Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon
Minneapolis to St. Paul, United States · October · Independent
Why people love it
- Course runs past four lakes and the Mississippi, then up Summit Avenue to the Minnesota State Capitol.
- Crowds, bands and neighbourhood cheer squads stay close together most of the way.
- Fourteen fluid stations with water, sports drink and maple syrup fuel.
- Light rail reaches the expo and start, and a beer garden waits at the finish.
Watch out for
- Heat risk: 2023 was cancelled and 2025 hit 21 to 23 °C (70 to 73 °F). 2027 moves to mid-October.
- The long climb on Summit Avenue sits near 32 km (20 mi), after the easy first 30 km (19 mi).
- Sold out 82 days early in 2025; refunds only within 48 hours and no deferral.
- The finish is in St. Paul, the start in Minneapolis, so plan the return.
- Parking is hard and some expo items sell out.
Race
How racers feel about it, how well it is run, and how it treats a first timer. Counts for 28% of the overall score.
Toughness: Tough
- Racer satisfactionLoved4.4
Runners call it a favourite, with scenery and crowds praised. Notes from the back of the pack and a sold-out expo are minor. · Medium confidence
- OrganizationWell run4.0
Corrals, pacers, a warm-up area and a beer garden worked in 2025. Drop bags ripped, parking is hard, and the 2023 cancellation came late. · Medium confidence
- First timer friendlyFriendly3.8
Gentle course and strong support, but the big climb is at 32 to 37 km (20 to 23 mi). Slower runners cut it fine. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialFast3.6
Boston qualifier with a gentle first 30 km (19 mi). The late Summit Avenue climb and hot or windy years cost time. · Medium confidence
Course
Scenery, road surface, closures, and room to run. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Course scenerySpectacular4.5
Four lakes, parkways, the Mississippi and Summit Avenue to the Capitol, with fall colour. The downtown start is plain. · High confidence
- Room to runRoomy4.0
Corrals worked. A 2018 10-mile (16 km) runner found it congested at points; marathoners reported no bottlenecks. · Medium confidence
- Road surfaceGood3.8
Road and parkway surface with no pothole complaints found. A 2011 blogger mentions sidewalks only for a training run. Thin evidence. · Low confidence
- Road closuresFully closed4.5
Roads from the start close from 5 a.m. and stay closed in places until about 3 p.m. A fire truck entered the course in 2025. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Course flatnessRolling3.4
Gain of 90 to 175 m (300 to 576 ft) on credible listings, though sources disagree. · Low confidence
- Net downhillEven3.2
Point-to-point but net drop is only about 25 m (80 ft), under Boston's 457 m (1,500 ft) adjustment threshold. Boston qualifier. · Medium confidence
Support
Crowds, aid stations, the start, and pacers. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Start logisticsSmooth4.0
Corrals, pace groups, warm-up space and porta-potties. Light rail works well, parking is limited and the expo was sold out of some sizes. · Medium confidence
- Pacers and timingGood4.2
Pace groups were present in Corral 1 (3:05 pacer seen in 2025). MarathonFoto and timing normal. Limited detail beyond that. · Medium confidence
- Crowd supportElectric4.6
Never more than half a mile (0.8 km) without cheering, per reviewers. Summit Avenue was dense in 2025; downtown near the start was sparse. · High confidence
- Aid stationsGood4.3
Fourteen fluid stations about every 3.2 km (2 mi) with water, sports drink and maple syrup fuel. One reviewer never felt desperate for a drink. · Medium confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 14% of the overall score.
- WindSome wind3.2
Wind noted as blustery in 2025 and a headwind on a 2011 training run. No systematic data. · Low confidence
- Air temperaturePleasant3.6
Starts average 8 °C (47 °F), but 2025 hit 21 to 23 °C (70 to 73 °F) and 2023 at 33 °C (92 °F). · Medium confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable2.9
2023 was cancelled for heat and 2025 was hot and windy. The 2027 date moves to mid-October to avoid heat. · Medium confidence
- Spectator friendlyEasy4.4
Light rail, the Chain of Lakes and Summit Avenue are promoted viewing spots, and the Summit stretch is wide with room for spectators. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level4.8
Start at roughly 259 m (850 ft) above sea level. · High confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 10% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityGood4.0
Two big downtown hotel districts in Minneapolis and St. Paul. No sell-out reports found. · Low confidence
- Hotel valueGood3.6
Typical big-city rates, no reviewer price data. · Low confidence
- WalkabilityWalkable3.8
Start is near U.S. Bank Stadium, finish at the Capitol, linked by light rail. A one-way route means a transit ride back. · Medium confidence
- Travel easeEasy4.2
Major airport about 16 km (10 mi) from downtown, hub with many flights. · Medium confidence
- LogisticsSimple3.7
A 2013 reviewer called the expo huge. Packet pickup was quick for one reviewer. Drop bags and parking drew complaints. · Medium confidence
- Town and foodGood4.2
Reviewers praise the Twin Cities weekend, beer garden at the finish, plus the juicy lucy and cheese curds noted by a 2013 blogger. · Low confidence
Entry
How hard it is to get a place, and what you get for the fee. Counts for 8% of the overall score.
