Above: Tyler Kjorstad, left, and Joey Chmelik show off the mud they collected on their backsides during the Tofte Trek 10K. Guess which runner has a higher back kick? Left: Greg Fangel (wearing cap and sunglasses) shakes Jan Horak’s hand and presents Jan with a wooden plaque commemorating Jan’s 40 years of dedication to the race Jan founded. Staff photos/Brian Larsen
Before any of the 156 runners were sent out to race the hilly, windy, wooded, Tofte trails Greg Fangel, co-founder, past president, and board member of the Sugarbush Trail Association, introduced Jan Horak to the crowd as the founder of the Tofte Trek 10k run/walk race.
A humble Jan Horak accepted the kind words from Fangel and the commemorative award he was given.
Forty years ago Jan called on a few friends to help him set up a fun Fourth of July trail race through the often muddy trails that spider web through the forest near the Birch Grove Community School where the race starts and ends. Today the race has grown into a can’t miss runner/fan favorite event.
Last year’s winner Joe Klecker didn’t return to defend his title. This past winter Joe, representing the University of Colorado, took second and then third place at the D1 indoor national championships, garnering All-America honors in the 3,000 meters and in the 5,000 meters for Colorado University.
With Klecker out, the race was wide open.
Before the runners toed the line, there was a raft of kids’ competitions that traveled as little as 40 yards to as long as one mile, depending on their ages and ability to handle a longer run.
Just like 40 years ago, Jan started the events. After the kids had run Tina Hegg interrupted her warm-up for the 10K by singing the national anthem, giving a stunning rendition of the song.
Men: 10k finishers
Tyler Kjorstad, Duluth, was the first runner across the line in the 10K, finishing in 39:47.2, a 6:24 per mile pace.
Grand Marais runner Joey Chmelik was a close second, finishing in 40:11.9.
Will Surbaugh, Grand Marais, placed fifth in 41:41.6. Two Grand Marais runners, Brandon Law placed 20th in 52:06 and Dylan Dragswik finished 21st in 53:09.
Tristen Surbaugh, younger brother of Will, placed 24th in 54:45. Josh Lindstrom, Grand Marais, finished 38th in 58:06. Jeff Stoddard, Grand Marais placed 45th in 1:02:34.
Bill Simonowicz, Grand Marais, took 52nd in 1:06:21.
Stephen Surbaugh, father of both Will and Tristen, placed 64th in 1:17:24.
Erik Brunsvold, Tofte, finished 72nd in 1:26:47 and Kaj Erickson, Grand Marais, was the 77th runner, crossing the line in 1:39:55.
Women: 10K finishers
Kaelyn Williams, Golden Valley, was the first woman finisher, taking first place with a time of 46:46. She averaged 7:31 mile pace for the 6.2-mile race.
Lutsen’s Malin Andersen led local finishers with a fourth-place finish and a time of 54:28. Sarah Law, Grand Marais, placed 7th in 57:08 and Carly Puch, Grand Marais, finished 9th in 57:58.
Sara Taylor, Lutsen, was 13th in 59:56 and Louise Ramberg, Grand Marais was 14th in 1:01:59. Alisa Berns, Grand Marais placed 16th in 1:03:4.
Tofte’s Hannah Hoaglund took 21st in 1:08:17. Molly Hicken, Lutsen, placed 22nd in 1:08:21, Cecelia Chmelik, Grand Marais was 23rd in 1:09:40 and Linnea and Robin Henrikson, Grand Marais, placed 24th and 25th in the same time of 1:09:56.
Tina Hegg Raway, Grand Marais, placed 38th, finishing in 1:22:01. Brandi Erickson, Grand Marais, was the 42nd woman across the line in 1:39:58.
10K walkers/ local women
Ellen Andersen, Tofte, has obviously been putting in some fast miles in training. She powered to the overall first-place finish in the 10K walk with a time of 1:18:42.9, faster than many of the runners. Ellen averaged 12:40 mile pace. Erica Becker of Golden Valley was second in 1:27:09.
Morgan Johnson, Lutsen, placed 11th in the women’s field with a time of 2:15:30.
10K walkers/ local men:
Fleet-footed Braidy Powers, Grand Marais, was the first man across the line in 1:19:14. Braidy average 12:45 mile pace. Tim Finnegan, St . Paul, placed second in 1:22:34.
Local finishers included Taylor Finn, Lutsen, who placed 10th in 1:33:06. Lutsen’s James Taylor and Haddon Taylor placed 11th and 12th in 1:34:08 and Elger Lorsenzsonn, Lutsen, finished 14th in 1:36:18.
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