Milestones reached in Fargo Marathon

FARGO – The Fargo Marathon saw a down-to-the-wire finish in the men’s race Saturday,

and a long drive paid off for a Utah woman as thousands participated in the 10th annual downtown event.

Two course records also were broken Saturday, and one race remained under review.

Peter Kemboi found another gear just past the 25-mile marker and outlasted Arturs Bareikis in the men’s full marathon. Kemboi, who trains out of Hebron, Ky., became the first native Kenyan to win the race with a time of 2 hours, 26 minutes, 55 seconds.

In the women’s full marathon, Kate Papenberg was the first to cross the finish line with a time of 2 hours, 53 minutes, 18 seconds. Her 26.2-mile tour around the Fargo area was shorter and more enjoyable than the drive she made from Ogden, Utah.

“Just hearing the people, it almost brings you to tears with the support in this community,” Papenberg said. “It’s amazing.”

Devin Monson won the men's half-marathon in 1 hour, 6 minutes.

“I figured this was a great way to give my mom a Mother’s Day gift, being here,” said Monson, who is from Thompson, N.D., and now lives in Austin, Texas.

Emma Lee of St. Paul ran the women’s half-marathon in 1 hour, 17 minutes, 36 seconds, beating the old course record by 21 seconds.

Ryan Sederquist of Moorhead, Minn., also set a new course record, winning the men’s 10K race in 33 minutes, 14 seconds -- 3 seconds faster than the previous record.

But in the women’s 10K, the result remained unclear.

Heidi Peterson, a North Dakota State University senior, crossed the finish line first, but Peterson had gone off course – she estimates less than a half-mile from the finish line – and then had to climb over a barricade less than 100 meters from the finish.

In the online race results, Peterson was listed as the winner with a time of 36 minutes, 54 seconds.

Emma Miller, a former University of Minnesota runner from St. Louis Park, Minn., was listed as the second-place finisher with a time of 39 minutes, 10 seconds.

Marathon officials said the final race results are under review.

1/3: Peter Kemboi is the Fargo Marathon men's division winner Saturday, May 10, 2014, in downtown Fargo. Dave Wallis / The Forum

2/3: Emma Lee is the Fargo Half-Marathon women's division winner Saturday, May 10, 2014, in downtown Fargo. Dave Wallis / The Forum

3/3: Devin Monson wins the Fargo Half-Marathon men's division Saturday, May 10, 2014, in downtown Fargo. Dave Wallis / The Forum