Bemidji Blue Ox Marathon Weekend Kicks Off

The Bemidji Blue Ox Marathon weekend kicked off earlier today, and organizers say that even with the snowy weather, they’re expecting a good turnout. Today’s event started with the kids’ fun race at the Sanford Center and later a 5K and 10K race/walk.

The 26K marathon and the full marathon will start tomorrow, where the races will start at the Sanford Center and loop around the east side of Lake Bemidji along the Paul Bunyan Trail. Half-marathon runners will take a bus to their starting point.

Sanford Health has always provided medical coverage for the event. Dr. Mark Carlson, a sports medicine physician at Sanford Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, says they provide first aid stations on the course.

“Every year we take care of runners,” Dr. Carlson said. “The most common limiting ailment that we will see from a runners is what we call exercise associated collapse, and that’s what everybody has seen. You run and then you start feeling tired and light headed and a little dizzy and your legs are starting to give out on you.”

The Blue Ox weekend continues tomorrow at 9 a.m.