missoulamarathon.org >>Run Wild Missoula
Virtual Half Marathon
September 1-30, 2026
Mntwi l Nłʔay Virtual Half Marathon
REGISTRATION OPENS MAY 5, 2026!
Run Wild Missoula is honored to offer a Virtual Half Marathon with 100% of race proceeds going to Indigenous Ascent Coalition; to deepen our commitment to learning more about and supporting our local Indigenous communities. Through partnership and education and in accordance with our mission and values, RWM is passionate to fostering a more inclusive community.
In 2025, we welcomed 116 participants from 13 states and 3 countries! Together, you helped raise $500 for Rising Hearts and an amazing $4,178.50 for All Nations Health Center. Thank you for making such a powerful impact!
In 2022, RWM communicated with members from the Tribal History & Ethnography Projects Séliš-Ql̓ispé Culture Committee of the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes. They have presented us with our race name, Mntwi l Nłʔay (Man-to-e el En-th-a-eye) which translates to, Running-in-Place-of-Small-Bull-Trout (Missoula).
Click below for a pronunciation of Mntwi l Nłʔay (Man-to-e el En-th-a-eye)
Thank you: Shirley Trahan, SQCC’s Senior Translator and Language Advisor, for this recording.
Run Wild Missoula acknowledges that we are in the homelands of the Salish and Kalispel people. Today, we offer our respect for their history and culture, for their ancient and continuing presence in this landscape, and for the path they have shown us in caring for this place for the generations to come.
Date: |
September 1-30, 2026 |
Start Time: |
Anytime! |
Start Location: |
Anywhere! |
Registration:
- $48 May 5 – July 16
- $58 July 17 – September 30
Run Wild Missoula members, remember to log into your Run Sign Up account to receive a $3 discount!
As outlined in the race waiver & acknowledgement, entry fees are non-refundable, non-transferable and non-deferrable. To view the RWM race cancellation policy, click here.
Run/Walk 13.1* miles anywhere you like between September 1, 2026- September 30, 2026.
*Cumulative miles count! Just total the miles you’ve covered throughout September and submit your final number online once you’re finished.
- Record your time and submit your virtual results up until September 30th at 11:59PM MST on RunSignUp.
- Don’t forget to document your adventure and tag @runwildmissoula on social media!
Please access your novice half marathon training plan HERE.
- Log in to your RunSignUp account
- Select “Profile” at the top right of the webpage
- Scroll down to “Upcoming Races” and click on “Submit Virtual Results”
- Submit your activity!
Please note: Results can only be uploaded during the month of September
*Cumulative miles count! Just total the miles you’ve covered throughout September and submit your final number online once you’re finished.
Connect with other participants and cheer on everyone’s training in our Mntwi l Nłʔay Virtual Half Marathon Strava club!
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Custom Mntwi l Nłʔay Virtual Half Marathon medal
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Option to Add-On at Registration!
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Perma Red – A Novel by Debra Magpie Earling
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Description
Bold, passionate, and more urgent than ever, Debra Magpie Earling’s powerful classic novel is reborn in this new edition. On the Flathead Indian Reservation, summer is ending, and Louise White Elk is determined to forge her own path. Raised by her Grandmother Magpie after the death of her mother, Louise and her younger sister
have grown up into the harsh social and physical landscape of western Montana in the 1940s, where Native people endure boarding schools and life far from home. As she approaches adulthood, Louise hopes to create an independent life for herself and an improved future for her family–but three persistent men have other plans. Since childhood, Louise has been pursued by Baptiste Yellow Knife, feared not only for his rough-and-tumble ways, but also for the preternatural gifts of his bloodline. Baptiste’s rival is his cousin, Charlie Kicking Woman: a man caught between worlds, torn between his duty as a tribal officer and his fascination with Louise. And then there is Harvey Stoner. The white real estate mogul can offer Louise her wildest dreams of freedom, but at what cost? As tensions mount, Louise finds herself trying to outrun the bitter clutches of winter and the will of powerful men, facing choices that will alter her life–and end another’s–forever.
All proceeds from this event will be donated to Indigenous Ascent Coalition General Donation Fund. The Indigenous Ascent Coalition works to reconnect Native American communities with alpine environments. Their mission brings together traditional knowledge and modern outdoor experiences, creating opportunities for Indigenous individuals to participate in mountain sports. They envision a future where cultural heritage and contemporary pursuits exist in harmony, empowering people to restore their connection to the mountains. Through education, community engagement, and sustainable practices, they strive to build a thriving community that honors both the land and Indigenous heritage.
Meet Robyn Kay Iron!
Robyn is a Featured Artist in the Montana Indian Business Alliance and Founder of the Indigenous Artists Collaboration, a collective event to support Indigenous Artists. Robyn grew up in a very small housing community known as Muddy Cluster, located on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation. Robyn is a descendent of the Crow and Northern Cheyenne tribes. She is currently studying Digital Design Technology at Salish Kootenai College, specializing in Indigenous inspired designs.
You can learn more about Robyn and view her portfolio here.
“The significance of the Bitterroot is to recognize that the bitterroot saved the Salish and Kootenai tribes at one point and time. The three mountains represent ‘The place of the Small Bull trout’ and are recreated from a photo from the 1800s in Missoula. The bottom portion is representing the Clark Fork that runs through town. The flower sequence is inspired by traditional Salish beadwork, which incorporates a lot of floral beadwork. I did a lot of environmental scanning and research to incorporate, designs reactive to their culture. “
Questions? Email Us!
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