Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon

Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon
2021 Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon logo
DateMay 9, 2026
LocationHoldingford, Minnesota to St. Joseph, Minnesota
Event typePaved Trail
Distance26.2 miles (42.2 km)
Primary sponsorCentracare Clinic
Established2008
Course recordsMen: 2:25:40 (2025)
Jacob Vander Plaats
Women: 2:58:13 (2016)
Amy Feit
Official sitelakewobegontrailmarathon.org
Participants300+

The Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon is a 26.2 mile foot race from Holdingford, Minnesota, to St. Joseph, Minnesota, on a paved trail called the Lake Wobegon Trail. The course is USATF-certified, making it a qualifying race for the Boston Marathon. The race is sponsored and organized by the St. Cloud River Runners, a running group active since 1983 with about 150 members.[1][2]

Course

The flat, straight course is run on a blacktop trail converted from freight rail lines. After starting at the high school in Holdingford, the route quickly links to the Lake Wobegon Trail and goes southwest to the small town of Albany. On the outskirts of the town, the trail turns directly east and passes over the South Branch of Two Rivers, past two smaller lakes and a state-designated science and nature area. The path continues through farm land and then over the small gap of land between Middle Spunk Lake and Lower Spunk Lake on the east side of Avon. The course passes two more lakes before finishing in St. Joseph.[3]

The Lake Wobegon Trail is maintained by the Stearns County Parks, local trail groups, the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the seven cities through which it passes.[4]

The trail is named after a fictional region in Minnesota that appears in author and radio personality Garrison Keillor's stories. He has called the trail one of "ordinary beauty," a landscape of farms, woodland patches and small town-Americana.[5]

History

Two St. Cloud River Runners initially launched the event: Sartell teacher Joe Perske and St. Cloud lawyer Sharon Hobbs. They gained the support of local community members and mayors, and in the 2008 inaugural race, 80 runners finished. By 2010, the number of participants had grown to 200.[6][7]

The course record for the marathon was set in 2025 by Jacob Vander Plaats,[8] who ran it in 2:25:40. The race was first run in 2008, when 80 people from 12 states and Canada registered. The first race was sponsored by the St. Cloud-based law firm Rinke-Noonan.[9] More recently, the race has seen a steady registration in the 400 runner range. The race is capped at 450 runners, according to 2018 race director George Bienusa.[10][11]

A tragedy took place during the race in 2011, when a 35-year-old man from Byron, Minnesota, collapsed after finishing and suffered a cardiac arrest. Medical personnel attended to him, but he died.[12][13]

In May 2016, the 216-foot wooden-planked bridge at Schwinghammer Lake was set aflame by an arsonist, but a quick response by a bicyclist and fire fighters kept the bridge structurally sound, and the marathon did not have to be rerouted.[14]

On April 2, 2020, more than a month before the May 9 race date, the race officials canceled the 12th running of the marathon due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In a press release, the marathon organizers said they would "join numerous other events in an attempt to protect runners, volunteers and emergency medical personnel by putting [participants'] health and safety first."[15]

As the 2021 race approached, Minnesotans reached nearly 50 percent vaccination rate for adults. The race directors decided to run the race with a staggered start and a 250-participant cap, per the Minnesota Department of Health recommendations. It would be the first road marathon back in the state since the Mankato Marathon on Oct. 12, 2019. The week of the Lake Wobegon race, Governor Tim Walz issued new guidelines that stated wearing masks wasn't necessary while with groups of less than 500 people outdoors. The guidelines also dropped limits on the number of people allowed in outdoor gatherings.[16][17] The race, which was labeled a Road Runners Club state championship, saw faster than average times, with the top three marking the fourth-, fifth- and sixth-all-time fastest runs on the course since its inception in 2008.[18]

