Posted: January 31, 2004

Athletics: 1,670 Turn Out for Minnesota Life Frozen 5K and Half-Half Marathon

January 2004 (Newstream) -- With a temperature of four degrees and a wind chill of seven below, nearly 1,670 runners, walkers, dogs, and families surged across the starting line in downtown St. Paul Saturday morning for the Minnesota Life Frozen 5K and half-Half Marathon.

The event is a staple of the annual St. Paul Winter Carnival and has been sponsored by Minnesota Life Insurance Company for nine years. Because of the extreme cold, this year's half marathon was halved from 13.3 miles to 6.6 miles. The 5K is 3.1 miles.

"We shortened the half marathon because even though many Minnesotans adapt easily to these conditions, others don't," said Lori Koutsky, Minnesota Life's race committee chairman. "We just want everyone to safely enjoy these events."

The races started simultaneously on the Minnesota Life campus at Sixth and Jackson in St. Paul. The courses headed South from there to the frozen Mississippi, where the runners headed east, turned around at the halfway point, and retraced their steps.

27-year-old Patrick Russell of Duluth finished the quarter marathon first with a time of 33 minutes and 42 seconds. The bearded Russell's face was a mask of ice at the finish, caused by condensation from his heavy breathing. Temperatures in Duluth have been in the deep freeze this week, with lows reaching 50 below zero.

"I think it's about as cold here this morning as it is in Duluth," he gasped.

About 340 marathoners who pre-registered for the race skipped it, for a total of 960 people running the longer course. More than 600 people pre-registered for the 5K and another 100 signed up this morning, for a total of 709.

Members of the Minnehaha Marathon Club made their annual appearance in their 12-man green and yellow caterpillar costume. Others showed up in costume as well, with one woman dressed as a snowlady complete with carrot nose; three women dressed as female superheroines; and another was adorned with spangles and little white lights.

Dave Ryan, weekday morning personality on KDWB-FM, a Winter Carnival sponsor, started the races promptly at 10:45 by sounding an air horn. Most participants crossed the finish line by noon.

Minnesota Life Insurance Company was founded in 1880 and provides financial security for individuals and businesses in the form of insurance, retirement plans and investments. Minnesota Life serves over seven million people with more than $390 billion of life insurance in force and $21 billion in assets under management. Its combined work force of 4,400 employees and representatives is located at its St. Paul headquarters and agencies and offices across the country.