Fargo Marathon

The inaugural Fargo Marathon took place on May 14, 2005,[4][5] and started on the Veterans Memorial Bridge over the Red River between Minnesota and North Dakota. The first year's race weekend offered a 5K on Friday, and a marathon, marathon relay, and a half marathon on Saturday, starting at 8 a.m.[6] Almost 3,000 runners were present for the races, and prize money was offered (including $400 for first place in the marathons).[7] The race drew on local bands for music on the course (25 live bands were at the course in the early years), and local culture was prominent (those years featured a "pasta/lefse feed" for pre-race carbo-loading).[8] The co-director told the press that the racers had raised $20,000 for two local charities: The Children's Museum at Yunker Farm and MeritCare Children's Hospital.[9]

The race was founded and run by Mark Knutson at a time when local races were becoming more prominent as tourist attractions, but also as places where cities could build associations as being health-focused communities. The races also offered showcasing opportunities for area athletes that otherwise would have to travel elsewhere to have their talent recognized.[10][11]

In the second year, the race weekend drew runners from 46 states, three countries, and had an estimated economic impact of a $1.5 million boost to the local businesses and charities.[12] The half marathon was one of the most popular events, drawn nearly 2,000 runners.[12] It also spawned a collaboration with the Lake Agassiz Arts Council, which sponsored a Native-focused "Herd About the Prairie" art exhibition. The exhibition placed a collection of 39 decorated buffalo sculptures (the size of real buffalo) throughout the marathon course.[13]

In 2010, Runner's World reported the race held a high entry-fee-to-value quality.[14][5]

As the race progressed in years, it maintained a reputation for being flat,[15] fast, supportive, and loud (with the dozens of bands throughout the course, including rock, dance, oldies, Native drumming—and yes, polka).[16] It has grown in numbers to more than 20,000 runners.[17][18][19][20] The pre-race convention brings food, businesses and speakers to the event center for the thousands of runners and spectators.[21] By 2014, the prize money for first place had also increased to $1,400, with multiple other prizes for top competitors.[22]

In 2019, Knutson sold the race to Rugged Races, though Knutson stayed on as the race director.[23]

In 2020, the first known case of the COVID-19 virus appeared in North Dakota on March 11. Within two days, the country began shutting down, and North Dakota issued a state of emergency.[24] The marathon was rescheduled,[25] but due to the rising number of cases in summer of 2020, it was clear the marathon could not continue.[26] The race was canceled, with all registrants given the option of a refund, a postponement to 2021, or running the race on their own course and time.[27][28][29][30]

Similarly, the 2021 edition of the race was postponed to September 25, 2021, due to the pandemic.[31][32] Participation was at 50 percent of normal, as the race date was close to other Minnesota marathons: The postponed Med City Marathon, the smaller Ely Marathon and the larger Twin Cities Marathon. Race organizers also said the closed Canadian border kept runners away.[33]

Radio coverage has been provided by KFGO.[34] TV coverage has been provided by WDAY-TV, an ABC affiliate.[35]

External images
Course map of full marathon in 2012[36]
Combined course map in 2016[37]

The marathon, half marathon, and 10K all start and finish inside the Fargodome.[38][32]

The marathon course also crosses over the Red River into Minnesota and back, spending about 6 mi (10 km) in Moorhead, Fargo's twin city.[38]

The course goes through Concordia College's campus in Moorhead, Minnesota, where the Concordia Cobber hands out high-fives. It also circles through Minnesota State University Moorhead's campus, where the MSUM Dragon cheers on the runners.[39][16]

The inside start and finish has become a notable draw for runners. It provides a stark contrast to what many locals deal with in the winter training months, as Olympic Trials Marathon qualifier Valeria Curtis stressed in a 2019 Runner's World article about training near her home in Minot, North Dakota.[40]

In 2009, the course had to be changed due to flooding. The marathon route took two laps instead of one large loop.

In 2014, in celebration of 10 years of the race, the route changed. It started on the bridge, just as it did on the first year. The finish line wasn't inside; it was near the Fargo Theatre on Broadway Street in downtown Fargo.[41][42] The change was only for one year.