Marathon race results

Key:   Course record

All cities in Minnesota unless indicated otherwise

Men Women
Year Place Name Age Hometown Time Year Place Name Age Hometown Time
2025[8]1st place, gold medalist(s)Jacob Vander Plaats25 Sioux City2:25:4020251st place, gold medalist(s)Maggie Marx37 South Haven3:06:50
2nd place, silver medalist(s)Ben Johnson39Minneapolis2:39:422nd place, silver medalist(s)Katie Zirbes43Rochester3:07:37
3rd place, bronze medalist(s)Bailey Vande Griend25 Sioux Falls2:43:103rd place, bronze medalist(s)Amy Gunderson44Savage3:08:26
2024[19]1st place, gold medalist(s)Josh Peterson27Cold Spring2:34:5520241st place, gold medalist(s)Heather Camp44Mankato3:04:47
2nd place, silver medalist(s)Ben Johnson38Minneapolis2:38:042nd place, silver medalist(s)Amy Gunderson43Savage3:05:10
3rd place, bronze medalist(s)Brian Valentini40Minneapolis2:41:323rd place, bronze medalist(s)Maggie Marx36New Haven3:07:35
2023[20]1st place, gold medalist(s)Ben Johnson37Minneapolis2:47:3520231st place, gold medalist(s)Katie Zirbes35Le Sueur3:15:30
2nd place, silver medalist(s)Matthew Axelrod31Saint Paul2:55:532nd place, silver medalist(s)Margaret Irvin40Durham, North Carolina3:19:13
3rd place, bronze medalist(s)Stephen Woods32Avon2:57:133rd place, bronze medalist(s)Laura Parson40Fargo, North Dakota3:27:35
2022[21]1st place, gold medalist(s)John Schreier32Minneapolis2:50:2820221st place, gold medalist(s)Kristen Giombi36Raleigh, North Carolina3:15:37
2nd place, silver medalist(s)David Armstrong40Richardson, Texas3:00:172nd place, silver medalist(s)Leah Knowles24Shakopee3:16:39
3rd place, bronze medalist(s)Jerod Honrath48Dallas, Texas3:06:243rd place, bronze medalist(s)Wanda Gau59Little Falls3:18:27
2021[22]1st place, gold medalist(s)Brandon Reihm26Annandale2:36:1720211st place, gold medalist(s)Kacy Rodamaker23Minneapolis3:13:23
2nd place, silver medalist(s)Evan Richardson34Byron2:37:232nd place, silver medalist(s)Wanda Gau58Little Falls3:14:06
3rd place, bronze medalist(s)Braden Richardson35Byron2:38:053rd place, bronze medalist(s)Katie Zirbes33Hutchinson3:17:16
2020[23]Race canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic2020Race canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2019[24]1st place, gold medalist(s)Dan Feda44Rochester2:45:3020191st place, gold medalist(s)Cathleen Gross25Eagan3:03:02
2nd place, silver medalist(s)Justin Wirth38Annandale2:52:222nd place, silver medalist(s)Wanda Gau56Little Falls3:12:47
3rd place, bronze medalist(s)Christopher Frank47Winnipeg, Canada2:53:293rd place, bronze medalist(s)Rachel Turi23St. Paul3:19:10
2018[25]1st place, gold medalist(s)Braden Richardson33Byron2:45:5220181st place, gold medalist(s)Wanda Gau55Little Falls3:05:43
2nd place, silver medalist(s)William McGinnis38Madison, South Dakota2:54:442nd place, silver medalist(s)Rachel Rice38Durham, North Carolina3:12:54
3rd place, bronze medalist(s)Bryan Larison34Minneapolis2:55:063rd place, bronze medalist(s)Sarah Schmidt-Dannert18Shoreview3:19:16
2017[26]1st place, gold medalist(s)Eric Giandelone38St. Paul2:45:0020171st place, gold medalist(s)Cheryl Jeseritz38Savage3:07:07
2nd place, silver medalist(s)Ethan Komoroski25Minneapolis2:50:562nd place, silver medalist(s)Elaina Schellhaass30St. Louis Park3:11:13
3rd place, bronze medalist(s)Bob Fudurich38Mounds View2:52:453rd place, bronze medalist(s)Brianna Rohne33St. Paul3:11:45
