The Fargo Marathon is an annual road running marathon in Fargo, North Dakota, first held in 2005. Most years, it begins and ends inside the Fargodome, and the course also travels through Moorhead, Minnesota, Fargo's twin city. The event weekend also hosts a half marathon, 10K, and 5K. The race is a USATF-qualified course, so marathon finish times can be used to qualify for the Boston Marathon. The event has been sponsored by Sanford Health, but is now sponsored by Essentia Health

History

The inaugural Fargo Marathon took place on , and started on the Veterans Memorial Bridge over the Red River between Minnesota and North Dakota. The first year's race weekend offered a 5K on Friday, and a marathon, marathon relay, and a half marathon on Saturday, starting at 8 a.m. Almost 3,000 runners were present for the races, and prize money was offered (including $400 for first place in the marathons). The race drew on local bands for music on the course (25 live bands were at the course in the early years), and local culture was prominent (those years featured a "pasta/lefse feed" for pre-race carbo-loading). In that initial year, racers had raised $20,000 for two local charities: The Children's Museum at Yunker Farm and MeritCare Children's Hospital.

The race was founded and run by Mark Knutson at a time when local races were becoming more prominent as tourist attractions, but also as places where cities could build associations as being health-focused communities. The races also offered showcasing opportunities for area athletes that otherwise would have to travel elsewhere to have their talent recognized.

In the second year, the race weekend drew runners from 46 states, three countries, and had an estimated economic impact of a $1.5 million boost to the local businesses and charities. The half marathon was one of the most popular events, drawn nearly 2,000 runners. It also spawned a collaboration with the Lake Agassiz Arts Council, which sponsored a Native-focused "Herd About the Prairie" art exhibition. The exhibition placed a collection of 39 decorated buffalo sculptures (the size of real buffalo) throughout the marathon course.

In 2010, Runner's World reported the race held a high entry-fee-to-value quality.

As the race progressed in years, it maintained a reputation for being flat, fast, supportive, and loud (with the dozens of bands throughout the course, including rock, dance, oldies, Native drumming, and polka). It has grown in numbers to more than 20,000 runners. The pre-race convention brings food, businesses and speakers to the event center for the thousands of runners and spectators. By 2014, the prize money for first place had also increased to $1,400, with multiple other prizes for top competitors.

In 2019, Knutson sold the race to Rugged Races, though Knutson stayed on as the race director.

In 2020, the first known case of the COVID-19 virus appeared in North Dakota on March 11. Within two days, the country began shutting down, and North Dakota issued a state of emergency. The marathon was rescheduled, but due to the rising number of cases in summer of 2020, it was cancelled. All registrants were given the option of a refund, a postponement to 2021, or running the race on their own course and time.

Similarly, the 2021 edition of the race was postponed to , due to the pandemic. Participation was at 50 percent of normal, as the race date was close to other Minnesota marathons: The postponed Med City Marathon, the smaller Ely Marathon and the larger Twin Cities Marathon. Race organizers also said the closed Canadian border kept runners away.

Media coverage

Radio coverage has been provided by KFGO. TV coverage has been provided by WDAY-TV, an ABC affiliate.

Course

The marathon, half marathon, and 10K all start and finish inside the Fargodome.

The marathon course also crosses over the Red River into Minnesota and back, spending about in Moorhead, Fargo's twin city.

The course goes through Concordia College's campus in Moorhead, Minnesota, where the Concordia Cobber hands out high-fives. It also circles through Minnesota State University Moorhead's campus, where the MSUM Dragon cheers on the runners.

In 2009, the course had to be changed due to flooding. The marathon route took two laps instead of one large loop.

In 2014, in celebration of 10 years of the race, the route changed. It started on the bridge, just as it did on the first year. The finish line wasn't inside; it was near the Fargo Theatre on Broadway Street in downtown Fargo. The change was only for one year.

Half marathon Sammy Malakwen, a two-time winner, set the half marathon course record in 2010 at 1:04:27.

Repeat winners

Semehar Tesfaye has won the women's race three years in a row and set the course record in 2016 (2:37:27). Tesfaye graduated from Fargo South High School.

