Glacier Challenge: No typical vacation

The Leander family doesn't do Wally World. In fact, their vacation is most people's worst nightmare.

Forget roller coasters and cotton candy — they'd rather spend their free time running, kayaking, road biking, mountain biking, road biking again, kayaking again, and then running some more.

This week, the Leanders leave from their home in Phoenix, Ariz., for their summer trek to Montana to compete in the Glacier Challenge, a multi-sport race slated for July 12 at Riverside Park. Teams and solo competitors will cover about 50 miles of terrain around Whitefish by bike, boat and foot in the annual adventure race.

Tom Leander and his wife Sandy try to take their three kids someplace fun every summer. They talked about going to Colorado this year, but then Lauren, 17, Keaton, 15, and Bryson, 11, mentioned Montana and the Glacier Challenge as an option. The family competed in the challenge two years ago and had good memories of the adventure.

"Everybody wanted to come back and do the Glacier Challenge again," Tom said. "We thoroughly enjoyed it a couple of years ago. We just had a blast."

The family will break up the race into individual parts — Sandy will road bike, Tom will mountain bike, Lauren will kayak, Keaton will run the 10K and Bryson will run the 5K.

They've been training a little bit to get into shape, but they're not too concerned about their overall time — they just want to have fun.

"We don't care about placing," Tom said. "We have no thoughts of competing or winning. We just want to enjoy the scenery, people and after party."

Tom says the race is ideal for a family vacation because it provides a fun bonding experience that each member can be a part of.

"It was so much fun to share in the experience," he said. "It has all the elements for a family that wants to spend some time together."

Race director Hannah Plumb noted that this year's course has been changed from the past and will now incorporate the Fish Trails bike path system, including the Rocksund Trail footbridge and gazebo as a transition area between kayaking and running.

There will also be a new digital timing system to provide real-time leader updates on a big screen at Riverside Park, and there will be a photographer streaming in-race photos.

Qdoba will provide food at the finish area, and John Floridis will play music at the after party, where there will be a raffle and silent auction.

Proceeds from the race will benefit the Flathead Youth Home — the goal is to reach the $20,000 mark. Plumb says they're well on the way, thanks to major sponsors Don K Subaru and Bob Herron Insurance and Investments.

The deadline to sign up is today. Go online to Theglacierchallenge.com to register.