Thursday, October 9, 2014 @msureporter
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Minnesota State University, Mankato
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THURSDAY
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FRIDAY
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SATURDAY
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Mankato Marathon closing in One of Mankato’s biggest yearly attractions approaches.
ALEX KERKMAN Staff Writer After many months of preparation and training, the 5th Annual Mankato Marathon is almost upon us. The Marathon, which will take place on Sunday, October 19, is being hosted by Visit Mankato and Final Stretch, and will be sponsored by local groups including Radio Mankato, the Mankato Free Press, Enventis and Minnesota State Mankato, University. There will be many events over the course of the weekend. “There are many different races being run for all types of people,” said Radio Mankato Promotions Director Jeff Lang. “On Saturday there is the Toddler Trot and Diaper Dash for children, along with the Scheel’s
and Under Armor Sport and Health Expo on MSU’s campus. On Sunday, the big day, the Marathon and half-marathon will be run, along with the 5K, 10K, relay race.” Since the Mankato Marathon was started five years ago, it has become one of Mankato’s biggest events during the year. Last year’s marathon drew nearly 5,000 runners from more than 30 states. “Expect there to be a similar number this year,” Lang said. The Expo offers an event for individuals who would like to participate in marathon weekend, but can’t or don’t want to run. The expo will have booths to visit, and merchandise that can be purchased from various local businesses. Marathon weekend will also contain the Orthopedic & Frac-
greatermankato.com Photo of a previous Mankato Marathon, which begins on the MSU campus. Nearly 5,000 runners attended last year’s marathon.
austin360.com Dick Beardsley, a Minnesota native and keynote speaker for this year’s Mankato Marathon.
INSIDE:
ture Clinic Speaker Series, which allow interested runners to talk to experts, who will give successful training tips and practices. This year’s keynote speaker is Dick Beardsley, the long-distance runner and Minnesota native, who famously finished second to Alberto Salazar at the 1982 Boston Marathon, which has since been referred to as the duel in the sun. The marathon, which is an accredited race and allows runners to qualify for the high prestigious Boston Marathon, has both Men’s and Women’s divisions. Last year’s men’s race was won by Eric Theis of Arlington, Minnesota with a time of 2:34:54. The women’s race was won by Amy Halseth, of Minneapolis, with a time of 2:58:22. Though the marathon will bring in a lot of tourism and fun memories to Mankato, it does have a small negative side: the traffic. “A lot of the roads are going to be blocked of for the races,” Lang warned. “Be advised, make sure you look up the course
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routes ahead of time, even if you aren’t attending. Especially since the race is starting on MSU’s campus this year.” However, no matter the traffic, weather or result it can be assured that many people involved will have a great weekend. “Ever since it has come the Mankato, the marathon has been a fun event for us to take part in,” Lang said. “It’s a great event for us to be a part of us a company, and also a great way for us to help bring in some more fun to the community.” Those who would like to see the race map, are interested in registering, or have any questions whatsoever about the marathon should visit www.mankatomarthon.com. The website also contains in-depth stories about the training that runners put into a marathon, and a contest to determine the marathon’s “boldest runner.”
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