Reneau,Koski win Fitger's 5K

A record 1,848 people registered for Saturday’s 23rd annual Fitger’s 5K Run & Walk in downtown Duluth.

Mike Reneau , 34, of St. Paul, claimed the men’s division title, winning in 15 minutes and 10 seconds, just two seconds off of the course record (Jeremy Polson, 2002, 15:08). Reneau placed 20th (2:14:37) at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in January.

Duluth’s Katie Koski, 39, won the women’s crown with a time of 17:48.

Koski experiences chilly, windy weather most weekends during training runs between Duluth and Two Harbors, so Saturday’s weather was no bother.

“When it’s that cold, you don’t really feel anything,” said Koski, who won her fifth women’s race. “I would love this weather for Grandma’s Marathon.”

Koski was 13th overall in 17:48, nearly two minutes ahead of runner-up Amanda Lepisto of Duluth.

Koski, an English teacher at Hibbing Community College who lives in the Chester Bowl area, used the race as part of her tune-up for June. She’s unsure if she will run the full marathon or the U.S. Half Marathon Championships.

“I’m trying to see how my fitness shapes up,” she said. “If I could do a marathon PR, I might do that. If it seems like things aren’t going that way, I’d probably do the half and see what I could do at the championships.”

Koski was 80th at the Olympic Trials and recently won an 8K as part of a Minnesota running series. She plans on running the Get in Gear 10K and Thunder Bay 10-Miler before Grandma’s and then turning her attention to masters races when she turns 40 next year.

NOTES: An unofficial total of 1,596 finishers (1,496 runners, 100 walkers) completed the 3.1-mile race. ... A record 1,848 runners registered and a record 1,496 runners finished the 23rd annual race. Defending champion Justin Grunewald was a late scratch as was Duluth’s Eric Hartmark, a three-time Park Point 5-Miler champion. ... All net proceeds – about $20,000 – from the Fitger’s 5K benefit the Young Athletes Foundation (YAF), a Grandma's Marathon program focused on the promotion and development of youth athletics in the Northland. ... Complete results may be found at GrandmasMarathon.com or mtecresults.com.

Fitger’s 5K

Saturday’s Results

Top 10 Finishers

Men

1. Michael Reneau, St. Paul, 15:10; 2. John Heitzman, Superior, 16:24; 3. Trevor Zimak, Thunder Bay, Ontario, 16:29; 4. Mark Maronese, Thunder Bay, 16:29; 5. Ted Heikkila, Duluth, 16:40; 6. Chris Rubesch, Duluth, 16:44; 7. Adam Swank, Duluth, 16:45; 8. Eric Nordgren, Duluth, 17:01; 9. Erik Kaitala, Duluth, 17:17; 10. Paul Behrens, Duluth, 17:41.

Women

1. Katie Koski, Duluth, 17:48; 2. Amanda Lepisto, Duluth, 19:32; 3. Rochelle Wirth, Duluth, 20:05; 4. Samantha Smith, Wright, 20:45; 5. Tiffany Carlson, Duluth, 20:56; 6. Connie Lutkevich, Duluth, 21:02; 7. Julie Johnson, Minneapolis, 21:07; 8. Sara Hollingsworth, Duluth, 21:33; 9. Chandra Shoberg, Duluth, 21:54; 10. Kim House, Thunder Bay, 22:01.

Tags: sports, duluth, running, health, updates