Sammy Malakwen, a two-time winner, set the half marathon course record in 2010 at 1:04:27.

Semehar Tesfaye has won the women's race three years in a row and set the course record in 2016. Tesfaye graduated from Fargo South High School.[43]

Key:   Course record

All cities in North Dakota unless indicated otherwise

	Men						Women
Year	Place	Name	Age	Hometown	Time		Year	Place	Name	Age	Hometown	Time
2023[44]		Abraham Kipkemei Talam	45	Kenya	2:19:24		2023		Sadie Smith	44	Kirkwood, Missouri	2:57:46
		Connor Reck	29	Minneapolis, Minnesota	2:24:29				Amy Will	35	Warren, Minnesota	3:04:14
		Daniel Docherty	33	St. Paul, Minnesota	2:31:16				Lindsey Elste	40	Wheaton, Illinois	3:04:31
2021[45]		Mark Messmer	28	Castle Rock, Colorado	2:21:01		2021[46]		Heidi Bock	35	Lincoln, Nebraska	2:58:28
		Benjamin Kopecky	36	St. Louis, Missouri	2:35:39				Cheryl Jeseritz	42	Savage, Minnesota	3:02:00
		Alec Sanbeck	22	Mora, Minnesota	2:40:05				Krista Kuglin	29	Brainerd, Minnesota	3:05:51
2020[28]		Race canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic**					2020		Race canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic**
2019[47]		Arturs Bareikis	32	Midlothian, Illinois	2:27:14		2019[48]		Val Curtis	32	Minot	2:43:08
		Anthony Kirui	39	Minneapolis, Minnesota	2:28:58				Megan Smith	28	Denver, Colorado	2:44:29
		Daniel Borash	25	Burnsville, Minnesota	2:29:39				Ericka Mason	28	Fort Worth, Texas	2:48:16
2018		Geoffrey Terer	41	Colorado Springs, Colorado	2:30:00		2018		Semehar Tesfaye	27	Revere, Massachusetts	2:39:22
		Adam Pangrac	30	Fargo	2:30:39				Jen Van Otterloo	31	Sioux Center, Iowa	2:44:17
		Zach Bruns	32	Milwaukee, Wisconsin	2:32:58				Joan Cherop Massah	28	Andover, Minnesota	2:45:48
2017		David Tuwei	38	Minneapolis, Minnesota	2:28:24		2017		Semehar Tesfaye	26	Minot	2:38:06
		Bernard Too	31	Grand Prairie, Texas	2:29:25				Lindsey Pierret	29	St. Louis Park, Minnesota	2:48:11
		Arturs Bareikis	29	Crestwood, Illinois	2:32:25				Katie Rusch	33	St. Cloud, Minnesota	2:57:30
2016[49]		Sammy Malakwen	37	Kaptagat, Kenya	2:26:06		2016[49]		Semehar Tesfaye	25	Minot	2:37:27
		Bernard Kibet	30	Grand Prairie, Texas	2:31:22				Darolyn Walker	34	Winnepeg, Canada	2:59:33
		Cesar Mireles	26	Richey, Montana	2:33:17				Jane Rotich	35	Grand Prairie, Texas	3:01:11
2015[50]		David Tuwei	36	Minneapolis, Minnesota	2:27:15		2015[50]		Ellie Peterson	25	Windsor, Colorado	2:49:13
		Keith Lehman	23	Fargo	2:30:41				Margaret Ludick	30	Birchwood, Minnesota	2:57:05
		Adam Pangrac	27	Fargo	2:36:20				Maddie Glass	25	Kansas City, Missouri	2:57:37
2014[42]		Peter Kemboi	34	Hebron, Kentucky	2:26:55		2014[42]		Kate Papenberg	27	Syracuse, Utah	2:53:18
		Arturs Bareikis	27	Crestwood, Illinois	2:27:29				Andrea Rediger	25	Minneapolis, Minnesota	2:56:35
		Philip Richert	27	Richfield, Minnesota	2:36:13				Amber Sargent	26	Beatrice, Nebraska	3:01:26
