Alaskans in Frostbite Footrace

ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Feb. 27 (UPI) -- Hundreds of runners, including some hoping to win the costume category, braved freezing temperatures in Alaska for the Frostbite Footrace, organizers said.

In Anchorage, the thermometer read 10 degrees F when about 685 competitors including those dressed as pink flamingos, kittens, bears, penguins, pink poodles, a racing orange construction cone and Lady Gaga and rock band Kiss look-alikes began their runs or walks in either the 2K or 5K categories.

Some entrants were in it with serious competition in mind, others for the T-shirt and fun of it, the Anchorage Daily News reported.

The first-place single costume prize went to Kimberly Halstead of Anchorage costumed as "Frosty Cupcake Girl."

A parade accompanied the event and was made up by statewide beauty pageant winners in fur parkas, a float dubbed "Pirates of Dollar Lake" and the Eagle River High School marching band.

The day also included the World Championship Sled Dog Race viewed by former nine-time champion, 77-year-old George Attla.

Although he's been ill he plans to compete in the Koyukuk River Championship in his Husila hometown in early April, the newspaper reported.

"The knowledge is still there," Attla said, pointing to his head. "Some of the young guys racing here today are going to be at the Koyukuk," he said. "But the old man's going to kick their butts."