2016[27]1st place, gold medalist(s)Steven Pekarek35Royalton2:39:2920161st place, gold medalist(s)Amy Feit36Luverne2:58:13
2nd place, silver medalist(s)Andrew Zachman19Holdingford2:49:302nd place, silver medalist(s)Amy Omann37Chanhassen3:01:17
3rd place, bronze medalist(s)Matthew Fisher37Austin, Texas2:53:113rd place, bronze medalist(s)Elaina Schellhaass29St. Louis Park3:08:16
2015[28]1st place, gold medalist(s)Chad Lutz29Stow, Ohio2:33:5920151st place, gold medalist(s)Nancy Buselmeier31Buffalo3:00:15
2nd place, silver medalist(s)Reid Singer29Santa Fe, New Mexico2:45:432nd place, silver medalist(s)Brianna Rohne31St. Paul3:03:27
3rd place, bronze medalist(s)Adam Nyseth35Plymouth2:54:153rd place, bronze medalist(s)Wanda Gau52Little Falls3:04:57
20141st place, gold medalist(s)Justin Gillette31Goshen, Indiana2:42:5920141st place, gold medalist(s)Brianna Rohne30St. Paul3:04:27
2nd place, silver medalist(s)Ben Bruce30Waubun2:50:072nd place, silver medalist(s)Wanda Gau51Little Falls3:07:39
3rd place, bronze medalist(s)Douglas Lange44Stillwater2:50:513rd place, bronze medalist(s)Brooke Rasmussen18Big Lake3:12:18
2013[29]1st place, gold medalist(s)Jordan Hanlon29Minneapolis2:38:1920131st place, gold medalist(s)Brittany Opatz27Waconia3:02:59
2nd place, silver medalist(s)Ben Bruce29Waubun2:44:152nd place, silver medalist(s)Brianna Rohne29St. Paul3:15:25
3rd place, bronze medalist(s)Jesse Rueckert33St. Cloud2:52:413rd place, bronze medalist(s)Jodi Nelson-Ryan45Sartell3:24:26
2012[30]1st place, gold medalist(s)Jordan Hanlon28Minneapolis2:35:2320121st place, gold medalist(s)Paula Marozas24Little Falls3:06:03
2nd place, silver medalist(s)Gerad Mead32St. Paul2:36:012nd place, silver medalist(s)Marey Erickson25Waite Park3:22:07
3rd place, bronze medalist(s)Nate Hoffman29Annandale2:42:263rd place, bronze medalist(s)Wanda Gau49Little Falls3:22:43
2011[31]1st place, gold medalist(s)Don Sullivan37Minneapolis2:48:4320111st place, gold medalist(s)Margaret Landberg26Minneapolis3:05:46
2nd place, silver medalist(s)David Sanderson34Rochester2:52:272nd place, silver medalist(s)Kathy Provenzano36Minneapolis3:12:12
3rd place, bronze medalist(s)Andrew Hemenway37Rochester2:54:453rd place, bronze medalist(s)Corrine Klebe24Rochester3:26:08
2010[32]1st place, gold medalist(s)Brian Aurelio26Washington, D.C.2:53:2520101st place, gold medalist(s)Wanda Gau47Little Falls3:17:22
2nd place, silver medalist(s)John Maas48Sleepy Eye2:54:142nd place, silver medalist(s)Kalli Christen40St. Cloud3:18:58
3rd place, bronze medalist(s)Michael Heinen26Willmar2:55:363rd place, bronze medalist(s)Traci Amundson35Duluth3:19:09
2009[33]1st place, gold medalist(s)Joe Buckentine46St. Cloud2:50:1920091st place, gold medalist(s)Kalli Christen39St. Cloud3:17:52
2nd place, silver medalist(s)Ryan Hammerberg25St. Cloud2:52:232nd place, silver medalist(s)Traci Amundson34Duluth3:28:24
3rd place, bronze medalist(s)Paul Danger38Valparaiso, Indiana2:55:133rd place, bronze medalist(s)Valerie Kelso29Rice3:28:25
2008[34]1st place, gold medalist(s)Paul Danger37Valparaiso, Indiana2:47:362008[35]1st place, gold medalist(s)Kalli Christen38St. Cloud3:19:07
2nd place, silver medalist(s)David Hartz50Cold Spring3:04:012nd place, silver medalist(s)Karen Wander43Becker3:28:44
3rd place, bronze medalist(s)Stanley Hup53Northfield3:17:323rd place, bronze medalist(s)Yvette Dockendorf38St. Louis Park3:29:50

