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Twin Cities Marathon

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Twin Cities Marathon
Twin Cities Marathon logo
Datefirst Sunday in October
LocationMinneapolis, Minnesota to St. Paul, Minnesota
Distance26.219 miles (42.195 km)
Primary sponsorMedtronic
Established1982
Course recordsMen: 2:08:51 (2016)
Dominic Ondoro
Women: 2:26:51 (2001 and 2004)
Zinaida Semenova and Irina Permitina (respectively)
Official sitehttps://www.tcmevents.org/alleventsandraces/medtronictwincitiesmarathonweekend/medtronictwincitiesmarathon
Participants8,800
2006 Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon

The Twin Cities Marathon is a marathon in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area which normally takes place the first weekend in October. The race is often called "The Most Beautiful Urban Marathon in America" due to a course that winds through downtown districts, then along parkways that hug lakes and waterways all throughout dense urban forests in the neighborhoods of both cities.

The first Twin Cities marathon took place on October 3, 1982 after both Minneapolis and St. Paul combined their separate marathon events. Its earliest predecessor, the Land of Lakes Marathon, began in 1963.[1][2]

It is one of the top 10 largest marathons in the US. In 2006 the race agreed to its first corporate sponsorship, with Medtronic, Inc. The official name of the marathon changed in 2006 to Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon (MTCM).

In addition to the marathon, the MTCM has expanded to a full weekend of events providing opportunities for runners and wheelers of all ages and abilities. Sunday events for adults include the Medtronic TC 10 Mile, or "Shortcut to the Capitol". Medtronic TC Family Events take place on Saturday for children and adults of all ages. Saturday's races include the TC 10K, TC 5K, Diana Pierce Family Mile, Toddler Trot, Diaper Dash, and Mascot Invitational. In addition, Medtronic and the marathon's organizers sponsor a one-mile road race, for anyone from novices to professionals.

In 2006 the Twin Cities Marathon was ranked as the third most competitive marathon for American runners by Running Times magazine.[3]

In the years since inauguration, the marathon has grown to a full weekend of events including the addition of the Medtronic TC 10 Mile race as a Sunday companion event to the marathon. On the Saturday before the marathon and 10 miles (16.093 km), runners can compete in 5K and 10K runs and a variety of family events including the popular Diaper Dash and Toddler Trot events.[4]

The event is put on by thousands of volunteers, many of whom return each year. In 2004, nearly 2,500 volunteers, some who said they were motivated by an expression of their values and a love for the sport, aided the management of the race weekend and the runners.[5]

History

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The 2007 women's winner, Svetlana Ponomarenko, leading the race.

The Minnesota Distance Running Association created the event's earliest ancestor, originally called the Land of Lakes Marathon in 1963.[6] Spectators outnumbered runners that inaugural year as just five participants, all male, began the 26.2 mile trek along Minneapolis' streets and parkways of which only three finished.[7]. The Land of Lakes Marathon had a 3 hour 30 minute time cut-off.[8]

In 1976, the race was renamed the City of Lakes Marathon and moved to a four-lap course around Bde Maka Ska and Lake Harriet. By 1981, with the running boom echoing across the country, the race took just a month to fill its limit of 1,700 runners. In the same year, Minneapolis' counterpart established its own marathon, the St. Paul Marathon, which followed a course around Minnesota's capital city.[9] The race launched successfully, drawing approximately 2,000 runners in its first and only running.

In 1982, organizers from the St. Paul and City of Lakes marathons combined efforts to establish the Twin Cities Marathon.[10] Race officials realized that a marathon which connected Minneapolis to St. Paul, combining the spectacular autumn beauty of both cities, would be greater attraction than two competing marathons on either side of the Mississippi River. The inaugural Twin Cities Marathon attracted 4,563 entrants, which established an entry record for a first-time race in the United States and was watched by an estimated 100,000 spectators.[11][12] Garry Bjorklund was registered but decided not to run due to a sore leg; likewise, Inge Simonsen dropped out of the race at mile 12.[13]

