CARIBOU, Maine — Lisa Ellis was getting ready to make a trip to her native Aroostook County from her current residence in Washington state and was looking for things to do.
Mars Hill native Glenney Mahan had received an email this summer from the race coordinator of the Caribou Marathon, looking for people to fill relay teams.
The result was Ellis and Mahan teaming up for the half marathon relay on Sunday and, never having met in person prior to Sunday, they claimed a second-place finish.
Ellis is originally from Ashland and before making the trip west had learned through a friend about the marathon. She was quickly connected with Mahan, who shared Ellis’s interest in the six-plus mile distance.
“I got my training calculations and knew that training for the half [marathon] was tight,” Ellis said, “so along came Glenney with some magic from the race coordinator and we joined up with a virtual high five.”
Mahan knew he wanted to be part of the inaugural marathon and, similar to Ellis, wasn’t ready to do the half marathon distance by himself. So they formed an unlikely partnership and came up with the name “Team Nevermet.” Little did they know that a podium finish was imminent.
“We trained virtual back and forth and Lisa had the numbers figured out what we would run,” Mahan said. “We ran exactly what she thought we were going to do.”
With the marathon date in 2017 set for Sept. 17, Ellis and Mahan are already making plans to be a team again.
“We had so much fun we decided we’re probably going to do it,” he said, “and hopefully as long as we can.”
“But next year, he gets the hillier side,” Ellis joked.
