Grandma's Marathon Hall of Fame inductee Elisha Barno wins record fifth title

DULUTH – Age equaled speed Saturday morning as Kenyan Elisha Barno, 37, won a record fifth men's title and first-time marathoner Laura Hagans, 36, claimed the women's championship in the 47th Grandma's Marathon from Two Harbors to Duluth.

The distance running world views late 30s as prime racing years. And who can argue with the spectacular results in Minnesota's oldest marathon along the North Shore?

Barno, the King of Grandma's Marathon, ran a personal best to win in 2 hours, 9 minutes, 14 seconds, the second-fastest time in race history. After entering the race's Hall of Fame on Friday, he outdueled training partner, defending champion and course-record holder Dominic Ondoro, who was second in 2:09:59. Ondoro, 35, now has three of the top four men's times in race history.

"I had some [leg] injuries last November, and I started to think, 'Is this the end of my career?'" said Barno, who won four straight Grandma's titles from 2015 to '18. "I'm surprised at my time, but not surprised to win. It's about believing in yourself. It's about training, and nutrition, and running without stress.

"My age isn't important. Look at [world-record holder and two-time Olympic gold medalist] Eliud Kipchoge. He's 38."

Barno, who trains in the towns of Eldoret and Iten, earned $12,500, including $2,500 for finishing sub-2:10. Ondoro, with the course mark of 2:09:06 in 2014, earned $10,000. Panuel Mkungo, 29, in his first marathon, was third in 2:10:20, making it a Kenyan sweep, and earned $,7000.

It was 59 degrees and calm, with some sun, at the Canal Park finish, nearly ideal weather. Barno broke away from Ondoro during Mile 23 on a London Road downhill heading toward downtown Duluth.

"I had some blisters on my left foot, and it was painful, but I don't blame that. This is just what happens," said Ondoro, the Twin Cities Marathon course-record holder, who has won that race four times. "I was feeling good, and the weather was perfect."

East African men have won 23 of the past 26 Grandma's titles, including the past 13 in a row. Dan Docherty, 33, of St. Paul was 49th in 2:21:44 as the top Minnesotan.

Hagans, from Flagstaff, Ariz., wasn't concerned about her age or marathon debut. She has competed for years and says she's a veteran road racer, and she showed grit in overtaking two-time defending women's champion Dakotah Lindwurm of Hopkins to win in 2:25:55, the fourth-fastest time in race history. Lindwurm, 28, was second in 2:26:56, tied for sixth-fastest.

"Yes, I was anxious, but I made a commitment to this race. My plan was to be patient, to be conservative," said Hagans, who has a half marathon best of 1:09:46 and is a NAZ Elite team member with Grandma's record holder Kellyn Taylor. "I started to click off 5:30 miles and kept gaining on Dakotah. I could see her the whole way."

Lindwurm, with Minnesota Distance Elite, led for more than 20 miles before hearing Hagans' footsteps.

"If you had asked me before the race, I would've said Lauren was my biggest competitor," said Lindwurm, who ran 2:25:01 a year ago. "I've been in races with her; I know how good she is, and women runners are strong in their late 30s. She's in the prime of her life.

"In some ways this was a better race for me than last year. It's hard to be sad about second place."

Hagans earned $20,000, including $10,000 for going sub-2:28. Lindwurm made $15,000, and Gabriella Rooker, 35, of Minneapolis, a three-time NCAA Division III gymnastics champion at Wisconsin-La Crosse, was third in 2:27:38 to make $12,500.

American women have won five consecutive Grandma's titles.

A field of 6,900 started the race.