ELY – A cooling rain helped Ely Marathon participants last Saturday, who raced here in unusually mild and humid conditions for late September.

More than 460 full- and half-marathon participants, along with 17 canoe portage racers and a couple of portage relay teams, traversed the curves and hills of the Echo Trail for the fifth annual event.

“We were very fortunate with the weather this year,” said organizer Wendy Lindsay of Stone Soup Events. “We had a nice rain shower just before 11 a.m. that the runners appreciated as it cooled them off in the humid conditions. We were worried about thunder and lightning, but we were able to finish all the races.”

While the humid weather may have kept some runners away and may have contributed to slower finishing times than previous years, a record 116 full-marathon racers posted an average time of 4:34:44 on the 26.2 mile course through the north woods. Andrew McNamara, 38, of Goodhue, took home first place with a time of 2:52.13, according to the Ely Marathon website. The Ely race is a qualifier for the prestigious Boston Marathon.

Other top finishers in the full marathon included Nick Gardner, 23, of Stillwater, 3:06:14; Evan Odean, 28, Duluth, 3:12:47; Hudson Kingston, 36, Ely, 3:13:22; and Job Pazos-Avila, 37, Salem, Ore., 3:14:09.

Stacy Torkelson, 37, of Brainerd, was the top women’s finisher, 14th place, with a time of 3:44:30.

Ely Marathon course records were set in 2016 with the top men’s time of 2:47:25 and the top women’s time of 3:00:14.

As many as 346 half -marathon participants (288 finishers) posted an average time of 2:26:41 for the 13.1-mile course. Joey Chmelick, 23, of Grand Marais, took first place with a time of 1:23:50, followed close behind by Lisa Smith, 37, Hibbing, with a time of 1:24:47 that was good enough for a women’s half-marathon course record. Top five half marathon finishers included Brian St. George, 43, Mt. Iron, 1:25:20; Aiden Winn, 23, Red Wing, 1:29:41; and Maria Richert, 33, Northfield, 1:29:49.

Lindsay said there were many upsets this year with past winners bested by newcomers. “About 70 percent of past winners were registered this year,” she said. “That is great to see. Forty-four runners have competed in all five Ely Marathons.”

She said there were 67 Ely runners registered this year.

“There were lots more spectators along the route this year,” she added. There were lots of folks sitting in lawn chairs at the edge of their driveway. That was great to see. Winton had a huge crowd of spectators. They definitely get the Spirit Award.”

The fan favorites again this year were those racers brave enough to carry a canoe with them on the course.

The idea of portaging a canoe in the race took off a couple of years ago, according to Lindsay, after a few participants focused in on the race’s marketing pitch for the full marathon as an “8,390-rod portage,” a reference to the number of rods in 26.2 miles. Portages in the nearby Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, where canoes and camping gear are transported between lakes, are measured in rods.

Anthony Peter, 39, of Mounds View, won a North Star Northwind solo canoe, and his name in the Guinness Book of World Records, by besting last year’s full marathon canoe portage race with a time of 05:00:01, about 24 minutes faster than last year’s winner, Dan Drehmel, 31, of Ely. Drehmel finished in second place this year with a time of 05:00:58. Ben Gardner, 25, Stillwater, was third with a time of 05:27:01.

The half-marathon portage division winner was Chris Johnson, 39, of Plymouth, with a time of 02:52:39. Dana Gilbertson, 26, of Duluth, took second place with her time of 02:53:27. Craig Sinclair, 59, Waconia, Wis., took third with a time of 03:40:57.

Two canoe portage relay team divisions, a full and half-marathon, were introduced at this year’s Ely Marathon. Local outfitting company Ely Outfitting Co., with a time of 05:08:10, bested the team from Northern Tier, at 05:16:42, to win the Golden Paddle award.

The Ely Outfitting Co. portage relay team included, Bob Winkelman, Eliza Vistica, Jasper Johnston, Hannah Nixon, Ben Johnson, Kristen Larsen, and Jason Zabokrtsky.

“We had a ton of fun,” Zabokrstky said. “The other runners, portagers and event volunteers were really supportive and cheered us along. Our Ely Outfitting team is already looking to defend the ‘Golden Paddle’ title next year.” 

Ely’s Spirit of the Wilderness team won the half-marathon portage relay team race with a time of 02:38:38 over a team of women from Duluth who finished with a time of 03:01:22.

The 1.2-mile kids marathon, coined the Dorothy Molter Root Beer Run, included kids who ran 25 miles prior to race day and finished out the last 1.2 miles of the marathon route at the official marathon finish line. Of the 77 participants and 64 finishers, Greyson Reichensperger, of Tower, finished in first place with a time of 08:25, followed by Brock Rohowetz, Oconomowoc, Wis., 08:54; Avery Buschman, Babbitt, 09:08; Oliver Hansen, Duluth, 09:13; and Trevor Anderson, Duluth, 09:13.

“We are already making plans for the 2020 Ely Marathon,” Lindsay said. “We have 27 runners already registered for next year.”