The Bemidji Blue Ox Marathon is a race in Bemidji, Minnesota, first run in 2013. The race runs around a lake, along a state trail and through a state park. It takes place in October, when many of the forest surroundings are bright with color.

The race has grown into a weekend of festivities that includes several races, nearly 1,000 runners, and the Be Active Expo at the Sanford Center. The race director is Phil Knutson. The medical director is Dr. Mark Carlson.

Live coverage of the race has been provided by local radio station KKBJ-FM, Mix 103.7.

The race is certified by the USATF, thus it is a Boston Marathon qualifier.

Course The race course is a loop, mostly flat with some hills and roughly 300 ft. total elevation gain. All of the route is on paved trails and roads. Runners cite the scenic nature of the course as a highlight of the race.

As of 2018, the course starts at the Sanford Center, the convention center and hockey arena, and then heads west before angling back toward the start for an eight-mile loop. The race continues on the shore of Lake Bemidji and follows the tree-lined Paul Bunyan State Trail over the Mississippi River before doubling back (for just a mile) after reaching Big Bass Lake. The route continues through the pines, poplar and spruce trees of Lake Bemidji State Park, back around the west side of panoramic Lake Bemidji, through the city's downtown, and past the Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox statues before returning to the Sanford Center.

The course is a certified marathon distance (USATF #MN18060RR).

Race weekend Several races take place as a part of the marathon weekend. The first day includes two kids races (a 1/2K and 1K), a 5K run and a 10K run. The marathon takes place on the second day along with a half marathon and a unique 26K (16.16-mile) race that circles Lake Bemidji. Throughout the weekend, the local arena hosts the Be Active Expo and (most years) the Bemidji State Beavers men's hockey team home games.

The marathon and half marathon races offer pacers.

Prizes Prizes for the marathon have included double-bit felling axes with engraved handles.

History Local runner Dennis Bartz spearheaded the idea to bring a marathon to Bemidji, a city of nearly 15,000 people. Bartz coached cross country and track for Bemidji High School, and in the 1970s, was captain of his Bemidji State Beavers track and cross country teams. He wrote "Run For Your Life ... The Marathon, Minnesota Style" in 2011. In 2012, Bartz worked with a team of co-directors, including Cris Bitker, Jill Bitker, Aaron Riedel, Mark Peske, to plan and launch the first marathon weekend in 2013.

2013 Marathon The first Bemidji Blue Ox marathon took place Saturday, Oct. 12. The temperature was 54 degrees at the start and rose to 65 by noon while a strong wind carried in a light mist. Throughout the race, runners faced wet and chilly conditions. Still, the marathon race saw 184 runners finish from 23 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces, proving to race organizers that there was ample support for the event.

Gina Aalgaard Kelly led the women in the marathon and set a course record in 3:04:52 (which stood until 2024). It was another strong finish for the North Dakota State University alumnae and professor who was returning to her hometown. Earlier, in April, she took 2nd at the Run for the Lakes half marathon, and in June she had run sub-3:05 at Grandma's Marathon.

The men's winner, Pete Miller, was also a Bemidji High School and North Dakota State alumnus. Local spectators recalled Miller running for the Bemidji Lumberjacks at the 1987–1988 Minnesota State cross country and track championships. Miller churned through the course and crossed the finish line first with a time of 2:46:19. The course record would stand until 2017.

Half Marathon The inaugural half marathon was run with the marathon; 388 runners competed to the finish line. Pam Olsen, who finished top-10 at the 2012 Fargo Marathon, won for women (1:32:27). Her time remained a course record for three years.

Kenny Miller, a teacher at Bertha-Hewitt High School and former Bemidji State University alumnus, won the overall race in 1:14:04. A week before, he had run a 54:33 at the TC 10 Mile to finish 12th. Miller was often a top-10 contender at the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon in the 2000s, and in 2003 had run 1:10:22 for eighth place.

5K The first 5K was run Friday, Oct. 11. In field of 206 runners, winners were 16-year-old Evan Byler (20:14) and Amy Thorson (24:14).

2020 The COVID-19 pandemic forced closures on nearly every marathon starting in mid-March, and while Grandma's Marathon and Twin Cities Marathon had cancelled two months in advance, smaller fall marathons in appeared as though they would take place. Med City Marathon pushed back its start from May to September. The Ely Marathon, scheduled for September, and the Mankato Marathon, scheduled for October, still planned to go on.

But one by one, each cancelled. By July 28, after Ely, Med City and Mankato marathons had fallen like dominos, race directors for Bemidji Blue Ox Marathon also cancelled their event, citing the state of Minnesota's policies regarding crowds. They announced that entry fees would not be refunded due to incurred costs. "The health and safety of our participants, volunteers, sponsors, spectators, and community remain our top priority," the race officials wrote in a press release.

