Saskatchewan Marathon sees record-breaking numbers, runner’s win streak lives on

Photo by Josh Schaefer/GetMyPhoto.ca courtesy of Saskatchewan Marathon.

Photo by Josh Schaefer/GetMyPhoto.ca courtesy of Saskatchewan Marathon.

It was a record-breaking year at the Saskatchewan Marathon in a number of ways.

This year, there were 3,998 finishers across all races– the highest so far– and local Erin Gardiner, the women’s marathon winner, extended her streak to five consecutive Saskatchewan Marathon victories. It was the 39th anniversary of the Saskatchewan Marathon, held in Saskatoon, as race weekend notably featured a 5K, 10K, half-marathon and its namesake distance.

Gardiner was originally registered to run the 10K before reading in a local newspaper that she would be defending her marathon title. She changed her plans and became the women’s marathon winner in 3:01:44. She swapped events and registered for the marathon ahead of Sunday’s race day and joined Ethiopia’s Teresa Fekensa, who ran 2:43:52, in the winner’s circle. Fekensa, who resides in Toronto, won a marathon in Waterloo, Ont. last month.

Saskatoon’s Brian Michasiw is the only runner to have won more Saskatoon Marathon titles than Gardiner with six to his name. No woman has won more than Gardiner and Michasiw and Gardiner are the only runners with more than three titles in a row.

University of Alberta standout and medical student Danielle Thiel won the half-marathon in 1:23:55. Ruslan Kramariuk of Ukraine was the men’s half-marathon winner in 1:08:31.

According to race organizers, 1,347 school-aged kids ran 2.2K as part of race weekend’s “Marafun program for kids.” Over the previous 10 weeks, the kids ran 4K per week. With the weekend’s 2.2K event, all the mileage together adds up to 42.2K, the distance of a marathon.

As 2017 marks Canada’s 150th anniversary of Confederation, the race made Canada 150-themed race medals, which all finishers collected post-race. Race shirts were also Canada 150-themed.

Saskatoon mayor Charlie Clark was on hand for the races too.

https://twitter.com/charlieclarkyxe/status/868852305084391424

https://twitter.com/charlieclarkyxe/status/868848866719801344

Got a personal best? You had a chance to ring the bell.

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