Keepin' it Clean with Kodiak
Posted: 11/09/26
The HOKA Kodiak Ultra Marathon by UTMB made its 4th appearance this October 8 -11, 2026. While Kodiak has been a staple trail running event since 2013, it has since grown to become a stop on the UTMB global series to qualify for the World Championships in Mont Blanc each year. Along with it's status growth, it's also become a serious steward for Big Bear's trails and natural environment. See how this year's event went above and beyond to become Big Bear most sustainable event!
Green Sports Day
To kick off Kodiak week, event staff, volunteers, runners and local Big Bear residents gathered together for the first ever Rubbish Run - highlighting the annual Green Sports Day. On Tuesday October 6, Rubbish Runners started their trash cleanup at Ski Beach Park, collecting garbage left along the shoreline and in the bushes. The group moved to Meadow Park and along Big Bear Blvd cleaning up the sidewalk to reach Veterans Park and Rotary Park before concluding at the Big Bear Lake Visitor Center.
Local Athlete Ambassadors also took to social media to share their wisdom on how Big Bear enhances their training and why protecting our community is important for generations to come. Scroll to see their Reels below!
CFBB X Kodiak X Green Sports Day!
Green Certified
Kodiak is a proudly certified Green Business with the Big Bear Valley Green Business Program, a Care for Big Bear initiative. See how they incorporated sustainability measures into their event operations!
The most notable accomplishments were:
- 7,702 pounds of food was donated to Believers Church
- 1,674 pounds of recycling was diverted from the landfill (which is a 51% diversion rate of the total waste produced)
- Staff was instructed to carpool while traveling for work
- Pollution control measures were taken such as washing dishes indoors and disposing of liquids into indoor sinks
Care for Big Bear is proud to work alongside Kodiak in 2027 to expand their reach and sustainability work. Keep an eye out for the 2027 registration and join the champions of the trails for the 10K, 20K, 50K, 100K or 100 Mile trail run!