History Made at Grandma's

Thirty three years ago two Minnesota marathoning legends Garry Bjorklund and Dick Beardsley, ran stride for stride for most of Grandma's Marathon on an overcast, misty day nearly perfect for performing.  The race that day was a changing of the guard in US marathoning and confirmation of  Beardsley's talent, who was then an emerging marathoner on the national and international scene.  This year a marathoner from a nation full of distance running talent, Dominic Ondoro, ripped a 4:39 21st mile on his way to breaking Beardsley's course record and nearly breaking 2:09 to win the men's race in 2:09:06.

The now past and present men's recordholders at Grandma's
celebrate and pose for the cameras.

Clad in a long sleeved shirt and wearing race number one, Ondoro accomplished what many had tried and failed to do over the past three decades in the first race of a new era for the event.  In 2013 the race's co-founder and stewart, Scott Keenan, passed on the administration of the event.  So, it seems only fitting that the event's most durable record would also fall.  The men's pace was erratic, but Ondoro kept the record within reach, going through the half in 1:04:46, then breaking away from the lead pack with a 4:50 20th mile before putting the hammer down in mile 21 to seal the record chase.

Pasca Myers, a native of Kenya who is based in Iowa, won the women's race in 2:33:45. Myers had been fifth in last year's Grandma's, her marathon debut.

Another Kenyan, 32-year-old Julius Kosgei, won the Garry Bjorklund Half marathon in 1:03:36. Andrew Carlson ran 1:04:52 in eighth. Team USA Minnesota's Ben Sathre 13th in 1:06:16. Dan Greeno 15th in 1:06:20.  Kevin Castille won the Masters in 1:05:36. Cynthia Limo of Kenya won the women's Half crown in 1:09:50 to finish a Kenyan sweep of the top places in the marathon and the Half.  Six Minnesotans were in the top 25.  Elizabeth Herndon was 15th in 1:16:17, Laura Paulsen 16th in 1:17:15, Elizabeth Turner 20th in 1:19:04, Heidi Peterson in 22nd in 1:19:08, Katie McGregor 23rd in 1:19:11, and UMD's Sam Rivard in 24th in 1:19:23.

Bjorklund Half Marathon results are HERE.

More updates and stories on Grandma's weekend from the Duluth News Tribune are HERE. More on Ondoro and the new record HERE. Strib Grandma's coverage is HERE and HERE.