Midsummer Night Run reveals a Golden Age of athletes

Aug 12

4 min read

Wright smites the field, all of whom battle to their finish

Juneau's John Wright, 39, sprints along North Douglas Highway towards False Outer Point during his 10-kilometer win in the Midsummer Night Run on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026. Wright finished in 35 minutes and 46 seconds. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Independent)

By Klas Stolpe

Juneau Independent

Juneau’s John Wright, 39, put his best “Elizabethan” feet forward to entertain the cheering masses as he led a “Golden Age” of athletes across the finish of the Midsummer Night Run on Tuesday evening at False Outer Point, winning the 10-kilometer race in 35 minutes and 46 seconds.

“I wanted to see where I was in a buildup to a marathon in October,” Wright said, catching his breath at the finish line aid station. “It was kind of a fitness test.”

Wright will be running the Portland Marathon on October 4. He wants to average less than 6:30 per mile in his marathon. He averaged 5:39 on Tuesday evening from the False Outer Point parking lot starting line to the Fish Creek Bridge and back.

“I was not quite as ready as I was hoping I would be,” he said. “There were too many miles stuck in my legs for this one, so no PR today.”

Juneau's Olivia Glasscock, 34, and Hiram Henry, 51, sprint along North Douglas Highway toward False Outer Point during the 10-kilometer race in the Midsummer Night Run on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026. Glasscock finished in 43:51 and Henry in 43:57. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Independent)

Juneau’s Olivia Glasscock, 34, was the first 1K female, and sixth overall, finishing in 43:51.

“I was just trying to finish,” Glasscock said. “I was under the impression that it was a 5k until about an hour before. The whole second half I was kind of regretting my pace in the first half and just holding on… Kind of just coming back from being off of running for a little while this year, and trying to take it nice and safe. I hope to get some sort of PR later in the year but I haven’t decided what.”

Finn Taintor, age 9, the only under-19 racer in the 10K, placed 13th overall in 48:58 and hit his race goal.

“I wanted to get sub-50,” Taintor said. “I got 48! I haven’t actually done a 10k before. I think key was just to keep kicking down, like, maybe every half a mile speed up. I started off at maybe a little slower than a 5k pace, and I had a lot left. I don’t know what is next, maybe the cancer run on Saturday if I am able too.”

Juneau's Finn Taintor, 9, sprints along North Douglas Highway toward False Outer Point during the 10-kilometer race in the Midsummer Night Run on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026. Taintor finished in 48:58. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Independent)

Taintor has another goal for the future.

“I want to get a four-minute mile,” he said. “When he (John Wright) and I passed each other I just started kicking down because I knew the turn-around point was soon.”

One-mile racer Addi Johnson, 8, enjoyed the outing and watching the runners.

“I really like running,” Johnson said. “And I am trying to get points for the Nugget (Nugget Alaska Outfitters cup standings). I think I did pretty good. This was my second fastest mile. I think I might do the cancer run this weekend.”

Johnson was asked if she wanted to run as fast as Wright.

“Someday, maybe,” she said. “It takes a lot of practice probably.”

Racers leave the starting line at False Outer Point on North Douglas Highway during the Midsummer Night Run, Tuesday, August 11, 2026. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Independent)

Wright (fastest in the 19-and-over category) was followed by Abe Kanter, 32, in 35:46; Tim Mikulski, 27, in 40:35; Darin Tingey, 21, in 41:14; William Merritt, 23, in 43:48; Glasscock, 43:51; Hiram Henry, 51, 43:57; Peter Flynn, 43, 44:21; McKenna Uhing, 25, 44:32; Paul Strickler, 32, 46:39; Therese Pokorney, 27, 47:28; Quinn Tracy, 46, 48:17; Finn Taintor, 9, 48:58; Keith Levy, 69, 49:24; Abe Levy, 39, 50:03; Elijah Levy, 19, 50:38; Hannah Bailey, 30, 57:00; Heather Parker, 40, 52:18; Kristen Strom, 29, 56:49; Dominic Johnson, 36, 58:30; Melissa Anderson, 50, 50:38; Carolyn Bergstrom, 56, 58:54; Nora Harper, 28, 1:00:17; Mitchell Sporing, 25, 1:00:58; Keegan Jackson, 43, 1:05:10; Katy Ritter, 47, 1:06:42; Odine Wiltuschnig, 19, 1:11:29; and Guy Crockroft, 66, and Eric Antrim, 53, in 1:13:39.

Christine Woll, 41, topped the one-mile field in 8:33 and was the fastest in the 19-and-older category. Following were Isla Taintor, age 8, in 8:44 (the fastest in the 18-and-under field); Dylan Hoke, 7, in 8:58; Melody Millard, 64, in 8:59; Johnson 9:33; Maddie Sullivan, 9, in 11:44; James Sullivan, 7, 12:29; Isabelle Sullivan, 11, in 13:02; Abby Sullivan, 5, in 14:56; and Jessica Sullivan, 42, in 14:56.

One-mile racers in the Midsummer Night Run listen to race starter Brian McTague at the start line on False Outer Point, Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Independent)

Next in line for the Nugget Alaska Outfitters Cup point scoring is Saturday’s Beat The Odds 2-mile walk or 5k run (NAOC race) at the University of Alaska Southeast, with a 9 a.m. start after opening ceremonies. Online registration only.

Also notable is the Saturday, August 22, Goldbelt Tram-Mount Roberts Run (JTRR/NAOC), set for Saturday, August 22. According to race directors, the race will be running even if the Goldbelt Tram is not.