Winners

Key:

All cities in North Dakota unless indicated otherwise

Men Women YearPlace Name Age Hometown Time Year Place Name Age Hometown Time2026Tristan da Silva27 Winnipeg, Manitoba2:32:002026Haylee Hocking33Fargo3:00:022025Tucker Ringhand24Ironton, Minnesota2:26:202025Erin Forde32Missoula, Montana2:45:502024 Digger Lauter40Oakland, California2:25:322024 Amy Will37Warren, Minnesota2:57:18 Ruairi Moynihan34Flagstaff, Arizona2:28:39 Ericka Mason33Fort Worth, Texas2:57:40 Leo Smith23West Fargo2:29:15 Anna Wiseman28Kansas City, Missouri2:58:01 2023 Abraham Kipkemei Talam 45 Kenya2:19:24 2023 Sadie Smith 44 Kirkwood, Missouri 2:57:46 Connor Reck 29 Minneapolis, Minnesota 2:24:29 Amy Will 35 Warren, Minnesota 3:04:14 Daniel Docherty 33 St. Paul, Minnesota 2:31:16 Lindsey Elste 40 Wheaton, Illinois 3:04:31 2021 Mark Messmer 28 Castle Rock, Colorado 2:21:01 2021 Heidi Bock 35 Lincoln, Nebraska 2:58:28 Benjamin Kopecky 36 St. Louis, Missouri 2:35:39 Cheryl Jeseritz 42 Savage, Minnesota 3:02:00 Alec Sanbeck 22 Mora, Minnesota 2:40:05 Krista Kuglin 29 Brainerd, Minnesota 3:05:512020 Race canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic** 2020 Race canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic** 2019 Arturs Bareikis 32 Midlothian, Illinois 2:27:14 2019 Val Curtis 32 Minot 2:43:08 Anthony Kirui 39 Minneapolis, Minnesota 2:28:58 Megan Smith 28 Denver, Colorado 2:44:29 Daniel Borash 25 Burnsville, Minnesota 2:29:39 Ericka Mason 28 Fort Worth, Texas 2:48:16 2018 Geoffrey Terer 41 Colorado Springs, Colorado 2:30:00 2018 Semehar Tesfaye 27 Revere, Massachusetts 2:39:22 Adam Pangrac 30 Fargo 2:30:39 Jen Van Otterloo 31 Sioux Center, Iowa 2:44:17 Zach Bruns 32 Milwaukee, Wisconsin 2:32:58 Joan Cherop Massah 28 Andover, Minnesota 2:45:48 2017 David Tuwei 38 Minneapolis, Minnesota 2:28:24 2017 Semehar Tesfaye 26 Minot 2:38:06 Bernard Too 31 Grand Prairie, Texas 2:29:25 Lindsey Pierret 29 St. Louis Park, Minnesota 2:48:11 Arturs Bareikis 29 Crestwood, Illinois 2:32:25 Katie Rusch 33 St. Cloud, Minnesota 2:57:30 2016 Sammy Malakwen 37 Kaptagat, Kenya 2:26:06 2016 Semehar Tesfaye 25 Minot 2:37:27 Bernard Kibet 30 Grand Prairie, Texas 2:31:22 Darolyn Walker 34 Winnipeg, Canada 2:59:33 Cesar Mireles 26 Richey, Montana 2:33:17 Jane Rotich 35 Grand Prairie, Texas 3:01:11 2015 David Tuwei 36 Minneapolis, Minnesota 2:27:15 2015 Ellie Peterson 25 Windsor, Colorado 2:49:13 Keith Lehman 23 Fargo 2:30:41 Margaret Ludick 30 Birchwood, Minnesota 2:57:05 Adam Pangrac 27 Fargo 2:36:20 Maddie Glass 25 Kansas City, Missouri 2:57:37 2014 Peter Kemboi 34 Hebron, Kentucky 2:26:55 2014 Kate Papenberg 27 Syracuse, Utah 2:53:18 Arturs Bareikis 27 Crestwood, Illinois 2:27:29 Andrea Rediger 25 Minneapolis, Minnesota 2:56:35 Philip Richert 27 Richfield, Minnesota 2:36:13 Amber Sargent 26 Beatrice, Nebraska 3:01:26 2013 Chris Erichsen 27 Minneapolis, Minnesota 