Men's Race: Victor Shitsama Closes Hard to Claim Twin Cities

• Shitsama wins in 2:12:20, averaging 5:03/mi through Minneapolis to Saint Paul — the fastest men's time at Twin Cities since Shadrack Kimining's 2:10:17 in 2024.
• Tightest podium of the day: just 37 seconds separated Shitsama (2:12:20), Andrew Kaye (2:12:35), and Amanuel Tikue (2:12:57).
• Kaye owned the middle miles, posting the fastest men's split from the half to 25K — but Shitsama answered with the fastest 25K–30K split to retake the lead for good.
• Defending champion Will Norris finished 8th in 2:17:26, nearly two minutes off his 2025 winning time of 2:15:39.

The men's race was a tactical chess match through the Chain of Lakes and along the Mississippi. Victor Shitsama of Stillwater, OK spent the first half of the race patiently working his way through the field — sitting 4th at the opening checkpoint, drifting as far back as 6th before climbing to 4th and then 3rd. It was at 25K–30K that Shitsama made his decisive move, posting the fastest men's split on that segment and vaulting into the lead for the first time. He never relinquished it, crossing in 2:12:20 at 5:03/mi.

Andrew Kaye was the most dangerous challenger for much of the race. The 26-year-old from Golden, CO surged from 5th to 3rd to 2nd with the fastest men's half-to-25K split, and appeared to be setting up a winning kick — but Shitsama's 25K–30K surge was the answer Kaye couldn't match. Kaye held on for 2nd in 2:12:35. Behind him, Amanuel Tikue of Flagstaff, AZ ran a compelling late-race surge of his own: he had actually led the men's field at 20K–25K (sitting 1st at that checkpoint) before fading slightly, then posted the fastest men's 30K–35K split to secure 3rd in 2:12:57. Camren Todd (4th, 2:13:41) and Medhane Woldu (5th, 2:14:25) rounded out a genuinely competitive top five.

The story behind the podium belonged to Will Norris. The 2025 champion — who won here last year in 2:15:39 and finished 6th in 2024 in 2:12:33 — came back to defend his title but found the front of this year's field a step too fast, finishing 8th in 2:17:26. Benjamin Olson of Alexandria, MN, the lone local product in the top ten, was 6th in 2:15:39, while 21-year-old Evan Christopherson (12th, 2:27:00) was the youngest finisher in the top twenty of a men's field of 5,160.