The Ely Marathon is set for Saturday, and all indications are it will be one of the biggest in its history.
More than 1,000 participants are expected for the event, which started with Friday night’s 5K Northern Lights Glow Run and leads into Saturday’s extravaganza with the full 26.2-mile marathon, the Highland Bank Half Marathon and Ely’s own unique canoe portage division in both events.
Organizers were busy this week and bracing for an extremely busy weekend.
“Registrations are up 10 percent this year, so it should be our largest yet,” said race director Wendy Lindsay.
Lindsay said Tuesday that “We are expecting around 200 for the full marathon, 400 for the half, 50 kids, 300 for the 5k and 60 canoes.”
Ely’s Whiteside Park will once again serve as the focal point of the marathon weekend both days.
Food trucks, live music, a beer and drink tent, along with a bounce house, make the city park the hub of activity for marathon-related events.
Since beginning in 2015, the marathon has become a major happening - drawing participants and visitors from around the region and beyond.
While most of the runners hail from Minnesota, 22 states are represented in the current lineup of marathon registrants.
“We have seven people who have run the race every single year - two of them are local. Nikki Engen and Adam Borchert,” said Lindsay.
Bot h t he f ul l a nd half-marathons start along the Echo Trail, but the park is the hub of activity with the finish line and a festive atmosphere.
In addition to food, beverages, the bounce house and the finish of the races, live music will be performed by the Iron Range Funk Machine from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Several hundred people are expected to participate in at least one of the respective races.
An awards ceremony is set for 2 p.m., although the first finishers in the half-marathon are expected as early as 9:20 a.m.
In addition to the park, other key vantage points for spectators include the intersection of the Echo Trail and Grand McMahan Boulevard, Miners Drive and Main Street in Winton.
Brent Smith of Carlton claimed first place in the overall marathon in 2024 and former Elyite Amy Bianco Regan was the top women’s finisher.
Planning for the marathon is a yearlong event, and organizers are relying on a virtual army of volunteers.
“There are over 350 volunteers,” said Lindsay .“The majority of them are at aid stations along the route there is an aid station every two miles, and then every mile towards the end of the race. Most aid stations have around 10 volunteers who hand out drinks and goodies such as oranges, nerd gummies and bananas.”
The marathon also relies on sign crews who are out as early as 4 a.m., marking the course, putting up cones and various signs.
The starting area is also a huge component of the race.
“Spectators also don’t often see the start lines,” said Lindsay. “These are a huge production. Buses take the runners to the start lines where there is music, campfires, drinks, revving up of the crowd, the National Anthem sung by locals, as well as our Color Guard. Every racer throws their warm clothes into race bags that go into trucks. It takes a lot of orchestration.”
Announcers get one race started and make sure the race clock is started, and then they move down the road to get the half marathon underway.
Along with the marathon and its associated races, the Ely Marathon has carved its own niche on the road racing scene with its canoe portage division.
Iowa City’s Drew Boysen, finished first with a time of 4:11:04.
The marathon comes with some road closures and detours on Sept. 23.
No cars should be parked along the race course, and cars parked on the racecourse will be towed at the owner’s expense.
Sheridan Street from Second to 17th Avenue East, and Chapman from Second to Seventh Avenue East will be cleared of all traffic from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on race day.
The Sheridan Street detour will run from South Central Avenue over to James Street, to Eighth Avenue East to White Street and eventually 17th Avenue East.
“With Harvey Street under construction, our detour will be a little bit different,” said Ely Police Chief Chad Houde. “You’ll go to James Street this year and then to Eighth, and then on to White Street and down to 17th Avenue. We’ll get you from one end of town to the other.”
Houde noted several uncontrolled intersections on James and asked motorists to “be patient.”
“All of the roads will be back open by 2 p.m.,” he said.
In addition, these road closures will take place:
• (Echo Trail) North Arm Road to Grant McMahan, 7:30 to 10 a.m.;
• (Grant McMahan) Echo Trail to Highway 169, 8 a.m. to noon;
• (Old Winton Road) Grant McMahan to West Sixth Avenue, 8 a.m. to noon;
• (Cedar Lake Road/Cloquet Line) Old Winton Road to Beel Road, 8 a.m. to noon;
• (Pioneer Road) Grant McMahan to Miners Drive, 8:30 to 1 p.m.;
• (Miners Drive) Pioneer to 17th Avenue, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.;
• (17th Avenue) Miners to Camp Street, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.;
• (Camp) 17th to 15th, 8:15 a.m. to 2 p.m.;
• (Sheridan) 15th to First Avenue East, 8:15 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• (First Avenue East) Sheridan to Harvey 8:15 a.m. to 2 p.m.;
• (Chapman) First Avenue East to Seventh Avenue East, 8:15 a.m. to 2 p.m.;
• (Harvey) First Avenue East to 17th Avenue East, 8:15 a.m. to 2 p.m.
