Oct. 11—BEMIDJI — One is a returning champion. One made his marathon debut.
But what both have in common is their first-place finishes in Bemidji’s 13th annual Blue Ox full marathon race in their respective categories.
Having completed impressive treks around Lake Bemidji on Saturday morning, Nashwauk’s Ellyssa Peterson and Bemidji’s Brett Kurschner surpassed their competitors in the two-day event’s most extensive race in the midst of sunny skies and blustery winds.
The marathon race capped off the overall event, which started with 5K and 10K races as well as “Kids Fun Runs” on Friday, and coincided with the 26K Lake Loop, half-marathon and B-Unified 2K on Saturday.
“I woke up this morning and have been kind of sick, but I just used that as an opportunity to challenge myself,” Peterson said. “That’s what I always think.”
Peterson crossed the finish line at 3:05:36, a bit longer than her personal record of 2:54:31 that secured
her win in last year’s marathon.
Despite this, she came out on top and aims to keep on going.
“I’m not super happy with it, but I’m getting back into shape after having four jobs and trying to get back into training,” Peterson said. “With marathoning, you never know what’s going to happen. At mile 19, my legs started cramping, but then I thought, ‘Just focus on each mile. Run the mile you’re in.’ That’s the most important thing, so I’m proud of my effort.”
Kurschner, who clocked in at 2:38:25, noted a similar roadblock at mile 20, but found the strength to continue to the finish line.
“I just hit a wall right when I hit that stretch around Birchmont, and there’s all those hills. It’s a pretty good mental challenge,” Kurschner said, “but I pushed through it with music, prayer and a ‘suck-it-up, buttercup’ mentality.”
Six miles later, Kurschner would reap the benefits of his perseverance and secure his first-ever marathon win. In addition to 26 miles of running, Kurschner found the wherewithal to chat with the lead bicyclist escorting the marathon runners as they processed along the route.
“I’m very tired, but it was so fun,” Kurschner reflected. “It’s nice scenery, good people, and I’m pretty happy with how it went. I was going to be happy with anything below 2:50:00.”
The Blue Ox will serve as a springboard for Kurschner as he plans to officially run in future races elsewhere.
“I run these trails every day, and I really wanted to make this my first marathon that I ever did,” Kurschner said. “Registration opens for Chicago in about a week, so I’m going to submit my time from today to that, and hopefully, I’ll be running down in Chicago come next fall.”
Peterson has donned her tennis shoes in several past races, including Grandma’s Marathon, Fargo Half-Marathon and Ely Half-Marathon, and has always enjoyed the catharsis of running.
“I’ve been running since I was 6, and I’ve always loved the grind of marathoning,” Peterson said. “Whenever I do a 10K or even a half-marathon, I’m always wanting more. A marathon is like a journey, and you never know what’s going to happen, but it’s fun to find out.”
To those wanting to start their running journeys and potentially participate in a marathon themselves, Peterson and Kurschner offer similar advice.
“Start small,” Kurschner said. “If you don’t think you can run very far, run for 10 minutes. The next day, go for 12. Do what’s comfortable and never push yourself too hard, but don’t set your standards too low. Find a good middle ground.”
Peterson estimates that only 1% of the general population participates in marathon races. Starting small is a surefire way to increase a runner’s stamina and work themselves up to longer running distances.
“When you do marathons, there will always be times when you don’t feel like getting out the door,” Peterson left off, “but you need to tell yourself ‘I’ll run even 2 miles or 3 miles’ and that’ll get you out the door. … Just think about the future and how you want to feel after. Do you want to be proud or do you want to have regrets? Start small and take it from there.”
1. Brett Kurschner, 2:38:25, Bemidji, MN
2. Noah Schlee, 2:40:37, Richfield, MN
3. Michael Cooper, 2:52:13, Winnipeg, MB
4. Mitchell Grand, 2:56:25, Hutchinson, MN
5. Joe Hunt, 3:00:03, Hastings, MN
6. Cayden Thomson, 3:00:13, Winnipeg, MB
7. Alec Sanbeck, 3:04:00, Mora, MN
8. Mark Smith, 3:04:21, Minneapolis, MN
9. Curtis Jones, 3:06:43, Shepherd, MI
10. Jeromey Stoneburg, 3:09:02, Chanhassen, MN
1. Ellyssa Peterson, 3:05:36, Nashwauk, MN
2. Mary Larue, 3:27:57, Willmar, MN
3. Caitlin Cavanaugh, 3:32:36, Bemidji, MN
4. Kiki Neuman, 3:42:32, Hastings, MN
5. Eleanor Willkie, 3:44:29, Niceville, FL
6. Hannah Van Dyke, 3:47:04, Edgerton, MN
7. Ember Ryals, 3:49:56, Fox Island, WA
8. Bri Meyer, 3:50:30, Palmdale, CA
9. Maryellen Cressy, 3:51:03, Nashwauk, MN
10. Alexandra Haider, 3:54:25, Prior Lake MN
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