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Serving Northern St. Louis County, Minnesota

Runners, some with canoes, ready for Ely Marathon

Keith Vandervort
Posted 9/15/21

ELY – Adventurous runners and their fans will descend on this town at the end of the road next weekend for the 5th annual Ely Marathon and Boundary Waters Bank Half Marathon. Some of the 250 …

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Runners, some with canoes, ready for Ely Marathon

Posted

ELY – Adventurous runners and their fans will descend on this town at the end of the road next weekend for the 5th annual Ely Marathon and Boundary Waters Bank Half Marathon. Some of the 250 registered runners will also bring their canoes to run the 26.2-mile route in the Marathon Portage Division.
“This is the only official race of its kind,” Race Organizer Wendy Lindsay said. “The canoe-carrying racers will be vying to beat the world record set in 2019’s race at a time of five hours and one second. If a racer can beat the current record, they are awarded a boat from Northstar Canoes.”
The Boundary Waters Bank Half Marathon, which takes place on the same day, added a canoe division in 2017. So far, there are 24 canoes registered for the races along with 15 portaging teams.
Runners not up for portaging a canoe are also invited to participate. More than 500 runners are scheduled to compete in the 13.1-mile Boundary Waters Bank Half Marathon. A hundred children signed up for the Dorothy Molter Root Beer Run, according to Lindsay.
Weekend events also include a 5k Glow Run that will take place at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 24. The “Kids Marathon,” coined the Dorothy Molter Root Beer Run, will begin at 8:45 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 25. “Kids have run 25 miles prior to race day and will finish out the last 1.2 miles of the marathon route to finish at the official marathon finish line,” Lindsay said.
Live music, a beer tent, a book signing, an obstacle course, and food trucks will also add to the fun in Whiteside Park at this year’s event.
Runners can still sign up at packet pickup on Friday, Sept. 24 at Whiteside Park from noon to 4 p.m.
“The Ely Marathon partners with over 75 local clubs, businesses and organizations, making it the largest community-coordinated effort in the area,” Lindsay said. “The race requires more than 300 volunteers.”
Registration and additional information can be found at elymarathon.com or by emailing: run@elymarathon.com.

Run with a legend at 2021 marathon

Famed Minnesota marathoner Dick Beardsley will be joining the 2021 Ely Marathon festivities. The well-known long distance runner will be signing books on Friday, Sept. 24 at packet pickup from 6-8 p.m. in Whiteside Park. and will be running the marathon on Saturday
“Dick is known for so many things, and we are lucky to have him join us in Ely,” said Wendy Lindsay, marathon organizer. Beardsley is a motivational/inspirational speaker, suicide survivor of loss, farm accident survivor, prescription drug addiction survivor, record breaking marathon runner, famous 1982 Boston Marathon runner, Minnesota native, author, fishing guide, innkeeper, husband, father, subject of a feature film, and co-winner (with Inge Simonsen) of the 1981 London Marathon.