Joe Reichow brings the Grandma’s Marathon title back to Minnesota
After 16 years, Minnesota has a champion in Grandma’s Marathon. Joel Reichow of St. Paul crossed the finish line with an unofficial time of 2:11:58. Joel is the first Minnesotan to win since Chris Raabe in 2009.
Reichow got his first win in Duluth in 2023 when he won the Men’s Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon. He is the first Minnesotan to have won both the full and half races of Grandma’s Marathon.
Joel says he went into today’s race with the goal to make history of being the first Minnesotan to win a title in both races.
“I went in, wanted to be the first person to win both, and just set my eyes on it,” he said. “(I) tried to stay patient, stay smooth, and it paid off. I can’t believe it.”
Joel said there was a lot of surging going on with the other runners. “Honestly, the whole time I just had to stay tough. They kept kind of surging on me, and I didn’t want to let the pace swing too much for myself, so I just had to trust myself and just say, hey, I’m going to get them back. Just let them go, reel them back in.”
But he kept his stride as steady as possible while in the mix of elite runners.
“There was probably eight or so people with faster PRs than me, so just kind of trying to let them do some of the work and stay patient,” he said.
That patience paid off.
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Joel ran in the 2024 Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon, finishing just off the podium in fourth place.
Sammy Rotich of Minneapolis finished second with a time of 2:12:44.
Mackenzie Myran, 12, won the William A. Irvin 5K. She posed with Dakotah Popehn after the race. Videographer Glenn Kellahan and Sports Reporter Spencer Pierce laugh it up at the finish line. A scenic view behind the runners. Spectators and runners Spectators and runners Our crew – Alicia Tipcke, Kara Goucher and Carrie Tollefson provide all the commentary on this year’s Grandma’s Marathon. Runner. Dakotah Popehn heads to the finish. A strong finish. Runners and spectators head to the finish line, as a ship come in. Very Focused. Running in the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon. Runners with a scenic view on Canal Park Drive. Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon finishers taking a much needed break. Our crew – Alicia Tipcke, Kara Goucher and Carrie Tollefson provide all the commentary on this year’s Grandma’s Marathon. Dakotah Popehn out on the course, behind the DECC. Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon runners at the finish line. Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon runners at the finish line. Cheering on friends. From a Gallaxy Far Far Away… Brave Like Gabe rivals, Shannon Savoia and Steve Moe stopped for a photo op with Spencer Pierce. And Grandma stopped to say hello too.
