More than 800 athletes from around the country ran, biked and paddled their way through Glen Arbor on Saturday for the annual M-22 Challenge.

The M-22 Challenge is a multi-discipline event that combines running, cycling and paddling into a 22-mile race across some of the most breathtaking land and water in America.

It started at 9:00am Saturday morning in Glen Arbor and the athletes raced within the Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes and around Glen Lake.

It included a 100-yard climb up a dune and wrapped up with a two-mile paddle session to the finish line.

Keri Pawielski of St. Joseph, MI claimed first place in the women’s division of the M-22 Challenge for the fourth year in a row with a time of 1:23:43. She also took home the Queen of the Dune trophy for reaching the top of the Sleeping Bear Dune Climb first. 

In the men’s division, Denny Paull of Cheboygan, MI took first place with an impressive time of 1:14:10.  Paull placed second last year.  For Paull, this year was “all about the bike.”  He thanks Brick Wheels for helping with his bike issues and says he “couldn’t have pulled it off with out them.”

 This year, the M-22 Challenge added a new division for athletes in wheelchairs. Jerry Sarasin of Troy, MI took first with a time of 2:11:26 followed by Brian Sheridan of Clarkston, MI and Kendall Judson of Birch Run, MI.  Sarsin said the race was hard but his favorite parts of the race were all of the hills. 

The M-22 Challenge was sponsored by Oneupweb this year and donned the company’s motto, “Relentless.” The challenging race course that includes a dune climb, bike up Inspiration Point, and paddle in Little Glen Lake with head winds proved all athletes, ranging from ages 14-71 coming from 15 different states, were truly relentless in finishing the M-22 Challenge.