News
The News page is the place to look for race recaps, pictures, and running-related annoncements. If you have an article or pictures you would like to include on the News page, e-mail it to info@northlandrunner.com.
May 29, 2008: Chester Bowl Run Pics
Pictures from Wednesday's Chester Bowl Run, the fifth race in the NMTC Spring Trail Series.
May 27, 2008: Race Recap - Brat Trot & Walk
The Brat Trot & Walk took place Saturday, May 27th, at TJ's Country Store in Mahtowa. The day's events included a 4-mile run, a 2-mile walk, a brat eating contest, and a non-alcoholic beer drinking contest. About 60 people took part in at least one event, and many more came out to watch the festivities and enjoy one of TJ's famous brats. A polka band entertained the crowd while children took part in pony rides and fingerpainting (with ketchup, mustard, and relish).
Greg Williams made the trip from Thompson to take part in his first Brat Trot race. He finished in second place with a time of 22:53 and enjoyed the flat, fast course. Greg is currently nursing a knee injury and did a lot of skiing this winter to rehab it.
Lacie Porter was the first women to cross the finish line in the 4-mile run. Smiling down the homestretch, Lacie felt great the whole race and was thankful for the cool breeze. Lacie has been a runner for three years and is contemplating training for the Whistlestop Marathon this fall.
Travis Hansen, of Cloquet, also participated in his first Brat Trot on Saturday. The race was actually Travis' first run this year, and he finished with a respectable time in the 25-minute range. While he has not been running, Travis has been biking quite a bit, logging 70 miles so far this Spring.
John Asproth won the premier event of the day - the brat eating contest. John managed to put down, and keep down, 6.5 brats in five minutes. A veteran of the event, John finished third last year and credited his experience with pulling him through this year. John keeps his playbook closely guarded, but he did share one tip with us. Liberal use of water cools the brats to an edible temperature and makes the buns go down easier.
Pictures courtesy of M.S. Kapoor
May 25, 2008: NMTC Spring Series Update - Western Waterfront
Pictures from the Western Waterfront race last Wednesday.
2008 NMTC Spring Series Point Standings:
May 17, 2008: Race Recap - Jim McIntire Races
The Jim McIntire Half Marathon and 4-Mile Race took place today in Proctor, MN. The races started simultaneously at 7:30am, with both races following the same course for the first three miles. The weather was sunny and cool. Jordan Peterson won the men's 4-mile race with a time of 24:01. Suzy Johnson won the women's 4-mile title with a time of 30:27. Michael Benchina won the men's half marathon in 1:12:24 and Kelly Pearson won the women's half marathon in 1:34:29.
Glenn Misgen completed the 4-mile race for the fifth year in a row. Glenn found himself running with Clint Agar of the Duluth Running Co., which pushed him to a faster time than he was expecting. Glenn has run for many years but has had little time to run lately as he is putting the finishing touches on his house. Glenn built his house over the winter and is working feverishly to finish it before he gets married in two weeks. Congratulations Glenn!
Don Myers made the trip from Rochester to run the 4-mile race, while his brother Jeff, a Superior resident, ran the half marathon. A long-time runner, Don's body is feeling the effects of many years of running. At this point, Don was happy to participate on such a nice day and grateful to be able to race. Pretty much every part of his right leg is giving him trouble, but his left one is hanging in there. In June, Don will participate in one of the Grandma's Marathon races for the 19th year in a row.
Greg Jones completed the 4-mile course in 36:30. Greg likes running the Mac because he enjoys hills and the course is not as congested as other races. Greg is an English teacher at Duluth East High School. His last race was a year-and-a-half ago, so he felt well-tapered.
Amanda Rolfe ran the 4-mile race for the first time. She did not have a specific goal in mind and ended up finishing in 39:20. Amanda started running last year and this year will be her first full racing season. Amanda ran the Thrill on the Hill 10k two weeks ago and is looking forward to the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon in June.
Robbin Champaigne completed the 4-mile course in 50:50, not bad for her first ever long-distance race. Robbin trained for six weeks for the event, making sure to incorporate hills into her schedule. She also ran the course last weekend to make sure she was prepared. Robbin has diabetes and her biggest challenge is to maintain her blood sugar level. Robbin carried a bottle of apple juice with her during the race today and is thinking about carrying two next time.
Mike Benchina won the men's half marathon for the fourth year in a row. His time of 1:12:24 was just six seconds off his personal best. Mike feels like he is in good shape so far this year and likes how is training is going. He is still working off some hip pain from last year and has been running on grass a lot to combat that. Mike is a student at UWS and is majoring in Physical Education.
Kelly Pearson defended her half marathon women's title by completing the course in 1:34:29, over two minutes faster than last year. Kelly also has been experiencing some hip soreness and has been doing a lot of biking to let her hip recover. She is looking forward to running the Carlyle Sherstad 5k this summer and possibly one of the Whistlestop Marathon races in the fall.
Shane Olson ran the half marathon as a tune-up for Grandma's Marathon, finishing in 1:44:22. Shane was happy with that time considering that since Wednesday he has run a 5k trail race, track workout, hill workout, and now a half marathon. If that wasn't enough, Shane tacked on another six miles after the race.
Kelly Raether-Prevost completed the half marathon course in 2:09:02. Kelly is fond of this race as it was the first half marathon she ever ran, back in 2006. Kelly finished a full ten minutes ahead of her 2006 time today. She is battling a little bit of ankle soreness but is otherwise on track to run the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon in June. Kelly works at Stewart's Bikes and Sports in Duluth, and you should definitely stop by and see her if you are in need of any sporting equipment.
May 15, 2008: Goat Run Pics
Here are some pictures from Wednesday's Goat Run, the fourth race of the NMTC Spring Trail Series. After the race, someone dropped a Garmin GPS on the road (Shane Olson?). Contact the Duluth Running Co. at 218-728-1148 to claim it.
UPDATE: Current point standings are now available:
