Jump to: Part I

City of Lakes Marathon 1982-1997: A Historical Retrospective
(Originally published by RunMinnesota, November/December of 2003)

Written by Jeff Winter

In a previous article written for RunMinnesota, the writer traced an outline as to how the City of Lakes Marathon came to be, in 1977, and how it came to end in 1981 preceding the inaugural running of the Twin Cities Marathon, in 1982. With this article as  background, I will now recount my recollections as to the creation of the City of Lakes 25K which rose like a phoenix from the ashes of the City of Lakes Marathon. I will guide the reader through the evolution of the race from its startup, in 1982, through its development into one of the top ranked regional/national 25K events in the U.S., from the mid-eighties through the mid-nineties.

In spring of 1982, with the advent of the Twin Cities Marathon concept the entities known as City of Lakes Marathon and St. Paul Marathon were dismantled. The writer, who directed the City of  Lakes Marathon, knew that the two lakes course was popular with runners. He surmised that if the fourth loop lapping could be eliminated the two lake course already formatted had great potential as a middle distance race for up to 1400 runners. Doing some preliminary computations, we discovered the 6.8-mile loop could lend itself well to either a half marathon or the 25K distance. Concept in hand, the idea was presented to the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) with whom I now had a seven year working relationship. The Park and Recreation Board indicated interest in producing a COL middle distance event. Checking with the ’81 event sponsors Schuler Shoes and Nike they too agreed to be a part of the new event. I next approached the Minnesota Distance Running Association (MDRA) board with the idea in the spring of 1982. By now, the proposed Twin Cites Marathon planning effort was gaining momentum and had been bolstered by the addition of WCCO Radio as a media sponsor. Seeing this momentum, the MDRA was focused on negotiating with Jack Moran and the marathon for some inclusion in the new marathon organization structure. In 1982, some ill feeling had been created by the MPRB with the running community as they had just announced a $.50 per runner event fee, for the use of the parkway road system by running events. Thus, the MDRA indicated it was not interested in continuing as a partner in coordinating the proposed new City of Lakes middle distance race. They did offer to help staff the race with volunteers in effect becoming a contributing sponsor. The organization’s board approved this approach. Thus, Winter gave a percentage of the existing COL race operating funds, to the MDRA. This in effect bought out MDRA’s interest in the event. The writer and the Park Board went off to produce the proposed new event. In retrospect, the MDRA lost control of what was to become another popular fall event. MDRA’s main link to the race became the close relationship the author retained with the organization he had presided over for four years and for which he continued to serve on their board and race committee. As we will see that relationship was instrumental in MDRA’s regaining control of the race when, after twenty plus years, Winter opted to move on.

A brief digression here will clarify how the distance of the race became 25K (15 miles, 940 yards). The author’s first experience with running this uncommon distance came in 1974, at a 25K event run in Rochester, MN produced by the Rochester Track Club and directed by Jay Lucas. A testing event run over hills, it proved to be a great middle distance test that provided much more of the flavor of the endurance required by the marathon then did a half marathon. While a testing distance, I noticed my legs seemed to recover from that effort in about three days time. In my training experience, a 25K run hard provided all of the benefits of a twenty-mile run and more. More importantly, the distance provides a worthy challenge of its own. In 1975, I went to Buhl, MN to run in a 25K AAU Championship race organized there by Jim Randall, on the 4^th of July weekend. In May of 1978, I had the occasion to run the Old Kent River Bank Run 25K in Grand Rapids, Michigan for the first time. It was the country’s largest 25K and Western Michigan’s premier distance event. The event had a field of 2500 runners and significant sponsor involvement and was a first class production. As a race management person, I thought at that time that it would be interesting to make a similar middle distance event available to Minnesota runners.

In November of 1978, one 25K opportunity appeared. The site was the hilly section south and west of Hopkins that hosts the MDRA’s Hopkins Seven Mile. Having run that race several times and having trained in that same area; I saw there the potential for a 25K spring race to be run over those hills similar in concept to the spring Rochester 25K  which was no longer being run. Doing some measurements disclosed that the 25K distance could be run using basically the same course logistics as those used by the Hopkins Seven Mile. A check with Cross of Glory Baptist Church provided first-rate staging facilities. In March of 1979, the MDRA 25K was born as a hilly, no frills, early spring training test with me directing the race. That race (now renamed as the Ron Daws 25K) is still extant and marks its 28^th running in April of 2007.

Thus, one can see there was a background and affinity toward the 25K distance as the writer approached the creation of a new, fall, middle distance event-despite the fact that a  half marathon distance might be more easily marketed. Assisted by the MDRA’s Rick Recker, additional course measurement disclosed that continuing to use the Lake Harriet Bandshell as the event finish point would require two plus loops of the existing Calhoun/Harriet course to get to the certified 25K distance. Measuring from the finish, 25 K placed the start at the southeast corner of Lake Harriet at a point somewhat isolated from nearby residential housing. That worked well logistically. The 25K distance was adopted and the continuance of the COL race was formally announced.

