There have been plenty of runners who have multiple wins in Grandma's Marathon in northeastern Minnesota.,
There are also repeat winners in the Garry Bjorklund Half-Marathon, which is run every year on the same course and virtually the same time as Grandma's.
And now, we have someone who has finished first in both races.
His shoulder-length hair waving in the breeze, Joel Reichow of White Bear Lake crossed the finish line first on Saturday in Duluth's Canal Park in 2:11:58.
This comes two years after the former star runner at South Dakota State took first place in the Bjorklund.
"That was the goal, I went in wanting to be the first person to win both, Reichow told WDIO television. "I set my eyes on it, tried to stay patient, stay smooth, and it paid off. I can't believe it."
Reichow is the first American, and first from Minnesota, to win Grandma's since Christopher Raabe of Tyler won it in 2009.
After dueling with Kenyan Sammy Rotech, Reichow, 31, surged ahead at the 20-mile mark and extended his lead with every step.
Determination melted into a smile of satisfaction just below a dark moustache as Reichow rolled down Canal Park Drive, raising both arms and clenching his fists when he broke the tape in front of thousands of screaming spectators.
Reichow was a four-time all-conference cross country runner at White Bear Lake High School, paying homage to his alma mater with a running outfit of white, orange, and black.
He's been training with Minnesota Distance Elite since 2017.
Murphy Smith of North Carolina, who ran for the US Naval Academy, finished first in the Bjorklund with a time of 1:02:49
It was the first time Smith had ever raced in Duluth.
The start of the race just south of Two Harbors was delayed a half-hour while some severe weather rolled through the region.
Just about everyone was bathed in sunshine as they ran along Lake Superior's North Shore before curling through downtown Duluh toward Canal Park.
Lilian Chebii of Kenya finished first among the women runners in the full marathon with a time of 2:25:13, while Anna Frisbie of Hopkins won her second straight Bjorklund with a run of 1:09:05
This was the 49th running of Grandma's Marathon, which hosted 160 runners when it was first held in 1977.
Grandma's Restaurant paid $600 for the title sponsor rights, and there's no indication that they'll give it up.
The Bjorklund Half-Marathon was added to the weekend's festivities in 1991.
The race was not held in 2020 because of the COVID pandemic.
Al More than 23,000 registered for the two Saturday races and Friday's William A Irvin 5-kilometer race, the most ever.