In Minnesota, the Bemidji Blue Ox Marathon was the last scheduled marathon of 2020 to announce cancellation, which the race officials did on July 28. All races were announced to have virtual versions, but all in-person races were cancelled.

Marathon results Key:

All cities in Minnesota unless indicated otherwise

Men Women YearPlace Name Age Hometown Time Year Place Name Age Hometown Time 2025 Brett Kurschner 21 Bemdiji 2:38:25 2025 Ellyssa Peterson 27 Nashwauk 3:05:36 Noah Schlee 31 Richfield 2:40:37 Mary Larue 45 Willmar 3:28:08 Michael Cooper 27 Winnipeg, Manitoba 2:52:13 Caitlin Cavanaugh 35 Bemidji 3:32:47 2024 Benjamin Drexler 36 Minneapolis 2:38:22 2024 Ellyssa Peterson 26 Nashwauk 2:54:31 Carlos Batista de Olive 44 Bloomington 2:41:10 Serena Sullivan 43 Hibbing 3:04:03 Sam Hodgson 24 Mankato 2:53:23 Madelyn Stone 23 Bemidji 3:28:51 2023 Jesse Prince 42 Bemidji 2:38:28 2023 Amy Will 36 Warren 2:57:06 Benjamin Drexler 35 Minneapolis 2:45:28 Molly Mccabe 32 St. Louis Park 3:01:14 Dave Haglin 42 Duluth 2:53:23 Sydney Patterson 26 Baxter 3:11:47 2022 Jesse Prince 41 Bemidji 2:37:30 2022 Natalie Timmers 40 Nelson 3:29:23 Andrew Richardson 33 Wyoming, Minnesota 2:58:14 Jill Marble 51 Prior Lake 3:36:04 Jacob Roberts 36 Ham Lake 2:58:26 Nicole Gunderson 37 Baxter 3:41:00 2021 Anthony Fagundes 31 Fair Oaks, California 2:44:44 2021 Amanda Blair 31 Grand Forks, North Dakota 3:02:14 Brandon Lee 40 West Fargo, North Dakota 3:04:29 Amy Will 34 Warren 3:10:55 Dave Haglin 40 Duluth 3:07:32 Amanda Reynolds 36 Pineville, North Carolina 3:21:372020 Race cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic* 2020 Race cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic* 2019 Jesse Prince 38 Bemidji 2:35:32 2019 Amy Will 32 Warren 3:22:40 Ricky Aulie 35 Breezy Point 2:56:58 Dexi Maxa 34 Bigfork 3:26:20 John Naegeli 35 Bemidji 3:04:56 Kelli Holmstrom 35 Roseville 3:33:46 2018 Brock Tesdahl 25 Hopkins 2:36:35 2018 Stacie Noha 32 Isle 3:21:52 Christopher Frank 46 Winnipeg, Manitoba 2:55:49 Stephanie Dreis 29 Maple Grove 3:31:57 Taylor Johnson 28 Sauk Rapids 3:04:41 Karen Kleind Ronning 43 Excelsior 3:32:58 2017 Brock Tesdahl 24 Hopkins 2:37:31 2017 Annalise O'Toole 26 Long Beach, California 3:19:04 Jesse Prince 36 Bemidji 2:44:44 Lisa Nordvik 26 St. Cloud 3:28:50 Sam Dwyer 24 Bemidji 3:24:01 Bonnie Fines 45 St. Cloud 3:33:41 2016 James Straubel 26 Bemidji 2:54:58 2016 Amy Will 29 Stephen 3:25:36 Bryan Larison 33 Minneapolis 2:55:04 Carrie Miller 33 Minneapolis 3:32:29 Ricky Aulie 32 Breezy Point 3:03:21 Jess Gowan 26 Manvel, North Dakota 3:32:47 2015 Brock Tesdahl 22 Crosby 2:52:30 2015 Sarah Kemp 32 Sauk Rapids 3:25:00 Ben Bruce 32 Waubun 2:54:09 Melanie Hevel-Olson 34 Bemidji 3:35:35 Benjamin Nelson 19 Grand Forks, North Dakota 3:04:39 Melanie Lund 33 Roseville 3:39:07 2014 Tom Ritchie 40 Anchorage, Alaska 2:36:47 2014 Sarah Kemp 31 Sauk Rapids 3:15:30 Ben Bruce 31 Waubun 2:50:44 Andrea Nelson 41 Bemidji 3:21:17 James Manecke 42 Lengby 3:08:16 Cosette Mari Taylor 40 Winnipeg, Manitoba 3:25:47 2013 Pete Miller 44 Shorewood 2:46:20 2013 Gina Aalgaard Kelly 37 Lisbon, North Dakota 3:04:52 Cley Twigg 38 Moorhead 2:51:07 Jessica Lovering 25 Eden Prairie 3:07:31 Robert Preston 44 Athens, Tennessee 2:55:37 Andrea Nelson 40 Bemidji 3:24:27

