Minnesota Marathon Challenges Runners to Go 26.2 Miles Lugging Canoes – runnersworld.com

Two competitors battled to the final stretch at this weekend’s Ely Marathon in Ely, Minnesota. They weren’t anywhere near the first-place finisher, who had finished more than two hours prior, but they caused just as much excitement as they made their way to the finish.

Seeing runners hoist roughly 40-pound canoes overhead for the duration of a marathon isn’t something you see every day, after all.

For anyone outside of Minnesota, the idea of carrying—or portaging—a canoe seems like gimmick only adding to the already grueling marathon process. Yet, portaging is common for avid canoers who hop between waters that make up the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

Running a race with a canoe though, at least at a marathon distance, is still pretty out there. While portaging has made an appearance in shorter distances, it wasn’t until 2015 where runners had the idea to take it the full 26.2 at the just-created Ely Marathon.

“In 2015, we were doing volunteer work with a student group, and it ended up working with the marathon at the race,” Dan Drehmel, one of the battlers at this year’s finish, told Runner’s World. “We got volunteer shirts that said, and I don’t know if this was intended, the race was the [equivalent to] a 8,930-rod portage. That’s what got me wondering if it was even possible to portage 26.2 miles.”

Drehmel and his partner Abby Dare both were working at , which offers canoe trips in the nearby boundary waters in the northernmost part of the state. They began talking about using a canoe from work, relay-style, for the 2016 race—which did not have a portage division— and decided to give it a shot: Their two-person team finished in 5:48.

Since then, the portage contestants have been growing each year. For 2019, there were eight finishers in the full-marathon division, six half-marathon finishers, and two relay teams.

That may not be a large crowd, but the runners have drawn stares at more than just the race.

“When you’re training, you really need roads where there are few cars because you need space to run with a canoe,” Drehmel said. “I get some honks and waves, and probably some confused looks as well. But I think the portage division is gaining notoriety up here in Ely, so people know what they’re seeing now instead of just a person running down the road with a canoe.”

The sheer size of the canoe—Drehmel’s is 15-feet long and weighs around 40 pounds—makes running a challenge, and not only because of its heft: Participants must practice balancing the boat on their shoulders, as leaning forward or back can throw off your stride. It also flattens your stride, particularly if you have a bouncy form, since the weight tends to turn you into more of a shuffler, Drehmel explained.

While Drehmel does not consider himself a runner—this is the only race he competes in each year—his training paid off to win the first official portage division last year.

“It can be rough,” Drehmel said. “It’s not fun to carry a boat for a full marathon, but when you try it, you learn it’s mostly about getting used to the shoulder pain. I’m wearing KT tape this year because my shoulders get sore and the canoe rubbing spots.”

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This year, he was nervous about the growing field, and found himself with company as he neared the finish.

Ultimately, it was Anthony Peter, of Mounds View, Minnesota, breaking the tape in , besting Drehmel’s record from 2018 by more than 20 minutes. Drehmel finished 57 seconds after. The women’s record also fell later, as Auralee Strege was the lone female marathon portage finisher with a time of .

Despite the second-place finish, Drehmel hopes to continue his only annual race next year, hungry to take back his title.

“It’s picking up steam,” he said. “It feels so cool to be part of this amazing race that’s part of the identity here in northern Minnesota.”

Gear & News Editor Drew covers a variety of subjects for Runner’s World and Bicycling, and he specializes in writing and editing human interest pieces while also covering health, wellness, gear, and fitness for the brand.