- Getting inRegister early3.0
First come. The 2025 race sold out 82 days early, and 2024 sold out 11 days before race day. · High confidence
- Value for moneyGood value3.5
USD 162 plus fees at the lowest public price, with a beer garden and maple syrup on course. Mid-priced for a big US marathon. · Medium confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Minneapolis to St. Paul, Hennepin and Ramsey counties, United States
- Typical month
- October
- Latest or next date
- 4 October 2026
- Organiser
- Independent
- Field size
- About 7,000 athletes
- First held
- 1982
- Distances
- 42.2 km (26.2 mi)
- Course type
- point-to-point
- Climbing
- 175 m (575 ft)
- Descent
- 150 m (490 ft)
- Start time
- 08:00
- Cutoff
- 6.5 hours
- Boston qualifier
- Yes
- Surface
- Road, parkways and tree-lined avenues
- How to get in
- open
- Sells out
- Yes
- Entry fee
- About $162
- Air temperature
- 7–18 °C (45–64 °F)
- Humidity
- Moderate
- Altitude
- 259 m (850 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP), 16 km (10 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Downtown Minneapolis, Uptown, Downtown St. Paul (finish side)
- Booking
- Light rail is the popular way to the expo and start. Downtown parking is short.
What racers and reviewers say
- Running with Rock (2025 race report)Raced 2025 · blog · Positive
Hot and blustery race. Crowds sparse near the downtown start, thick near the lakes and very dense on Summit Avenue, with music throughout. Nuun and water on course, 21 to 23 °C (low 70s F). Free beer at the finish.
“Let's cruise to the finish and have a good time.”
- The Kitchen Paper (race report)Raced 2013 · blog · Positive
3:30 and a Boston qualifier. Flat first half with decent hills, bigger hills after mile 20 (32 km), big climb at miles 21 to 23 (34 to 37 km). Fans, bands and signs all the way, cool clear morning. Huge expo.
“The course was BEAUTIFUL!”
- Coffee Grounds blog (course thoughts)Raced 2011 · blog · Mixed
Reconciles tough versus no real hill: modest climb that comes late, miles 20 to 23 (32 to 37 km). The climb at Summit cost about a minute for the author. Advises holding back.
“It gets harder after 20 miles.”
- The Two Cities (10-mile recap)Raced 2018 · blog · Positive
Ran the 10-mile on the marathon course. Loved the crowd buzz and the Capitol finish, Summit Avenue homes. Noted it got congested at a few points. Not a marathon run.
- BibRave reviews (about 50 runners)aggregator · Positive
Runners agree on scenery, crowds and quick packet pickup. Negatives: expo merchandise sold out, ripped drop bags, a messy 5K start, parking, and a harder day for back-of-pack runners 20 to 25 minutes inside the cutoff. Via search summary.
Show 5 more
- MPR News (course overview)Raced 2015 · article · Positive
Course route, records (coldest 23 °F / -5 °C, hottest 83 °F / 28 °C), closures from 5 a.m., 11,888 registrants in 2014 with 74% finishing.
- MPR News (2026 race day)Raced 2026 · article · Positive
2026 was cool, about 10 °C (50 °F) at the start and 14 °C (57 °F) by 10 a.m. Record 30,000 plus across the weekend, women's course record 2:25:26. Announces 2027 move to mid-October because of heat.
- Runners Connect course guideRaced 2026 · article · Mixed
Gentle first 18 miles (29 km), then about 23 m (74 ft) of climbing on Summit Avenue near mile 19, with total undulation around 300 m (984 ft). Commercial pacing tool, so treat as a guide.
- Running with Rock (2025 sell-out)Raced 2025 · article · Mixed
2025 sold out on 15 July, 82 days before the race. 2024 sold out only 11 days out, 2023 never sold out before cancellation. 2022 finishers 6,500.
- Sunrise Run Co listingRaced 2026 · aggregator · Positive
Listing: gain 175 m (576 ft), loss 150 m (495 ft), 7,002 finishers, 6 hour limit, 14 fluid stations, 300,000 cheer-squad claim. Contains an incorrect Major tag, ignored.
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Sources
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