The fall marathon season got underway on what was technically the last weekend of summer. There were world-class races in Asia, Africa, and Australia and an array of regionally popular ones in the United States. The biggest news came from a teenage girl racing in a tiny Finnish town near the Russian border. Here’s a roundup of the weekend action.

Joutseno Kullevro Marathon, Finland

In a performance that the Finnish website Uutiset called “jaw-dropping,” Alisa Vainio won her debut marathon in 2:33:24 at age 17.

"I do not want to do anything other than run around, eat and sleep," Vainio said. That philosophy had already made her Finland’s national champion in the 10,000. After her victory in Joutseno in southern Finland, she said, “I guess I needed to blow off some steam after my matriculation exams.” By Olympic rules, Vainio will be too young to run the marathon at the 2016 Olympics, but she may end up competing there in the 10,000. More

U.S. Air Force Marathon, Dayton, Ohio

Air Force Captain and PhD student Jason Brosseau pushed hard at the start and then backed off before accelerating in the final stages to win Saturday’s race at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in 2:46:01. “With six [miles] to go I put my game face on and started picking people off,” Brosseau told the Dayton Daily News.

Major Elissa Ballas, a physical therapist who is now a medical student, was the first woman in 2:57:21. More

Rochester Marathon, Rochester, New York

Kip Tisia, a Kenyan residing in Rochester, won Sunday’s marathon in 2:33.19, 17 minutes slower than his personal best. The runner-up, 20 seconds back, was Kenny Goodfellow, a Rochester Institute of Technology graduate student in optics. Goodfellow stumbled and fell once. “Caught a pothole,” he told the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle.

Former soccer player Katie Mutter led all the way and topped the women in 3:03:06. Rochester’s marathon route was a new one. “This is a tougher course,” said Muller. “I’m really not pumped about it.” More

Fox Cities Marathon, Appleton, Wisconsin

In Boston last April, Mason Grundy of Kaukauna, Wisconsin, placed 13,928th. On Sunday in Appleton, he ran 2:37:50 for first place. “I didn’t expect this. I just run it for fun and really had no idea my time would be this good today,” he told the Post Crescent. It was his fourth Fox Cities Marathon. "I only did like a four-week training thing on an app to get ready for the race,” he said. More

Sara Weitz of Menasha, seventh a year ago, was the top woman in 3:06:13. More

Bismarck Marathon, Bismarck, North Dakota

Denis Patrick, from the nearby town of Dickinson, ran 2:31:45 in his first marathon, defeating runner-up George Barthelmes of Florida by 21 minutes. “With eight miles to go my calves started cramping up and I had to tell myself just to keep going,” Patrick told the Bismarck Tribune. “It was horrible pain, but my lungs were fine." More

Alicia Teubert, a Tennessee attorney who was an equestrian competitor in high school and college before turning to running, was Bismarck’s women’s champion in 3:15:40. “This is the first time I’ve ever won,” she said. More

Equinox Marathon, Fairbanks, Alaska

Sunday’s out-and-back race from the University of Alaska-Fairbanks featured a trek around Ester Dome, which has an elevation of 2,400 feet, Newsminer reports. Matias Saari won for the second year in a row (and fifth time) in 2:52:25, with Cody Priest next in 2:59:42.

Mathematics graduate student Erika Burr’s 3:24:32 made her the women’s champion and eighth overall. More

Beijing Marathon, China

Patient and diligent at age 41, Mariko Kipchumba said, “I have been preparing for today for nearly all the year” after Sunday’s victory in 2:11:00. The Kenyan was caught from behind by Berhanu Shiferaw of Ethiopia near the 35K point but had enough in reserve to seize the lead again and defeat Shiferaw by 36 seconds.

Ethiopians Abebech Afework and Betelhem Moges dueled for 20 miles in the women’s race before Moges pulled away for the win, 2:27:31 to 2:29:12. More

Cape Town Marathon, South Africa

On a humid Sunday, Shadrack Kemboi of Kenya prevailed in 2:11:41 in a tight race against two runners from the host country, Lungile Gongqa (2:11:59) and Michael Mazibuko (2:12:29).

"I always wanted a marathon victory,” Kenyan Isabella Ochiri, the first woman in 2:30:20, told SuperSport, “but I got it today on my home continent.” In its second year, the Cape Town Marathon attracted entrants from 51 countries. More

Sydney Marathon, Australia

Japan’s Hisanori Kitajima seemed destined for no better than third place on Sunday, but a decisive move in the final kilometer as he headed toward the Sydney Opera House gave him the win in 2:12:44, three seconds in front of countryman Hiroki Yamagishi.

Miriam Wangari of Kenya broke open the women’s race after 35K and prevailed in 2:34:37. Her countrywoman Jane Kiptoo was the runner-up for the second straight year in 2:35:43, while defending champ Biruktayit Eshetu of Ethiopia was a distant third in 2:39:28. More

Siberian International Marathon, Russia

If you’ve wondered when might be the proper time to race in Siberia, the third weekend in September seems to be it. In chilly but not yet frigid conditions on Sunday, Albina Mayorova returned to this marathon in Omsk for the first time since her victory 13 years ago and won in 2:34:14. She was two minutes behind fellow Russian Oksana Fashchenko at the 30K mark but took the lead at 40K and won by 84 seconds.

Laban Moiben of Kenya, who has a personal best of 2:09:13, won the men’s race in 2:18:18, with Ilya Tyapkin of Kyrgyzstan second in 2:20:17. More

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