Race calendar positioning of the race was key in my mind. It was designed, in part, to provide a serious middle-distance test for those seeking to run Twin Cities or other fall marathons. Seeking to take advantage of optimal October fall color and weather, the Twin Cities Marathon had opted for and early October date. The 25K chose, therefore, to be run on the first Sunday, in September, after Labor Day weekend. Thus, runners would have approximately three-four weeks to recover ahead of the marathon.

The COL 25K race organization was unique. Administration and expenses were kept minimal. The Park and Recreation Board provided use of the facility and traffic control to the event. They also took in registration forms at their office. Winter handled the race management and promotion logistics out of his home office. Many experienced City of Lakes Marathon personnel such as Greg Winter, Bob Trainor, Harry Phillips and others who had served in marathon race day leadership roles followed over to manage the new race. Logistics and costs were kept minimal. This allowed the race to provide the runners with a first-class race experience, on a great facility, for a minimal race entry fee.

Instead of the ubiquitous race T-shirt, the new event opted to provide each race finisher a 12-14 ounce, clear glass, race mug. That mug bore the by circular City of Lakes logo and was dated for each year. The mug varied colors slightly each year allowing repeat finishers to create a collection of keepsake mugs/steins that were also usable in every day life. They were well received by the runners.

The initial race, though announced only in May/June of ’82, drew a field drew close to 1000. The middle distance event was well received by the running community and proved to be well suited to the course. Within three years, a limit of 1250-1300 was again placed on the field. By the mid-eighties, the race had become a fall fixture on the Minnesota running calendar. Over the years funding sponsorship included Nike/Schuler Shoes, Reebok, and Northwest Racquet, Swim and Health Clubs.

The most stable and significant support was provided by the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board, which provided the two-lake course and provided policing and shutting down of the roads around the lakes to the race for free.  MDRA provided volunteers to the race and the use of their race equipment as support. Great Harvest Bread Co. provided cookies for each of the finishers and volunteers. Given the support and the simplicity with which the race was run, major sponsor funding was not required for the race. This provided a freedom of action and planning with which few major races are blessed.

Winter began to increase awareness of the COL event. By advertising the race in nation running magazines and publishing the existence of prize money; visibility for the race was raised. In addition, the 25K course proved to be conducive to fast times. Each year it began to provide a number of fast open and masters times to the national running archives, which also served to raise the visibility of the race nationally. By 1985-6, seeded runners bound for the Twin Cites Marathon began to see this as a great way to get a test for that race and an opportunity to visit the Twin Cities and the TCM course a month ahead of the race. Runners from Colorado and New Mexico began to seek entry into the race and some travel money. The 25K was able to provide them. The zenith of this effort was Marty Froelick’s win at the 25K, in 1986, where he ran 1:16:08, which still remains the COL 25K male course record. Froelick, from Colorado Springs, CO went on to win the ’97 COL 25K and the Twin Cities Marathon. Over time, Janice Ettle, Janis Klecker, Jane Welzel, Marie Boyd, Froelick, Joseph Nzau, and Peter Maher all won the race. The nineties saw the arrival of young, Kenyan seeded runners to the 25K event mirroring their growing dominance of the sport of long distance running. Of historical note, Oprah Winfrey learned of the race and came up from Chicago to run the event ahead of running the Chicago Marathon. This created quite a stir in the local media. Thus, it was that Winter’s late seventies goal of bringing a high quality, nationally visible, middle distance event to Minnesota was reached.

However, by the mid-nineties, things were changing for the race director and for the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board. In early 1996, Winter let the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board know the he was considering moving on due to changing personal responsibilties. Palmer advised Winter that the Park Board was also arriving at a point where they were less interested in sponsoring the race. In late 1995, Winter, was now serving as a member of the MDRA’s race committee. Winter advised that committee he was looking at moving on and wanted to know if the MDRA would be interested in taking over a more active role in producing and managing the race. They indicated they were interested in that role. Winter agreed to work the 1996 race co-directing with someone designated by the MDRA to see if he felt comfortable a transition could be made and the continuity of the race ensured.

With the completion of the 1996 event, the MPRB advised Winter that they had formally decided to discontinue their sponsorship of the 25K event. Winter and Palmer met with the MDRA Board in the spring of 1997. Palmer advised the board his organization was discontinuing their relationship with the race. From this point on the race would pay for permits, police and barricades, and runner fees like any other race. To assist with a transition, MPRB offered to leave their equity portion of the COL race operations account to the MDRA. Winter covered a brief history of the race, which had been provided to the Board and said he felt comfortable relinquishing the race to the MDRA.