While Zach Burns is in his first year as NorthShore Inline Marathon race director, he is certainly no stranger to the event.
“When this race first started I was a youth sitting on the curb watching people skating in their old-school Rollerblades, so it’s been a part of my life,” Burns said. “I was born and raised in Duluth and have witnessed and watched this race take hold, and I feel grateful to be sitting in this position to continue the tradition.”
A tradition, as Burns notes, that is 25 years in the making, with the event founded in 1996.
The NorthShore Inline Marathon is celebrating its 25th anniversary with the 26.2-mile inline skating race from Two Harbors to downtown Duluth Saturday morning along scenic Highway 61 overlooking Lake Superior.
Burns said about 1,400 participants have signed up for the various races with about 200 of those participating virtually. He said about 950 are signed up to skate the full 26.2 miles and about 350 are signed up to skate the 13.1-mile half marathon.
“We’re the largest (inline skating) race in the nation and fourth-largest in the world,” Burns said. “If you want to be the top inline racer in the U.S., this is the place to do it.”
Skaters still had time to register in-person at the Expo as late as Friday at the DECC’s Pioneer Hall.
Last year’s race was held virtual-only due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“To be able to celebrate 25 years in-person is pretty fantastic,” Burns said.
This year, masks will be mandatory on the buses for transportation to the start of the races Saturday and were recommended in the Expo.
“We’re following Minnesota Department of Health guidelines,” Burns said. “One of the things that is beautiful about our race is how we start people. We have waves that are spread out and allow people to have space throughout. ”
The NorthShore Inline Marathon record is 57 minutes, 18 seconds, set in 1998 by future Winter Olympic gold medalist speed skater Chad Hedrick of Spring, Texas, who was just 21 at the time.
“That’s basically like averaging 27 mph, and a little change, for the duration of the course,” Burns said, adding that he expects skating to be fast and furious. “We’ve got some guys ready to set some records this year. It’s going to be fast, and it’s going to be beautiful.”
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