Ely Marathon
2021 Ely Marathon logo
DateSeptember 23, 2023
LocationEly, Minnesota
Distance26.2 miles
Established2015
Course recordsMen: 2:47:25 (2016)
Nathaniel Langlie
Women: 3:00:41 (2016)
Auralee Strege
Men's Portage: 5:00:01 (2019)
Anthony Peter (World Record)
Woman's Portage: 6:49:29
Auralee Strege (World Record)
Official siteelymarathon.com
Participants100

The Ely Marathon is a race in Ely, Minnesota, first run in 2015.[1] After successfully adding a sanctioned "canoe portager" category in the half marathon, the category was added to the marathon in 2018. In the "canoe portage," runners can compete with the others who carry a canoe over their heads, deeming the race "the 8,390 rod portage."[2] It is the only marathon portage in the world, so the first finisher in 2018 set a world record.[3] The record was broken in 2019 by more than 23 minutes.[4] In 2016, Daniel Drehmel ran the marathon with his partner, Abby Dare, and the two of them took turns carrying the canoe in order to raise awareness about the potential threats to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

The race is run in September, and 97 runners finished in 2018.[5] The course begins deep in the woods at "Camp Du Nord" the north side of Burntside Lake, and finishes in Ely. Racers must be shuttled there, as there is not enough room for parking and camping near the starting line.[6]

In March and April 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic forced cancellations of all the major marathons around the world, the Ely Marathon staff hoped the marathon would go on as planned. They worked on ways to run the races while protecting them health of the runners and held the September start date.

But on July 10, they cancelled all races for 2020, and announced that all registrations could roll into the 2021 races. Only the 5K would have a virtual race. A press release said that state officials "set the maximum participants in outdoor races to 25 people. That includes all racers, staff, volunteers and spectators."[7]

Winners

Key:   Course record   World record

Year
Category Men Women
2020 Results Sept. 27, 2020
Race cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2019 Results Sept. 21, 2019[8]
Open Andrew MacNamara 38 2:52:13 Stacy Torkelson 37 3:44:30
Masters Jeff Curtin 55 3:20:58 Jess Sedivy Gunderson 41 3:56:31
Portage Anthony Peter 39 5:00:01 Auralee Strege 30 6:49:29
2018 Results Sept. 22, 2018[9]
Open Russell Groebner 49 3:13:49 Shaelin Lekatz 21 3:43:37
Masters Russell Groebner 49 3:13:49 Kristin Hettich 45 3:51:00
Portage Daniel Drehmel 31 5:23:48
2017 Results Sept. 23, 2017[10]
Open Hudson Kingston 34 2:59:01 Kathy Provenzano 43 3:33:36
Masters Kelly Ecklund 53 3:13:49 Kathy Provenzano 43 3:33:36
2016 Results Sept. 24, 2016[11]
Open Nathaniel Langlie 18 2:47:25 Auralee Strege 27 3:00:41
Masters Chad Shilson 45 3:13:49 Debra Hultman 55 3:24:35
2015 Results Sept. 26, 2015[12]
Open Declan Curley 48 2:56:55 Rebecca Peterson 43 3:35:47
Masters Declan Curley 48 2:56:55 Rebecca Peterson 43 3:35:47

References

  1. ^ "Ely Marathon braces for growth - The Ely Echo". www.elyecho.com.
  2. ^ Louwagie, Pam (September 21, 2017). "Most Minnesotan race ever? A canoe portaging division in Ely half-marathon". Star Tribune. Minneapolis, Minnesota. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
  3. ^ Huppert, Boyd (October 1, 2018). "Land of 10,000 Stories: Ely hosts first-in-the-world canoe portaging marathon". KARE-11. Minneapolis, Minnesota: TEGNA. NBC affiliate. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  4. ^ Vandervort, Keith (25 September 2019). "Weather can't compete with 2019 Ely Marathon". Ely, Minnesota: The Timberjay. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  5. ^ "Race Results - Ely Marathon Weekend - ITS YOUR RACE". elymarathon.itsyourrace.com.
  6. ^ "Ely Marathon-Marathon-Half Marathon-Ely, MN". endoftheroadmarathon.
  7. ^ Vandervort, Keith (10 July 2020). "Ely Marathon stopped in its tracks". Tower, Minnesota: The Timberjay. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  8. ^ "Race Results - Ely Marathon Weekend". It's Your Race. Innovative Timing Systems, LLC. September 21, 2019. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
  9. ^ "Race Results - Ely Marathon". It's Your Race. Innovative Timing Systems, LLC. September 22, 2018. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
  10. ^ "Race Results - Ely Marathon". It's Your Race. Innovative Timing Systems, LLC. September 23, 2017. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
  11. ^ "Race Results - Ely Marathon". It's Your Race. Innovative Timing Systems, LLC. September 24, 2016. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
  12. ^ "Race Results - Ely Marathon". It's Your Race. Innovative Timing Systems, LLC. September 26, 2015. Retrieved April 12, 2019.

External links

Marathon races in Minnesota
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