Grand Forks, N.D. (KFGO/KVRR) – Rollin’ on the River Inline Marathon’s 11th year brings nearly 100 racers together from multiple states such as Illinois and California, some even making the trip from Canada and Puerto Rico, to explore the course in Grand Forks.
“The event started local we like to give back locally. We have a lot of repeat people. I love to see people you know who might’ve done the half marathon the year before, or two years before, moving up to the full,” said Brad Douglass, Board Member Operations, Rollin’ on the River.
Organizers added bikes to the swing in 2019 and say it’s helped grow the community.
Tim Sproul and Tavis Strojen from Grand Forks share how they got into the sport. Sproul started riding after he pedaled through physical therapy. Strojen hung up his running shoes for roller skates.
“There’s always cycles, so to speak, but it’s growing really fast, and for being a smaller town, you know 60 some thousand, we have quite a few riding now,” said Tim Sproul, Grand Forks, Racer.
“Skating is awesome because not everyone does it. It’s not like running or cycling, so anytime anyone shows up, whether they’re a beginner or a pro, everyone is just happy that you’re there,” said Tavis Strojen, Grand Forks Racer.
Strojen and his squad, Team Skate Hard, come every year. He says with the team spread out in multiple states; they don’t get to skate together often, so events like these are like a family reunion. They’re always looking for new people to skate with. The only rule is ‘don’t be a jerk.’
“It’s neat to see all the inline skaters too. I’m just in awe of them; we can rest; they can’t rest,” said Sproul.
Lucky for racers, Grand Forks is relatively flat, so there aren’t too many uphill battles.
Organizers say this is a chance for the older crowd to show up the younger ones on the asphalt. They want to continue to grow and get back to pre-pandemic numbers.
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