2013[51]		Chris Erichsen	27	Minneapolis, Minnesota	2:20:42		2013[51]		Nichole Porath	29	Northfield, Minnesota	2:50:55
		James Kirwa	29	Alexandria, Minnesota	2:21:32				Brittney Christianson	25	Minot	2:56:06
		Wojciech Kopec	30	Warsaw, Poland	2:34:17				Jenny Schulze	40	Clive, Iowa	2:59:47
2012[52]		Oliver Hoffmann	27	Schillerstrasse, Germany	2:28:15		2012[34]		Lisa Dyer	29	Moorhead, Minnesota	2:45:15
		Russell Stein	39	San Francisco, California	2:34:53				Meg Grindall	31	Moorhead, Minnesota	2:53:08
		Zane Grabau	23	Waterville, Minnesota	2:35:34				Brittney Christianson	25	Burlington	2:54:01
2011[17]		Luke Watson	30	State College, Pennsylvania	2:22:50		2011[17]		Camille Herron	29	West Lafayette, Indiana	2:43:41
		Jerry Faulkner	30	Edmond, Oklahoma	2:24:12				Heidi Evans	26	Thief River Falls, Minnesota	2:54:07
		Hillary Cheruiyot	30	Coon Rapids, Minnesota	2:26:53				Cindy Sondag	35	Grand Forks	2:57:36
2010[22]		Chris Erichsen	24	St. Paul, Minnesota	2:19:55		2010[22]		Leah Thorvilson	31	Little Rock, Arkansas	2:41:52
		Hillary Cheruiyot	29	Coon Rapids, Minnesota	2:25:35				Gina Aalgaard Kelly	33	Lisbon	2:57:31
		Obed Gisemba	30	Windom, Minnesota	2:35:10				Paula Vicker	45	Edina, Minnesota	2:59:10
2009*[53]		Pete Gilman	34	Rochester, Minnesota	2:25:34		2009*[53]		Nicole Cueno	29	Minneapolis, Minnesota	2:54:28
		Sammy Malakwen	30	Two Harbors, Minnesota	2:25:31				Nichole Porath	25	Eagan, Minnesota	2:58:11
		Geoffrey Kiprotich	30	Toledo, Ohio	2:26:53				Tracy Thelen	29	Colorado Springs, Colorado	2:59:18
2008[54]		Eric Sondag	35	Grand Forks	2:30:34		2008[54]		Andrea McGehee	39	Lees Summit, Missouri	3:08:41
		Brian Anderson	26	Minneapolis, Minnesota	2:32:18				Heather Gilbertson	36	Seattle, Washington	3:12:13
		John Rotich	32	Coon Rapids, Minnesota	2:33:15				Clarice Esslinger	43	Mankato, Minnesota	3:16:04
2007[55]		Chad Wallin	27	Tucson, Arizona	2:31:20		2007[55]		Valerie Gortmaker	31	Omaha, Nebraska	2:49:55
		Eric Sondag	34	Grand Forks	2:33:46				Heidi Schuette	33	Prescott, Arizona	2:59:18
		Shawn Miller	27	Juneau, Alaska	2:34:28				Angie Paprocki	31	Hoffman Estates, Illinois	3:03:36
2006[56]		Chad Wallin	26	Minot	2:31:48		2006[56]		Meg Grindall	25	Fargo	3:04:43
		Shawn Miller	26	Juneau, Alaska	2:32:33				Terri Cook	30	Exton, Pennsylvania	3:08:28
		Brandon Moen	22	Mankato, Minnesota	2:37:44				Mindy Sawtelle	33	Indiana, Pennsylvania	3:08:34
2005[7]		Scott Jansky	31	Two Rivers, Wisconsin	2:31:12		2005[7]		Cindy Lewandowski	25	Sartell, Minnesota	3:16:29
		Jim Ramacier	41	White Bear Lake, Minnesota	2:44:04				Suzy Steely	46	Spring, Texas	3:20:49
		Jeffery Stinson	31	Eugene, Oregon	2:48:07				Yvette Dockendorf	35	St. Stephen, Minnesota	3:24:41

*In 2009, the Red River flooded, forcing the marathon course to be two smaller loops.

**A "virtual" race was scheduled.

• Official website
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• Fargo Marathon YouTube channel