2:20:42 2013 Nichole Porath 29 Northfield, Minnesota 2:50:55 James Kirwa 29 Alexandria, Minnesota 2:21:32 Brittney Christianson 25 Minot 2:56:06 Wojciech Kopec 30 Warsaw, Poland 2:34:17 Jenny Schulze 40 Clive, Iowa 2:59:47 2012 Oliver Hoffmann 27 Schillerstrasse, Germany 2:28:15 2012 Lisa Dyer 29 Moorhead, Minnesota 2:45:15 Russell Stein 39 San Francisco, California 2:34:53 Meg Grindall 31 Moorhead, Minnesota 2:53:08 Zane Grabau 23 Waterville, Minnesota 2:35:34 Brittney Christianson 25 Burlington 2:54:01 2011 Luke Watson 30 State College, Pennsylvania 2:22:50 2011 Camille Herron 29 West Lafayette, Indiana 2:43:41 Jerry Faulkner 30 Edmond, Oklahoma 2:24:12 Heidi Evans 26 Thief River Falls, Minnesota 2:54:07 Hillary Cheruiyot 30 Coon Rapids, Minnesota 2:26:53 Cindy Sondag 35 Grand Forks 2:57:36 2010 Chris Erichsen 24 St. Paul, Minnesota 2:19:55 2010 Leah Thorvilson 31 Little Rock, Arkansas 2:41:52 Hillary Cheruiyot 29 Coon Rapids, Minnesota 2:25:35 Gina Aalgaard Kelly 33 Lisbon 2:57:31 Obed Gisemba 30 Windom, Minnesota 2:35:10 Paula Vicker 45 Edina, Minnesota 2:59:10 2009* Pete Gilman 34 Rochester, Minnesota 2:25:34 2009* Nicole Cueno 29 Minneapolis, Minnesota 2:54:28 Sammy Malakwen 30 Two Harbors, Minnesota 2:25:31 Nichole Porath 25 Eagan, Minnesota 2:58:11 Geoffrey Kiprotich 30 Toledo, Ohio 2:26:53 Tracy Thelen 29 Colorado Springs, Colorado 2:59:18 2008 Eric Sondag 35 Grand Forks 2:30:34 2008 Andrea McGehee 39 Lees Summit, Missouri 3:08:41 Brian Anderson 26 Minneapolis, Minnesota 2:32:18 Heather Gilbertson 36 Seattle, Washington 3:12:13 John Rotich 32 Coon Rapids, Minnesota 2:33:15 Clarice Esslinger 43 Mankato, Minnesota 3:16:04 2007 Chad Wallin 27 Tucson, Arizona 2:31:20 2007 Valerie Gortmaker 31 Omaha, Nebraska 2:49:55 Eric Sondag 34 Grand Forks 2:33:46 Heidi Schuette 33 Prescott, Arizona 2:59:18 Shawn Miller 27 Juneau, Alaska 2:34:28 Angie Paprocki 31 Hoffman Estates, Illinois 3:03:36 2006 Chad Wallin 26 Minot 2:31:48 2006 Meg Grindall 25 Fargo 3:04:43 Shawn Miller 26 Juneau, Alaska 2:32:33 Terri Cook 30 Exton, Pennsylvania 3:08:28 Brandon Moen 22 Mankato, Minnesota 2:37:44 Mindy Sawtelle 33 Indiana, Pennsylvania 3:08:34 2005 Scott Jansky 31 Two Rivers, Wisconsin 2:31:12 2005 Cindy Lewandowski 25 Sartell, Minnesota 3:16:29 Jim Ramacier 41 White Bear Lake, Minnesota 2:44:04 Suzy Steely 46 Spring, Texas 3:20:49 Jeffery Stinson 31 Eugene, Oregon 2:48:07 Yvette Dockendorf 35 St. Stephen, Minnesota 3:24:41 *In 2009, the Red River flooded, forcing the marathon course to be two smaller loops.

**A "virtual" race was scheduled.

Participation

Ed. Year Marathon finishers Total participants Rf. 1 2005 707 2271 2 2006 982 6053 3 2007 1196 9350 4 2008 1427 12,146 5 2009 1272 14,000 6 2010 1885 7 2011 2213 8 2012 1825 9 2013 1645 10 2014 1655 11 2015 1535 12 2016 1493 22,000 13 2017 14 2018 15 2019 - 2020 16 2021

Notes

References

External links