Ron Abrahamson

John Aronson

Tim Bowman

Jim D’Aurora

Charles Fazio

   Chief Medical Officer, Medica
Scott Fogelson
    Insurance and Financial Services Agent, Farmers Insurance

Bryan Fuhr
    Business Owner, Red Wing Technologies, Inc., Healthsense, Inc.
Tavis Hudson
    UC Sales Specialist, Convergent Solutions

Ron Kaliebe

Julie McDaniel

    Director, New Business, John Ryan Performance, Inc.
Amy Ronneberg
    Vice President Finance, Corporate Controller, Capella University

Scott Ross

Sue Skelton

Mike Staloch

   Senior Vice President, Corporate Banking, US Bancorp.
Mary O’Neill
    Account Manager, Hubbard Broadcasting

---

Twin Cities Marathon Race History
Established as The Most Beautiful Urban Marathon in America® the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon is a fall icon in the Minneapolis/Saint Paul communities. The marathon has its roots in both cities.

The Minnesota Distance Running Association created its earliest ancestor, called the Land of Lakes Marathon, in 1963. Spectators outnumbered runners that year as five male participants started on the 26.2 mile trek through the Minneapolis streets and parkways. The first place finisher, Ron Daws, represented the USA a few years later at the Mexico City Olympics Marathon.

The race was renamed City of Lakes in 1976 and moved to a four-lap course around Lake Calhoun and Lake Harriet. By 1981, the running boom became evident as it took just a month to fill its limit of 1,700 runners.

In the same year, St. Paul held its own marathon, the St. Paul Marathon, which followed a course around the city. The race was very successful as it attracted approximately 2,000 runners.

In 1982, organizers from both marathons combined efforts to establish the Twin Cities Marathon. Race officials realized that a marathon that connected Minneapolis to St. Paul, combining the spectacular autumn beauty of both cities, would be a much greater attraction than two competing marathons on both sides of the Mississippi River. That year, the race attracted 4,563 entrants, which was an American record for a "first-time" race.

To date, 161,300 finishers have completed the 26.2-mile course for a total of 4,226,060 miles! The marathon now sells out at 11,000 registered participants with more than 8,500 finishing the race in 2009.

The marathon has expanded to a full weekend of events providing opportunities for individuals of all ages and abilities. In 1986, the 5K and kids Half Mile were added on Saturday of race weekend, creating the first opportunity for marathoners’ spouses, friends, family and other fitness enthusiasts to participate in the weekend. In addition to the 5K and Half Mile, Saturday now features a Mile race, a Toddler Trot and Diaper Dash for the younger kids and a Family Activity Tent for everybody. In 2009, a 10K race was added to the lineup and now more than 6,000 people participate in the Saturday Events.

The ten-mile race, added in 1999 as a companion event on Sunday, has grown to more than 7,000 registered runners and 6,000 finishers. Due to its success, the Medtronic TC 10 Mile uses a lottery entry system and is one of the most popular races in Minnesota.

In 2005, an “off-season” event was added in the spring. Dubbed the TC 1 Mile (now Medtronic TC 1 Mile), the race was held in conjunction with Registration Kickoff for the marathon and nearly 400 people registered to run the inaugural race. In 2009, the race grew to more than 2,800 registered runners and taking the one mile trek through the heart of downtown Minneapolis on Nicollet Mall.  Also in 2009, the race served as the Inaugural USA 1 Mile Road Championships and will continue as the host race through 2012.

In 2006, an exciting new partnership was forged when Medtronic, a medical device company headquartered in the Twin Cities, became the title sponsor of the Marathon, the 10 Mile, the 1 Mile, and Saturday Events. Medtronic and Twin Cities Marathon, Inc. hold a shared vision of conducting long-term community outreach efforts to promote exercise, wellness and healthy lifestyles.
Because of the partnership with Medtronic, the kids program grew into a year-round, online training program that concluded each season with an event.

