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Two Whitehorse runners are feeling grateful after earning half marathon wins in Skagway, Alaska.

The fourth annual Skagway Marathon was held Saturday in rainy conditions with more than 100 runners participating.

David Eikelboom set a new personal record en route to winning the half marathon with a scorching time of 1:17:26, while Amelia Fraser won the women's side of the race in 1:36:24.

Skagway's Daniel Howell won the full marathon event in 3:08:25.

Eikelboom, 27, said the race helped prove his training was effective, despite a somewhat disappointing result in the Boston Marathon earlier this season.

"I think with Boston not turning out exactly how I'd hoped, I had a bit of a confidence check. So to be able to put down a good time again for a half, it tells me that my training is working and I am getting faster.

"It was pretty exciting to run this time on a hilly course with gravel road and rain.鈥�

Eikelboom's previous top time in a 21-km route was 1:18:36 in 2012.

The marathon start and finish is based at the ferry terminal, while the route itself carves its way along the Alaskan coastline and features multiple hill climbs.

Eikelboom said he studied the route on Google Earth prior to the race, alongside his brother-in-law Jack Vandorp, who was visiting from Wiarton, Ont.

Vandorp finished second in the race, with a time of 1:22:51.

"I wanted to beat him 鈥� I'll admit that,鈥濃�圗ikelboom chuckled. "Jack has some history of pretty exceptional running too, so that was kind of motivating for me.鈥�

Fraser, 28, used the race as preparatory training for a half ironman she is planning to complete next month in Vancouver.

The win was also the latest triumph on her return from a broken back she incurred in November 2012 while bodysurfing in Mexico.

Last year's Skagway Marathon marked the first race Fraser ran since her injury.

"I'm really, really lucky,鈥濃�坰he told the Star. "I often think about it when I'm running. Every time I don't want to go for a run or don't want to train, I always just think of last winter, and how I couldn't do anything. Hopefully this keeps up.鈥�

Fraser said the Skagway event is appealing, as many Whitehorse residents make the trip a part of their annual running regime.

"Half the runners are from Whitehorse,鈥� she explained. "This year, it was pouring rain and there was still tons of support along the course. It was just a really nice, low-key kind of race.鈥澛�

Eikelboom said the race played out in an exciting atmosphere, despite the wet conditions.

"I鈥坒elt like there was pretty good energy,鈥� he said. "On the way out, there was a few families cheering, and there was a lot of people involved.

"One thing that's nice about an out and back is that you just see more people, so it meant that coming back everyone's being positive and encouraging, and that was nice for everyone involved.鈥