt like home a little bit,” he said. “But, in all honesty, I had a (personal record) today by like, 30 seconds, and I really wasn’t anticipating in these conditions. It just goes to show that temperatures really make a difference, especially on this course.”

The top five was rounded out by Lower 48 runners.

Bayden Menton of Gunnison, Colorado, placed third (44:02), followed by Jackson Cole of Missoula, Montana (44:16). David Kennedy of Boulder, Colorado, placed fifth with a time of 44:43.

Anchorage’s William McGovern finished in eighth after a strong uphill effort.

Next year, Norris said he’ll be back looking for No. 8. But he’s still two wins behind the all-time record holder Nina Kemppel, who won nine.

“Last year, Nina Kemppel gave me a hard time saying I’ve still got a long ways to go to her nine,” he said. “That’s pretty awesome. I’d love to keep racing, and I’ll be doing it my whole life.”