Connecting the Twins Twin Cities Marathon, USA
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Connecting the twins Twin Cities Marathon, USA. 2 October 2005 By Sergey Porada and and Sinclair Lewis, the first At 06.45 on race day the Interfaith banks of Mississippi, which Yelena Kurdyumova American to win the Nobel Prize Worship Service for the earned the race the title “Most for Literature, lived in Minnesota marathoners started in the Beautiful Urban Marathon in Minneapolis and St. Paul are at different times. Today, with a Lutheran Church of Minneapolis. America.” There are 12,000 lakes cities both connected and combined population of 2.9 For many athletes it was a good in Minnesota, and the name million, the Twin Cities form the way to deal with the challenge means “sky blue waters” in the divided by that great natural ahead. By 08.00 excited runners language of Indians from the symbol of the American 15th largest metropolitan area in the United States and their world- gathered at the start line in Dacota tribe. nation, the Mississippi River. Minneapolis, near the Metrodome famous “Mall of America,” is the Locals just call it “The River”. Stadium. Some were equipped At dawn, an hour earlier than the largest in the US. On any given with headphones and water packs, marathon, 4,500 participants set off There is friendly rivalry day, but perhaps especially on between the Twins, going back some dressed in Batman in from the Metrodome in the Marathon day, you find visitors costumes and pumpkin suits, opposite direction, in a 10-mile to the 19th century when each there from all 50 states and nearly wearing frog hats, bird masks and race which took “A Short Cut to the city padded the 1890 census every corner of the world. butterfly wings. Capitol”. After three miles it runs report in an attempt to be into the marathon course and bigger than the other. But the The Twin Cities Marathon has Bands and individual musicians brings runners to the joint finish Twin Cities Marathon become a festive weekend, lined the course and entire line between the State Capitol and undoubtedly draws the rivals catering to people of all ages and families came to spectate and St. Paul’s Cathedral. The cheer on the runners. The country- Renaissance-style Cathedral is together in a common cause. abilities. On the Saturday a 5km race and several shorter runs were blues tune “Everybody Looks situated on the highest point in For the 15th year in a row the held alongside a relay race Good at the Starting Line,” blared town and dominates the St Paul Twin Cities Marathon hosted featuring popular area mascots. out. At 40km the St. Catherine skyline. Once runners pass this the US Marathon Various entertainers and Choral Society sang a doctored point it is all downhill to the finish. Championships and the US exhibitions from the Minnesota version of Handel’s Messiah, The 10-mile race has been growing cheering weary runners with: “But in popularity over its seven-year Transportation Museum and St. Masters’ Marathon you won’t run forever and e-ver... history, especially among women Championships. Paul Fire Department kept Halle-lu-yah, Halle-lu-yah.” who make up 61% of the field. everyone engaged. There were In 1860-1900 immigrants from free tours of the State Capitol, Almost half of the marathon This 24th running attracted a Sweden, Norway, Denmark and which celebrates its centennial course runs along the shores of record 10,500 runners from 23 northern Germany poured in to this year. Its extraordinary dome several beautiful lakes and the countries and all 50 US states. settle the Minnesota Territory. St echoes both the US Capitol in Paul became the capital of Washington, DC, and St. Peter’s in Minnesota State in 1858. Rome. The dome is smaller, but Minneapolis has emerged as the like St. Peter’s it has stone ribs, more ‘modern’ of the twins, by deeply pierced windows on its razing most of its old buildings. surface, and a drum with pairs of The Downtown area contains columns separated by window many striking contemporary openings (see picture below). The buildings designed by leading Capitol’s interior is one of the architects. St Paul has more of a grandest monuments of the preservationist instinct, with many “American Renaissance,” that era restored 19th- and early 20th- of classical elegance at the turn of century buildings. Scott Fitzgerald the 20th century. Photographs courtesy Photographs of Paul Phillips. DISTANCE RUNNING January – March 2006 13 Result MEN 1 Mbarak HUSSEIN USA 2:18:28 2 Ben ROSARIO USA 2:20:43 3 Wynston ALBERTS USA 2:21:42 4 David ERNSBERGER USA 2:22:05 5 Brantley LUTZ USA 2:22:34 6Brandon LESLIE USA 2:22:54 The first of them was Mbarak five miles. She also finished in Commitment to the race, from 7 Mark PILJA USA 2:22:56 Hussein, 40, a naturalized US the second slowest ever winning both cities, is clear and 8 Michael LITTLE USA 2:23:00 citizen originally from Kenya. time. Both winners became first- exemplified by the 75 Charter 9 Chris LUNDSTROM USA 2:24:04 The warm, sticky humidity and time US champions and Club members from different 10 Michael RENEAU USA 2:24:12 windy conditions kept him to a qualified for the 2008 US parts of the state and the WOMEN slow 5:20 pace at the head of a Olympic trials along with country who completed their 1 Nicole AISH USA 2:40:21 large lead pack. Leaving behind another three men and twelve 24th consecutive Twin Cities 2 Zika PALMER USA 2:41:06 the skyscrapers of downtown women finishers. Marathon. They are already 3 Susan LOKEN USA 2:43:10 4 Nicole HUNT USA 2:43:25 Minneapolis, and the scenic looking forward to their 25th anniversary race. 5 Johanna OLSON USA 2:44:09 neighborhood of five lakes, the American marathon icon, 48-year 6Christy NIELSEN USA 2:45:19 lead pack thinned out to a group old Joan Benoit Samuelson, 1984 7 Jennifer DEREGO USA 2:45:22 of eight at the half-way point at Olympic Gold Medalist, was 8 Jill BOAZ USA 2:45:34 Lake Nocomis, and passed second master and 11th overall 9 Sopagna EAP USA 2:45:57 through in 1:08:27. Crossing the in the women’s race with 2:46:27. 10 Mary Kate BAILEY USA 2:46:03 Mississippi in the 20th mile, “My last goal is to run a sub-2:50 Hussein, the younger brother of (at the trials) when I’m 50.” she three-time Boston Marathon said. winner Ibrahim, pulled away from James Carney and Brandon In January, Minnesota Governor Leslie. Despite the slow pace Tim Pawlenty declared 2005 as over the next two miles (5:40), “The Year of Fitness in Hussein’s advantage grew to Minnesota.” “We want 2005 to be 300m. He went on to win in the a year when Minnesotans make second slowest winning time the personal choice to give ever, but well ahead. fitness a higher priority in their lives. Marathons and other fun Nicole Aish, a marathon family activities are a great way debutant from Colorado, to stay fit together,” he said. He remained the sole leader finished in 3:43:34, and First throughout the women’s race. By Lady Mary Pawlenty in 5:05:08, halfway she was 3.5 minutes among 7765 marathon finishers. ahead of her nearest rival and by 18 miles had increased this to 5 Minnesota runners Moses minutes. Her early pace had Waweru (51:12) and Katie consequences, and leg cramps Mcgregor (55:11) led home 4090 made Aish stop twice in the last finishers in the 10 mile race. DISTANCE RUNNING January – March 2006 15.