Inaugural Madison Marathon A Success

The inaugural run of The Madison Marathon, billed as the highest marathon in the Greater Northwest, was successfully completed on Sunday, August 31, 2008. A total of 33 runners braved high winds and very high altitudes to participate and complete the marathon held along the spine of the Gravelly Range on the Beaverhead Deerlodge National Forest. The runners started at Clover Meadows Campground which is at an elevation of 8,550 feet above sea level. The race course topped out at nearly 9,600 feet as it neared the peak of Black Butte Mountain.

The winner of the men’s marathon was Andy Pilskalns of Bozeman who has competed in 19 Bridger Ridge Runs in a row. The winner of the women’s marathon was Kathy Wilkinson who has competed in 55 marathons around the nation. The winner of the men’s half marathon was Aubrey Curtis from Great Falls. The winner of the women’s half marathon was Demaris Taylor from Helena. Nearly all the runners said the wind, as much or even more than the elevation, made the race a tough challenge. The course was an out-and-back run with runners going straight into the wind on the first half of their runs and then returning with a good tail wind at their backs.

“We had a great turn out for this inaugural run,” said Sam Korsmoe, race director and executive director of the Madison County Economic Development Council. The Council organized the race and worked closely with the U.S. National Forest Service in Ennis to make it all happen. “I was very happy that so many runners were so excited to run in this event. I especially want to thank the volunteers who helped make this run a success and Gene Hardin from the Forest Service Office in Ennis. We could not have completed this race without their help,” Korsmoe added.

Volunteers from Ennis manned water and food stations and cheered the runners on. The Madison County Sheriff’s department also had a deputy riding along the course to help out as needed and report back to the staging area how the runners were doing.

”This was a great run. I am definitely going to come back next year,” said Half Marathon champion Aubrey Curtis from Great Falls. Nearly all the runners loved the route and the views along the Gravelly Range. For the Madison County Economic Development Council, the event achieved another important goal. Nearly all the runners said they would come back. Thus, the event is certain to become a destination run for marathoners all across the nation.

“My goal is that in five years time The Madison will be a ‘must do’ marathon for professional runners because they will need a high elevation run as part of their training regime,” said Korsmoe. “I believe that in less than 10 years we will have a contingent of Kenyan runners who show up every year before they go to the New York City marathon in November.”

Final race results, information on next year’s race, and the chance to purchase inaugural race t-shirts can be found at The Council’s website at www.madcoedc.org or by calling 682-5923 or 682-5907.

The Madison
A Marathon on Top of Montana

Final Race Results

Champions

Runners-up

Jim Bricker (Big Sky, Montana)	Toni Broadbent (Helena, Montana)

HALF MARATHON

Champions

Men’s Division	Women’s Division
Aubrey Curtis (Great Falls, Montana)	Demaris Taylor (Helena, Montana)

Runners-up

Michael McCarthy (West Chester, Pennsylvania)	Diane Horne (Bozeman, Montana)

TEAM MARATHON

Champions

Nicole Hunt, Ray Hunt, Marvin Speece, Amber Wood-Jensen

Runners-up

Cori Koenig, Curtis Koenig, Robin Blazer, Lisa Roberts

OFFICIAL TIMES

Full Marathon

1. Andy Pilskalns – 4hr. 52.59
2. Jim Bricker – 5hr. 1.26
3. Kathy Wilkinson – 5hr. 4.27
4. Martin Miller – 5hr. 25.17
5. Toni Broadbent – 5hr. 49.34
6. Mary Ritz – 6hr. 29.25

Half Marathon

1. Aubrey Curtis – 1hr. 44.42
2. Michael McCarthy – 1hr. 57.28
3. Alex Diekmann – 1hr. 59.10
4. Cory Hardy – 2hr. 2.26
5. Demaris Taylor – 2hr. 3.00 (First Female Finisher)
6. Diane Horne – 2hr. 5.16
7. Mike England – 2hr. 7.35
8. Willie Blazer – 2hr. 9.00
9. Lisa Diekmann – 2hr. 16.37
10. Sus Bristow – 2hr. 21.14
11. Erik Horn – 2hr. 26.35
12. Savannah Powers – 2hr. 28.14
13. Erik Heikes – 2hr. 29.24
14. Cindy Powers – 2hr. 30.50
15. Bill Harrington – 2hr. 39.05
16. Steve Rumley – 2hr. 40.00
17. John Knapton – 2hr. 48.04
18. Sunni Knapton – 2hr. 54.12
19. Marty Sharp – 3hr. 45.30

Team Marathon

1. Team of Nicole Hunt, Ray Hunt, Marvin Speece, and Amber Wood-Jensen – 3hr. 36.35
2. Team of Cori Koenig, Curtis Coenig, Robin Blazer, and Lisa Roberts – 5hr. 14.19