Saint Fennessy 4K Sets Registration Record With 858 Runners in Hermantown

Squeezed between two snowstorms, the 13th annual Saint Fennessy 4K drew a record 858 registered runners to Skyline Social and Games in Hermantown on Saturday, March 14, kicking off the spring racing season three days before St. Patrick's Day with green costumes, gift card competitions, and the fastest field the event has seen.

John Curley, 33, of Duluth claimed his third straight Saint Fennessy 4K title, crossing the finish line in 12:12, one second faster than his personal best, and doing so on his birthday. Joey Gustafson finished as the men's runner-up in 13:08, just under a minute behind Curley. On the women's side, Elizabeth Kyes of Duluth, a former University of Minnesota Duluth cross country and track and field runner, won her first Saint Fennessy title with a time of 15:09, finishing more than a minute ahead of runner-up Cassie Wirth.

Curley, who more typically races at marathon distances, acknowledged the shift in gears. "I'm usually a marathon guy so I'm running a tenth of a distance today. So it's a lot of different racing atmosphere but you got to get out there quick and just just over fast," he said.

Of the 858 registrants, 321 were ages 18 and under, a demographic the event actively courts: registration was free for anyone 18 and younger, while adults paid $40. The 4K, a course of about two and a half miles that the top runners cover in roughly 12 minutes, drew 645 finishers. An additional 48 runners completed the 2K. Registration numbers were provided by Grandma's Marathon marketing and public relations director Zach Schneder.

Race director Greg Haapla pointed to the event's community spirit as its defining feature. "Probably the best about this race is the costumes, of course, with the St. Patrick's Day theme, the fun on everyone's face. It's not an overly competitive race. Some people are out here to run fast and have fun in that way, and others are just here to celebrate with their community," Haapla said.

St. Patrick's Day falling on a Tuesday this year didn't dampen Saturday's enthusiasm. Runners arrived in leprechaun suits and shamrock gear to compete in costume contests awarding gift cards in three categories: best overall, best group, and best kids.

The race is part of the Young Athletes Foundation event series and the KP Challenge with Grandma's Marathon, and its name carries meaning beyond the theme. "The event itself is named after Don Fennessey, a long-time board member of Grandma's Marathon and supporter of all of our events and it just highlights youth and family and community fitness," Haapla added.

One participant summed up the day's fortune simply: "It was a fun day out there obviously squeezing between two storms so I'm glad we had a nice day for the race." Full results from the event are available at the mtec website.