Ely Marathon

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.

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 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]
OpenAndrew MacNamara382:52:13Stacy Torkelson373:44:30
MastersJeff Curtin553:20:58Jess Sedivy Gunderson413:56:31
PortageAnthony Peter395:00:01Auralee Strege306:49:29
2018 Results Sept. 22, 2018[9]
OpenRussell Groebner493:13:49Shaelin Lekatz213:43:37
MastersRussell Groebner493:13:49Kristin Hettich453:51:00
PortageDaniel Drehmel315:23:48
2017 Results Sept. 23, 2017[10]
OpenHudson Kingston342:59:01Kathy Provenzano433:33:36
MastersKelly Ecklund533:13:49Kathy Provenzano433:33:36
2016 Results Sept. 24, 2016[11]
OpenNathaniel Langlie182:47:25Auralee Strege273:00:41
MastersChad Shilson453:13:49Debra Hultman553:24:35
2015 Results Sept. 26, 2015[12]
OpenDeclan Curley482:56:55Rebecca Peterson433:35:47
MastersDeclan Curley482:56:55Rebecca Peterson433:35:47

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.
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