References

  1. ↑ "Membership Information—St. Cloud River Runners". St. Cloud River Runners. St. Cloud River Runners. January 1, 2019. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  2. ↑ Zach, Dwyer (3 July 2020). "St. Cloud River Runners Take on Unique Summer Amid Pandemic". Life. The American News. Aberdeen, South Dakota: Gannett. p. 14.
  3. ↑ "Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon — Course Map". lakewobegontrailmarathon.org. St. Cloud River Runners. Retrieved May 11, 2019.
  4. ↑ "Lake Wobegon Trail, Stearns County". www.americantrails.org. Retrieved May 11, 2019.
  5. ↑ Tormoen, Erik ERIK TORMOENand VAL TURGEO; Turgeo, Val (January 2018). "The Ultimate 2018 To-Do List: 100+ Can't Miss Events". Minnesota Monthly. Bloomington, Minnesota: Greenspring Media. p. 38.
  6. ↑ Timp, Michael (4 May 2010). "Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon becomes Central Minnesota tradition". News. Stearns-Morrison Enterprise. Albany, Minnesota.
  7. ↑ "First Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon". News. Stearns-Morrison Enterprise. Albany, Minnesota. 20 May 2008.
  8. 1 2 "Leaderboard - Marathon - 2025 Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon - MTEC Results". Pickle Events. 3 May 2025. Retrieved 26 April 2026.
  9. ↑ "1st Lake Wobegon Trail marathon". Albany, Minnesota: Stearns - Morrison Enterprise. May 20, 2008.
  10. ↑ Kaul, Greta (April 16, 2019). "Is the Running Boom Over?". Minneapolis, Minnesota: MinnPost. Retrieved May 11, 2019.
  11. ↑ "2018 Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon Results". Pickle Events. May 12, 2018. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  12. ↑ "Man collapses, dies during marathon in Minnesota". Sports. Duluth News Tribune. Duluth, Minnesota: Forum Communications. 14 May 2011.
  13. ↑ "Marathon runner who died was Oklee, Minn., native". Grand Forks Herald. Grand Forks, North Dakota: Grand Forks Herald. 17 May 2011.
  14. ↑ Harlow, Tim (3 May 2016). "Reward offered for information leading to Lake Wobegon Trail bridge arsonist". Star Tribune. Minneapolis, Minnesota.
  15. ↑ "2020 Lake Wobegon Marathon Virtual Race" (PDF). Lakewobegontrailmarathon.org. St. Cloud, Minnesota. 2 April 2020. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  16. ↑ "How to Stay Safe During Athletic Activities and Sports". mn.gov. St. Paul, Minnesota: Minnesota Department of Health. May 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  17. ↑ Bierschbach, Briana; Howatt, Glenn (6 May 2021). "What you need to know about Minnesota's COVID-19 restrictions". Star Tribune. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Star Tribune. Archived from the original on 9 May 2021.
  18. ↑ Pickle, Brad; Haukos, Chris, eds. (8 May 2021). "2021 Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon - Marathon Results". mtecresults.com. St. Cloud, Minnesota: Pickle Events. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  19. ↑ "Leaderboard - Marathon - 2024 Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon - MTEC Results". Pickle Events. 4 May 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  20. ↑ "Leaderboard - Marathon - 2023 Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon - MTEC Results". Pickle Events. 6 May 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  21. ↑ "Leaderboard - Marathon - 2022 Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon - MTEC Results". Pickle Events. 14 May 2022. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  22. ↑ "Leaderboard - Marathon - 2021 Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon - MTEC Results". Pickle Events. 8 May 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  23. ↑ Mozey, Brian (2 April 2020). "Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon cancelled due to COVID-19; replaced by virtual race". St. Cloud Times. St. Cloud, Minnesota: USA Today. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  24. ↑ "Leaderboard - Marathon - 2019 Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon - MTEC Results". Pickle Events. 11 May 2019. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  25. ↑ "Leaderboard - Marathon - 2018 Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon - MTEC Results". Pickle Events. 12 May 2018. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  26. ↑ "Leaderboard - Marathon - 2017 Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon - MTEC Results". Pickle Events. 13 May 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  27. ↑ Pickle, Brad; Haukos, Chris, eds. (14 May 2016). "2016 Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon". Pickle Events. St. Cloud, Minnesota: MTEC Results. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  28. ↑ Pickle, Brad; Haukos, Chris, eds. (9 May 2015). "2015 Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon". Pickle Events. St. Cloud, Minnesota: MTEC Results. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  29. ↑ Pickle, Brad; Haukos, Chris, eds. (11 May 2013). "2013 Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon". Pickle Events. St. Cloud, Minnesota: MTEC Results. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  30. ↑ Pickle, Brad; Haukos, Chris, eds. (12 May 2012). "2012 Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon". Pickle Events. St. Cloud, Minnesota: MTEC Results. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  31. ↑ Moran, Jack, ed. (14 May 2011). "Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon". Raceberry Jam. Edina, Minnesota: Apple Raceberry Jam. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  32. ↑ Moran, Jack, ed. (8 May 2010). "Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon". Raceberry Jam. Edina, Minnesota: Apple Raceberry Jam. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  33. ↑ "Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon" (PDF). Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon. St. Cloud, Minnesota: St. Cloud River Runners. 9 May 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 June 2016. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  34. ↑ Moran, Jack, ed. (10 May 2008). "Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon". Raceberry Jam. Edina, Minnesota: Apple Raceberry Jam. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  35. ↑ Bell, Ralph (29 May 2008). "Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon will be back". news. St. Joseph, Minnesota: St. Joseph Newsleader.
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