Everyone who signed up to run in the Twin Cities Marathon races earlier this month will receive a full refund and all who signed up to run the marathon or 10-mile race will receive “exclusive guaranteed access to their event in 2024 at prices equal to 2023.”

Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon organizers canceled the Oct. 1 marathon and 10-mile race due to the hot and humid weather conditions, which they said would be dangerous for runners. The prediction was accurate with the mercury hitting 92, marking the hottest day ever recorded in October in the Twin Cities, according to the Twin Cities office of the National Weather Service. The previous record was 90 degrees on Oct. 3, 1997, and Oct. 10, 1928.

More than 20,000 people registered for the marathon and 10-mile race.

After the cancellation announcement early Sunday, many runners still turned out to run the course on their own. Dozens of people came to the race course TO cheer them on.

“Through utilizing event cost savings, insurance coverage, and Board-approved cash reserves, we are able to stretch resources and offer a full refund to all affected runners,” organizers said on their website.

“We understand the race cancellation … was a difficult and emotional experience. While a registration refund does not replace the experience of a great, safe race and does not necessarily cover all the expenses incurred for race weekend, we are glad to be able to refund runners their race registration,” they wrote.

Because they will be arranging more than 20,000 refunds, the process, which will begin Monday, will take time, organizers said.

All refunds should be received by the end of the business day on Friday, Dec. 8.

“Each runner will receive a confirmation email from our registration platform, Race Roster, when their refund has been processed,” according to the website.

— Kristi Miller

Zebra mussels found in Big Stone Lake

The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Department has confirmed the presence of zebra mussels in Big Stone Lake, a long, narrow lake that extends 26 miles through Big Stone County in Minnesota and two South Dakota counties.

Zebra mussels were found on multiple docks being removed from the lake at the end of the season, on both the South Dakota and Minnesota sides of the lake.

“Zebra mussels are sometimes first discovered in lakes when lake property owners or lake service provider businesses remove boats, docks and equipment from the water at the end of the season,” said Kelly Pennington, DNR invasive species unit supervisor.

Lake property owners should carefully look for invasive species on the posts, wheels and underwater support bars of docks and lifts, as well as any parts of boats, pontoons and rafts that may have been submerged in water for an extended period.

People should contact a Minnesota DNR aquatic invasive species specialist if they think they have found zebra mussels or any other invasive species that was not already known to be in the water body.

More information is available on the aquatic invasive species webpage of the DNR website.

— West Central Tribune