BROOKINGS – 13 years ago, Christine Hotvet participated in her first Brookings Marathon. On Saturday, she returned to Brookings to try to set a new personal record and was well on her way at the halfway split.
Suddenly, she was passed by a bicycle and a moment of confusion led to a realization. Not only was Hotvet on her way to setting a new personal record – she was on her way to winning the 2023 Brookings Marathon.
“I was like why is there a biker in front of me?” Hotvet laughed. “My family was like ‘You’re in the lead!’ So I had no idea until that point.”
Hotvet was born in Sioux Falls and is a Lakeville, Minn. native but she wanted to come home to try and chase her personal record. While she has been running marathons for 20 years and was competing in her 26th race, she never won a marathon until Saturday making this run even more enjoyable.
“I just enjoy long distance running,” Hotvet said of the win. “It’s just a way to just not think about anything. I used to play soccer and I just love running, so I’m not sure why I do it.”
Hotvet finished with a time of 3:15.07 to beat out Lauren Valentino (3:33.35) of Houston, Texas by nearly 20 minutes. Kalina Emaus of Summit, S.D. finished in third place in the women’s division with a time of 3:42.44.
Kari Peterson was the lone Brookings native to finish in the women's full marathon and finished with a time of 5:10.48
Hotvet’s victory came during a cloudy, but dry in Brookings that attracted runners from all over the country.
Nathan Huselton of Fisher, Ind. won the men’s race with a time of 2:54.12 and was continuing his personal goal of running a marathon in all 50 states. Saturday was Huselton’s first marathon in South Dakota but he is a veteran of 28 races during his career.
“I got connected with Runner’s World back then and just have been doing it since,” Huselton said.
Tristan Hulstein of Sioux Center, Iowa finished second in the men’s full marathon with a time of 2:55.15 while Bailey Vande Griend of Sioux Falls finished third with a time of 2:58.04.
Naested Smit was the top Brookings finisher in the men's full marathon with a time of 3:59.00 while Bill Alsaker finished with a time of 4:02.43, Cameron Hoon finished with a time of 4:09.21 and Alan Roehr finished with a time of 4:10.04.
Bart Johnson of Marshall, Minn. finished first in the men’s half-marathon with a time of 1:21.48 while Tim Fryer of Hendricks, Minn. finished second with a time of 1:25.34 and Brian Duenas of Hawarden, Iowa finished third at 1:28.11.
Brookings native Blake Hisken finished the half-marathon in fifth place with a time of 1:29.04. The top five among Brookings natives also included Jeffrey Jorgenson, who finished with a time of 1:52.24, Andy Carlson, who finished in a time of 1:53.12, Caleb Buysse, who finished with a time of 1:54.07 and Jake Holden, who finished with a time of 1:56.47.
Sophia Kaounas of Washington, D.C. finished first in the female half-marathon with a time of 1:33.40 while Cherie Sussner of Sioux Falls finished second with a time of 1:35.14 and Jessica Carlson of Murdock, Minn. finished third with a time of 1:38.54.
Adrienne McEntee was the top finisher from Brookings, finishing 11th at 1:48.48. Ellen Sandager finished the half-marathon in 13th place with a time of 1:49.28, Nichole Hammond finished in 22nd place with a time of 1:55.15, Natalie Bender finished 23rd with a time of 1:55.43 and Ellen Fitzpatrick finished 24th with a time of 1:55.51.
