Canadian Nick Elson finishes second at one of North America’s toughest races

It's starting to feel a bit more like running season for me these days and so I was excited to see my name on the start list again for this year's Mt. Marathon Race in Seward Alaska. It might be about time to start preparing my legs for the descent! Photo from last year's race by @seth.d.adams @lasportivana #mtmarathon

A photo posted by Nick Elson (@nicksethelson) on Apr 14, 2016 at 12:22pm PDT

Nick Elson of Squamish, B.C. finished second at the Mount Marathon Race, one of North America’s toughest trail races, in Seward, Alaska on Monday. The newly-crowned Canadian mountain running champion finished behind only David Norris of Anchorage, Alaska, who set a new course record.

VIDEO: This Alaskan mountain race has the most jaw-dropping climb and descent.

Norris, who ran the event for the first time, broke the previous record held by Kilian Jornet, one of the world’s top trail runners, by 22 seconds in 41:26. He’s a cross-country skier and could make the U.S. team for the 2018 Winter Olympics. Elson finished in 43:06, one of the fastest ever times at the event.

RELATED: King and queen of the mountains decided at Saturday’s Canadian championships.

The race has 921 metres of elevation gain and is known as the “Superbowl of Alaska,” being the second largest sporting event in the state behind Iditarod. Seward is a town of just 3,000 but is the focal point of trail running each Independence Day.

The Mount Marathon Race is approximately 5K, with distance varying depending on the route a runner takes, on an unmarked course from Seward to the top of Mount Marathon and back down. The downhill portion often produces some incredible scenes because of the steep decline. Just check out the below photo.

One way to get down Mount Marathon. Photo by @bobhallinenphoto #mountmarathon #mountainrunner

A photo posted by Robert Hallinen (@bobhallinenphoto) on Jul 4, 2016 at 9:50pm PDT

Elson won the Canadian mountain running championships two weeks ago, run as part of the Sea to Sky Scramble in Squamish, and won the 2015 Squamish 50. He’s an avid rock climber when not running up and down mountains. Elson finished fifth at the 2015 Mount Marathon Race.

This year, Elson was the only non-Alaskan in the top-three. Christy Marvin won the women’s race in 51:02.

YEAH @nicksethelson !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mt. Marathon 2nd place!!

— Gary Robbins (@gary_robbins) July 4, 2016

Results

Men

1. David Norris, Anchorage – 41:26
2. Nick Elson, Squamish – 43:06
3. Eric Strabel, Anchorage – 44:19
4. Scott Patterson, Anchorage – 44:43
5. Rickey Gates, Madison – 44:46

Women

1. Christy Marvin, Palmer – 51:02
2. Yngvild Kaspersen, Tromso – 53:23
3. Denali Foldager-Strabel, Seward – 53:40
4. Najeeby Quinn, Anchorage – 54:07
5. Ann Spencer, Anchorage – 55:11