A slight kerfuffle occurred in 2004 when Irina Permitina finished first for the women, but unofficial results showed her finishing with a time of 2:26:53. Permitina, who was back in Minnesota after having been trampled at the start of Grandma's Marathon in June, was sure that the time was incorrect. Officials corroborated the four official timing devices to find that her time was indeed incorrect—she had actually run a 2:26:50.7—which was three-tenths of a second faster than the previous record set by fellow Russian Zinaida Semenova in 2001. However, marathon race officials round the tenth of a second up to the nearest second, so the time was ruled a tie with the previous record. Permitina submitted a protest, but was moot—the women's course record for the Twin Cities marathon is held by two female runners.[14]

2008 marked the first year that one of the events hosted a USATF championship. Both the 10 mile race as well as the marathon have been US championships. The years that the races serve as championships, prize money is increased and the field is much deeper.[15]

2017 marked the first time that the 10 mile race (TC10) had more entrants (12,484) than the marathon (9,851).[16]

The 2020 edition of the race was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, with all registrants receiving a partial credit for 2021 or 2022.[a][17]

The 2023 edition of the race was cancelled due to high heat and humidity.[18] As a result, Twin Cities in Motion commissioned a study to consider the possibility of moving the marathon to a later date in the fall.[19][20] As of 2024, the decision was made to keep the date as-is because moving the date wouldn't significantly lead to better wether outcomes.

Course

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Mile 24 mile marker at the 2024 Twin Cities Marathon

The course begins near U.S. Bank Stadium in downtown Minneapolis, and winds around several of the city's well-known lakes (including Lake of the Isles, Bde Maka Ska, Lake Harriet, and Lake Nokomis) before turning north along the banks of the Mississippi River. The course follows the river for several miles before crossing into Saint Paul, and then proceeds east up Summit Avenue to finish at the Minnesota State Capitol. Miles 21–23 of the course proceed on a steady uphill from the river, and are considered among the more challenging finishes among American marathons, although the downhill last half-mile allows for relatively strong finishes.[21]

Winners

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Marathon

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  Course record

TC 10 Mile

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Key:   Course record   USATF 10 Mile Championship

Edition Year Men's winner Time (m:s) Women's winner Time (m:s)
1 1999  Charlie Mahler (USA) 52:01  Kelly Keeler (USA) 57:13
2 2000  Mark Elworthy (USA) 52:02  Bonnie Sons (USA) 1:00:17
3 2001  Dan Simmons (USA) 52:53  Katie McGregor (USA) 57:20
4 2002  Eric Johnson (USA) 51:40 55:48
5 2003  Chris Lundstrom (USA) 50:46 54:28
6 2004  Chad Johnson (USA) 48:42  Sara Wells (USA) 57:10
7 2005  Moses Waweru (USA) 50:48  Katie McGregor (USA) 55:09
8 2006  Matthew Gabrielson (USA) 48:54 53:51
9 2007†  Abdihakim Abdirahman (USA) 47:34  Kristen Nicolini (USA) 56:26
10 2008‡  Josh Glaab (USA) 50:27  Kara Goucher (USA) 53:16
11 2009†  Abdihakim Abdirahman (USA) 46:35  Rachel Booth (USA) 57:32
12 2010‡  Matt Downin (USA) 50:43  Katie McGregor (USA) 54:21
13 2011  Mohamed Trafeh (USA) 46:46  Janet Cherobon-Bawcom (USA) 54:15
14 2012  Benjamin True (USA) 47:19 53:43
15 2013  Jonathan Peterson (USA) 49:03  Laura Paulsen (USA) 58:47
16 2014 48:12  Allison Mendez (USA) 56:27
17 2015  Samuel Chelanga (USA) 46:47  Molly Huddle (USA) 51:44
18 2016 47:25  Jordan Hasay (USA) 52:49
19 2017  Shadrack Kipchirchir (USA) 47:33  Sara Hall (USA) 53:43
20 2018 46:32 52:47
21 2019  Futsum Zienasellassie (USA) 46:55 53:11
- 2020 Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
22 2021  Daniel Docherty (USA) 49:19  Rachel Drake (USA) 56:40
23 2022  Connor Reck (USA) 49:35  Heather Kampf (USA) 54:17
- 2023 Cancelled due to heat and humidity[26]
24 2024  Conner Mantz (USA) 45:13  Natosha Rogers (USA) 52:29

