Editor’s note: This is the fourth in a series of four articles compiled by Prairie Striders Running Club in advance of the Brookings Marathon May 13. For more information on the races, go to www.brookingsmarathon.com.

With one eye looking toward the sky and the other looking scanning his to-do list, Brookings Marathon race director Matt Bien has a lot on his mind this week.

It was a year ago today—the Thursday preceding the Brookings Marathon—that Brookings was hit by a derecho that brought 90 mph south winds that downed trees, lifted off roofs and cut power for more than a day. The race was rescheduled for October. Since not even the most detailed oriented race director can control the weather, Bien has focused on making sure all the other pieces for the 2023 race are ready.

The 54^th running of the Brookings Marathon is Saturday. The day also includes a half marathon and a marathon relay. In addition, there is a 5K on Friday.

Bien hopes the 550 participants in Saturday’s events are only thinking about their own goals and ambitions. Marathon weekend formally kicks off with packet pickup for Saturday’s races. That is 4-7 p.m. Friday. Like all events for the weekend, it will be held at Pioneer Park on West Sixth Street. Saturday’s races begin at 7 a.m.

He encourages nonparticipants to add to the atmosphere by cheering on runners from several positions throughout the course or at Pioneer Park. Popular viewing locations can be found on the runner and spectator guide that can be found on the Brookings Marathon website.

Spectators shouldn’t have trouble feeling some of the inspiration that fuels first-time and veteran marathoners on race day.

Exciting whether first or 115th

First run in 1970 as the Longest Day Marathon, the Brookings Marathon is the third longest consecutively held marathon in the United States, trailing only Pike’s Peak and Heart of America. (Boston and several other marathons skipped or had virtual events during the COVID year. Brookings postponed its race from May to September.)

This year’s race includes veterans like Kevin and Sheila Beermann of Elk Point and newbies like Dylan Spencer of Sioux Falls.

Kevin Beermann, 72, has run six full marathons and more than 115 half marathons. His wife, Sheila, 61, has run 138 full marathons and more than 120 half marathons. She has completed the six world major marathons, has completed membership in the 50 State Club and has run a marathon on each continent. They’re both in the half on Saturday.

For others, Brookings is their first marathon or half marathon.

SDSU’s Spencer ready for first marathon

For Spencer, it is his first road race. The 29-year-old, who is in first year of teaching criminology at South Dakota State University, took up running in October after it became too cold to pursue his traditional exercise go-to—cycling. By December he had decided to run a marathon and in January developed a training plan.

“It’s been fun so far. I like seeing the progress from basically not running at all to doing this and feeling much more comfortable verses months ago when I would not have signed up for the marathon,” he said last week.

“When I started in October, I was carrying water for a mile- or two-mile run and drinking it all. Now I don’t take water unless I’m going 10 miles or more. I’ve just seen my fitness and my ability and my pace really skyrocket from when I first started,” the assistant professor said.

In his training runs, he has covered 20 of the 26.2 miles required to complete a marathon. That went well and he feels confident he can complete the generally flat course in less than four hours, which requires a 9:10 per mile pace. “I definitely know I can get a lot better with doing more running, more training, and doing more (foam) rolling and more exercises, especially for my joints,” Spencer said.

Three months until next marathon

He already has a second marathon lined up—the Sioux Falls Marathon Aug. 27.

He plans to use his first marathon to figure out how to improve on his second marathon. “I just want to use this first one to set the baseline to see where my pain threshold is at and get a good sense of where I’m at for future marathons.”

Spencer said the transition from cycling to running has caused some knee pain, but overall it has gone well, and through cycling he had built the mindset of an endurance athlete. For two of his undergraduate years at Virginia Tech, Spencer was on the cycling team, which was a club sport. Daily rides were 50 to 100 miles and the team completed around the region.

He also went on lengthy backpacking hikes while attending school in the Appalachian region.

“I’ve always been interested in endurance sports. That (mental) component what’s almost more interesting because that is what often comes into play in periods during the race, whether it’s in the middle, or you’re having a low point, or if it’s toward the end, you’re really just telling yourself (I can do this). It’s your head, not necessarily your body,” Spencer said.

He also expects to get some encouragement from those on the street corners. His parents, Randall and Kim Spencer, moved to South Dakota in August 2023 and live in Brookings. His wife, Allie, and their 3-year-old, Presley, also will be cheering.

While Spencer isn’t selling his road bike, he said, “I definitely think I’ve transitioned to be a runner.”