In May, 2007, the Como Park cross-country kids mile and half-mile were added. Rounding out the year, which already included the Family Events on Saturday of race weekend, is the University of Minnesota Field House Track Event which had its inaugural run in February 2008.

In October, 2008, there were 7,979 finishers in the 27th annual Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon, moving the event into the 9th largest spot in terms of marathon finishers in the nation. With an emotional finish, Fernando Cabada took first place in the USA Men’s Marathon Championship, followed by Team USA Minnesota’s Matt Gabrielson in second.

2009 was a year of explosive growth. With the second annual Medtronic TC Kids Marathon Indoor Fun Run at the University of Minnesota Field House kicking things off in February, the organization was well underway to pursuing its mission to bring greater fitness opportunities to the Twin Cities community. Celebrating the 5th annual Medtronic TC 1 Mile, the inaugural USA 1 Mile Road Championships took place on May 7, where the 4:00 mile was broken on the road for the first time in Minnesota by Californian David Torrence (3:59.3). Kids and families came from around the state to take part in the 3rd annual Medtronic TC Kids Marathon Como Park Fun Run later that month.

The organization grew globally as it joined the social networking world with a page on Face Book and followers on Twitter in late Spring, and celebrated the inaugural National Running Day on June 3rd with six free running events around the metro area of Minnesota, in conjunction with those held across the country.

Marathon weekend featured the new TC 10K on Saturday, with 1,220 finishers. The TC 5K and Medtronic TC Family Events were the most well-attended events on Saturday to date, 22 years after the first TC 5K running. On Sunday, October 4, the USA Women’s Marathon Championship brought one of the most competitive fields together to witness a back and forth lead between first place finisher Ilsa Paulson (20) who battled throughout the course against second place finisher(and first place USA Women’s Masters Champion) Colleen De Reuck, 25 years Paulson’s senior. In the men’s field, a stunning choice to run back to pick up a dropped fluids bottle still managed to pull a win for Jason Hartmann, who picked up first place in the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon in 2:12:09.

In the USA Men’s 10 Mile Championship, a battle over first set the mood between Olympian Abdi Abdirahman and Team USA Minnesota runner Josh Moen. Abdirahman pulled ahead for the win with only three seconds to spare, finishing in 46:35. Perfect temps at the start, meant a great day for 5,798 finishers in the Medtronic TC 10 Mile and the 8,475 marathon runners and wheelers.

After race weekend was over, the year continued to build. Twin Cities Marathon, Inc., the non-profit organization that hosts the marathon and related events, evolved into a new organization, now called Twin Cities In Motion. From there, the inaugural Red, White & Boom! TC Half Marathon was set for July 4, 2010. And following these exciting announcements, the organization purchased the Valentine’s Day TC 5K and the 100% Irish for A Day TC 5K and TC 10 Mile and will officially host these events beginning 2010. 

---

Charter Club

These runners have completed all 28 Medtronic Twin Cities Marathons to date:

Paul Arbisi	Jerry Heaps	Tom Mortl
Jim Baillargeon	Thomas Huberty	John Naslund
Richard Bailly	Steven Illg	Edward Rousseau
Daryl Blakeborough	Steven Jackson	Antonio Salinas
Dick Bouchee	David Johnson	Jon Schaeffer
Lisa Boulay	Rob Johnson	Joe Schletty
Rod Brostrom	Tim Kennedy	Richard Schmidt
Steven Carr	Scott Knight	Jim Simonet
Mary Croft	Tom Konardy	Jim Simons
Wayne Drealan	Dean Laiti	Bob Stavig
Dave Eckstrom	Annette Luduc	John Tantzen
Greg Envey	Robert Mack	John Thatcher
William Falardeau	Timothy McCoy	Robert Tierney
David Gontarek	Larry McNichols	Timothy Zoerb
Ross Hamernik	Sharon Mordorski