Runners Soak in Course during Door County Half Marathon

Relena Del Toro Ribbons finished just 14 seconds off the course record for women. Photo by Rachel Lukas

A perfect final Saturday in October greeted runners in Peninsula State Park for the rescheduled Door County Half Marathon and Nicolet Bay 5K on Oct. 30. 

Fall colors stuck around, the sun shone, and temperatures climbed into the mid-50s to create ideal conditions for the 13th edition of the race. The run usually takes place the first Saturday in May, but it was postponed twice because of COVID-19. 

Francis Flanagan of Milwaukee was the first of 981 runners to reach the finish of Saturday’s Door County Half Marathon. The 36-year-old finished in 1:15:07, outpacing four-time winner Rodee Schneider, 40, by one minute and 46 seconds. Tim Kowols, 36, of Green Bay finished third. Former Gibraltar cross-country runner Greg Bott, 44, finished seventh in 1:22:46.

On the women’s side, the top finisher came up just shy of a new course record. Relena Del Toro Ribbons, 34, of Appleton finished in 1:22:19, just 14 seconds slower than the course record set by Hanna Christensen in 2019. Maggie Priebe, 30, of Green Bay finished second in 1:26:01, and Hannah Lyons, 24, of Milwaukee finished third in 1:34:28. Carina Derenne of Luxemburg finished sixth in 1:39:54.

In the Nicolet Bay 5K, Christopher Mahoney of Chicago topped the field in 17:48, followed by Brian Busse of De Pere in 18:33 and Scott Cayo of Wauwatosa in 18:46. Thirteen-year-old Alejandro Cantarero of Aurora, Illinois, finished seventh in 19:51, followed by Logan Davison of Windsor, Wisconsin, in 20:11.

For the women, youth ruled the day as Madeline Mrozinski, 15, of Menomonee Falls, finished first in 21:03. That was just three seconds ahead of Inez Schmidt, 13, of Rice Lake. Gemma Mrozinsky of Manitowoc finished third in 22:06. Eleven of the top 18 finishers were 15 or younger.

Next year’s Door County Half Marathon and Nicolet Bay 5K will return to the first Saturday in May, which will be May 7, 2022. Registration is open now. 

RESULTS

Find complete results at DoorCountyHalfMarathon.com. 

Door County Half Marathon

Men

Francis Flanagan, 36, Milwaukee, 1:15:07

Rodee Schneider, 40, Madison, 1:16:53

Tim Kowols, 36, Green Bay, 1:20:15

Women

Relena Del Toro Ribbons, 34, Appleton, 1:22:19

Maggie Priebe, 30, Green Bay, 1:26:01

Hannah Lyons, 24, Milwaukee, 1:34:28

Nicolet Bay 5K

Women

Madeline Mrozinski, 15, Menomonee Falls, 21:03

Inez Schmidt, 13, Rice Lake, 21:06

Gemma Mrozinsky, 52, Manitowoc, 22:06

Men

Christopher Maroney, 39, Chicago, 17:48

Brian Busse, 44, De Pere, 18:33

Scott Cayo, 33, Wauwatosa, 18:46

Register for the 2022 Run

Registration for the May 7, 2022, Door County Half Marathon and Nicolet Bay 5K is open now! Runners can save $20 on registration by signing up before Dec. 1. 

Participants get a fully supported run on the closed-road course in Peninsula State Park and a great race shirt. All half marathon runners also receive a beautiful finisher’s medal.