26K Lake Loop results Key:

All cities in Minnesota unless indicated otherwise

Men Women YearPlace Name Age Hometown Time Year Place Name Age Hometown Time 2025 Ruairi Moynihan 36 Fargo, North Dakota 1:41:43 2025 Autumn Huju 29 Minneapolis 1:58:00 Braxton Middaugh 21 Fargo, North Dakota 1:43:46 Mary Wood 28 Grimes, Iowa 2:02:13 Taylor Boysen 27 Grimes, Iowa 1:46:06 Tyla Wilson 48 Jamestown, North Dakota 2:08:23 2024 Jesse Prince 43 Bemidji 1:40:02 2024 Dawn Fairchild 48 Grand Rapids 2:05:36 Keith Virden 51 Springfield, IL 1:44:28 Kerrie Berg 45 Bemidji 2:06:11 Seth Dallman 35 Grand Forks, ND 1:51:00 Chantal Givens 46 Winnipeg, Manitoba 2:10:33 2023 Carlos Eduar Batista de Olive 43 Bloomington 1:36:58 2023 Chelsey Gloude 35 Warren 2:00:39 Charles Beiberg 31 Tenstrike 1:49:07 Lynn Astrop 27 Edina 2:04:16 Isaac Pearson 22 Duluth 2:01:24 Chantal Givens 45 Winnipeg, Manitoba 2:05:16 2022 Benjamin Drexler 34 Minneapolis 1:35:55 2022 Amy Will 35 Warren 1:48:13 Ryan Rogers 43 Bemidji 1:50:08 Lindsay George 38 Thompson, North Dakota 2:05:40 Dustin Jarshaw 40 Newfolden 2:00:16 Julie Helsene 37 Brainerd 2:08:14 2021 Kevin Robertson 33 Brainerd 2:20:31 2021 Lindsay George 37 Thompson, North Dakota 2:03:39 Cullen Reiser 28 Mound 2:21:59 Amber Kantonen 45 Mahtowa 2:14:13 Mike Porter 56 Brainerd 2:22:14 Sr. Melissa Cote 43 Bismarck, North Dakota 2:14:252020 Race cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic* 2020 Race cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic* 2019 Matthew Arbegast 20 Grand Forks, North Dakota 1:45:04 2019 Casey Hovland 23 North Branch 1:45:32 Ryley Emslander 18 Sartell 1:59:13 Jane Maus 24 Salt Lake City, Utah 2:03:19 Erik Wheeler 40 Rice 1:59:58 Brittany Hesse 28 Thief River Falls 2:10:04 2018 Michael Mettler 25 New York Mills 1:48:48 2018 Mandy Elseth 36 Fargo, North Dakota 2:01:14 Norris Chin 26 Grand Forks, North Dakota 2:01:01 Hanna Fylpaa 30 Juneau, Alaska 2:10:29 Lawrence Mettler 18 Burtrum 2:01:43 Lisa Becker 33 Minneota 2:11:04 2017 Brooks Grossinger 40 Mayer 1:42:48 2017 Denise Kaelberer 46 Bismarck, North Dakota 1:58:04 Charles Biberg 25 Tenstrike 1:45:31 Katie Durrant 43 Bemidji 1:59:53 Erik Pieh 34 St. Paul 1:56:26 Jessica Lovering 29 Eden Prairie 2:07:24 2016 Sam Dwyer 23 Bemidji 1:43:05 2016 Jessica Lovering 28 Eden Prairie 1:55:09 Brooks Grossinger 39 Mayer 1:43:13 Mandy Elseth 34 Fargo, North Dakota 1:56:54 Ben Kirmse 33 Somerset, Wisconsin 1:45:01 Kari Brown 39 Garfield 2:08:59 2015 Brooks Grossinger 38 Mayer 1:41:40 2015 Lisa Dunnigan 33 Moorhead 1:58:38 Sam Dwyer 22 Bemidji 1:55:03 Andrea Nelson 42 Bemidji 2:02:32 Richard Thompson 49 Peoria, Illinois 2:06:30 Danielle Gronhovd 20 Duluth 2:09:52 2014 Chris Bowman 24 Minneapolis 1:51:31 2014 Andrea Kennedy 34 Winnipeg, Canada 2:07:44 William Sackett 26 Grand Rapids 1:55:16 Jill Anderson 40 Bemidji 2:07:56 Syl Lemelin 46 Winnipeg, Canada 1:59:24 Kristin Rognerud 33 Duluth 2:08:46

Half marathon results Key:

All cities in Minnesota unless indicated otherwise