ELY- If you struggle to imagine running a full marathon, you certainly can’t imagine doing it while portaging a canoe. Yet nine hardcore athletes have signed up to do just that as part of the Ely Marathon, set to be run Saturday. The weekend of events will kick off Friday, Sept. 20 in Whiteside Park.
In addition to the canoe portage marathon, runners will compete in the half marathon portage, and relay portages. Most runners, of course, will participate in the full and half marathons the traditional way, sans canoe.
While online registration is closed for this weekend’s races, last minute registration will be available at Whiteside Park on Friday from noon-10 p.m., which is also packet pickup for those preregistered. Pre-registered racers can also pick up their packets before boarding the bus to the race starting line early Saturday morning.
5K Glow Run
Friday events feature the 5K Glow Run, sponsored by the Northern Lights Clubhouse, which starts at Whiteside Park at 7 p.m. There will also be inflatables for children’s fun, food trucks, and a beer and root beer tent. Registration for the 5K is at Whiteside Park this year and is available on Friday. This is a family-friendly event and suitable for all ages. Running legends Dick Beardsley and Dane Rauschenberg (who ran 52 marathons on 52 consecutive weekends) will be signing books from 6-8 p.m., and look for them at the park on Saturday, also.
Saturday
Runners will be off early on Saturday morning, but there will be plenty to do for spectators as well. Live music with Rhino Rocks is set from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., From 8 a.m.-3 p.m., stop by the race expo with lots of great Ely Marathon merchandise, eats and drinks at the food trucks, beer tent, and root beer tent, plus there is bouncy, inflatable fun for the youngsters. This year there will also be a sauna and cold plunge at the park after the race, thanks to Haverland Saunas and Cold Plunge.
Almost 500 runners are preregistered for the Saturday races and, if past years are a guide, many more will be registering on Friday. Marathon and half marathon racers range from their teens into their 70s. And some furry friends will be joining in on the half marathon course. Runners can bring along their four-legged running partners, with water bowls available at all the aid stations along the route.
Kids who have completed 25 miles of running prior to the race, finish up their “marathon” by running the last 1.2 miles of the official marathon course. The kid’s marathon, the Dorothy Molter Root Beer Run, starts at 8:45 a.m. and ends in Whiteside Park.
For all the details, including the timing of road closures along the route, see the Ely Marathon ad on page 12.
Both races start up the Echo Trail, which is closed to traffic during the race. Best observation points for the race are:
• Intersection of Echo Trail and Grant McMahan Blvd:  Cars will have to take 169 west out of Ely and take a right onto Grant McMahan Blvd, since no traffic will be allowed on race course.
• Winton Main Street: Traffic will be allowed on 169 east of Ely.
• Miners Drive: Parking available at VCC and side streets.
• Whiteside Park/Finish Line:  Parking available at Ely Memorial High School and side streets. The first half marathon racers are expected around 9:20 a.m., with full marathon racers arriving beginning around 10:15 a.m.
The awards ceremony will be at 2 p.m. at Whiteside Park. More information is available at elymarathon.com and on the Ely Marathon Facebook page.