Ultra Star Courtney Dauwalter to Run the Marathon

One of the top ultramarathon runners on earth will attempt to be the Best of the Midwest in the marathon this year.

Minnesota native Courtney Dauwalter, who holds the women’s course record at the Western States 100 and has won prestigious ultra-distance races across the globe, including the 100 mile Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc in France and the Moab 240 – yep, 240 miles across Utah deserts – will step down in distance to run the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon on October 5 as part of the Best of the Midwest Invitational field.

The Best of the Midwest Invitational field will gather eight women and eight men runners who have ties to one of twelve midwestern states for a race-within-a-race in the professional field of the marathon. Courtney, a Hopkins native who now resides in Leadville, Colo., will represent Minnesota.

Best of the Midwest Invitational runners will compete for a dedicated prize purse totaling $20,000, in addition to being eligible for the overall professional prize purse worth $26,000 per gender as they compete against professional runners from across the globe.

Last year, Best of the Midwest runner Molly Bookmyer of Ohio won the women’s race at the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon, besting the Midwest and pro athlete field.

“In 2009, I signed up for the Twin Cities Marathon because I couldn’t believe that people ran 26.2 miles with their feet,” Courtney remembered from her first run from Minneapolis to St. Paul. “It sounded impossible, and I had to find out if I could do it as well. I ended up surviving and loved it! I also ran it in 2012 side-by-side with my two brothers. That was a really special day together. I can’t wait to come back this year!”

The Dauwalters at the 2012 Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon finish line.

Among those joining Courtney in the women’s Best of the Midwest field are Jane Bareikis of Chicago who has run 2:29:00 and Danna Herrick of Norwalk, Iowa, who sports a 2:32:19 personal best.

In the men’s Best of the Midwest field, defending Best of the Midwest men’s champion Tesfu Weldegebreal of Flagstaff, Arizona, will again represent Wisconsin where he and his family gained asylum after emigrating from Eritrea. Tesfu, who has clocked 2:10:21 for the marathon will be challenged by Will Norris of Spirit Lake, Iowa, who has run 2:12:33

2025 Best of the Midwest Invitational Fields 

Women  Hometown  Personal Best          Representing 

Melissa (Missy) Rock  Prior Lake, MN             2:37:03              Minnesota

Danna Herrick             Norwalk, IA     2:32:19             Iowa

Grace Fagan   Wilmette, IL    2:42:43             Illinois

Megan Smith  Lakeville, MN  2:46:02             Minnesota

Megan O'Neil  Remus, MI       2:34:55             Michigan

Piper Atnip      Mount Horeb, WI         2:38:36             Wisconsin

Courtney Dauwalter  Hopkins, MN  3:17:55             Minnesota

Jane Bareikis  Chicago, IL      2:29:00             Illinois

Men Hometown  Personal Best          Representing 

David Ecker    Eau Claire, WI              1:06:34 (13.1M) Wisconsin

Blake Buysse  Plymouth, MN              2:18:11             Minnesota

Jack Manderscheid   Edina, MN        1:07:40 (13.1M)          Minnesota

Aaron Davidson           Mount Vernon, IA        2:20:07             Iowa

Jacob Klemz   Topeka, KS      28:39 (10K)     Kansas

Luke Combs   Lapel, IN          1:04:02 (13.1M)         Indiana

Tesfu Weldegebreal   Flagstaff, AZ   2:10:21 Wisconsin

Will Norris       Spirit Lake, IA  2:12:33 Iowa