† Men's championship only. ‡ Women's championship only

[27][28]


See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ The partial credit was 40 USD for runners signed up for the marathon. A virtual run took its place.[17]

References

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  1. ^ Winter, Jeff (October 2003). "City of Lakes Marathon 1975-1981: A Retrospective". Minneapolis: City of Lakes Half Marathon. Archived from the original on 8 October 2014. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  2. ^ "All about the Twin Cities Marathon: Records, traffic and the route". MPRNews. St. Paul: Minnesota Public Radio. October 3, 2015. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
  3. ^ "2006 Marathoners of the Year". Running Times. Retrieved 2007-12-22.
  4. ^ "2013 Media Guide" (PDF). Twin Cities In Motion. Retrieved September 30, 2014.
  5. ^ Bang, Hyejin; Ross, Stephen (2009). "Volunteer Motivation and Satisfaction". Journal of Venue and Event Management. 1 (2). Columbia, South Carolina: The University of South Carolina Department of Sport and Entertainment Management.
  6. ^ Wong, Gregg (30 September 1993). "MORAN BROUGHT TWIN CITIES TOGETHER `MOST BEAUTIFULLY'". Saint Paul Pioneer Press.
  7. ^ Levy, Paul (7 October 1990). "Long races, great pumpkins and Minneapples". Minnesota Star Tribune.
  8. ^ Hobbs, Maurice (25 April 1993). "True marathoner? It's a matter of time". Minnesota Star Tribune.
  9. ^ "Munro, Seaman win St. Paul Marathon". Minneapolis Tribune. Minneapolis, Minnesota. 5 October 1981. pp. 29, 34.
  10. ^ Barker, Sarah (6 October 2016). "Twists and turns and the evolution of the Twin Cities Marathon route - St. Paul was adamant that it get equal the mileage of Minneapolis". Minnesota Star Tribune.
  11. ^ "25 Years and Running... A Twin Cities Tradition Evolves". Medtronic. Archived from the original on 2007-12-10. Retrieved 2007-12-22.
  12. ^ Brothers, Bruce (4 October 1982). "100,000 watch first Twin Cities Marathon". Minneapolis Star and Tribune.
  13. ^ Brothers, Bruce (4 October 1982). "Dane wins by almost 5 minutes". Minneapolis Star and Tribune.
  14. ^ Zgoda, Jerry (October 4, 2004). "2004 Twin Cities Marathon: Time for Protest After Win; Augustus Mbusya and Irina Permitina Won the Races, but Permitina Wants Credit - and Money - for a Course Record". Metro Section: Star Tribune.
  15. ^ "Twin Cities Marathon - Medtronic TC 10 Mile And Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon To Host Men's 2007 & Women's 2008 National 10 Mile And 2008 Men's National Marathon Championship Events". www.marathonguide.com. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
  16. ^ "Twin Cities Marathon: Has a defining distance of road racing hit the wall?". Star Tribune. 3 October 2019.
  17. ^ a b c "Twin Cities in Motion | Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon". www.tcmevents.org. Archived from the original on 13 July 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  18. ^ Krueger, Andrew; Roth, Ellie; Hovland, Ben (1 October 2023), "Twin Cities Marathon, TC 10 Mile canceled amid forecast for record-setting heat", Minnesota Public Radio News, retrieved 22 November 2024
  19. ^ Timmons, Bob (30 September 2024). "What Twin Cities Marathon organizers have learned after 2023′s heat cancellation". Minnesota Star Tribune. Retrieved 22 November 2024.
  20. ^ Timar-Wilcox, Estelle (4 October 2024). "What to know for this year's Twin Cities Marathon weekend". Minnesota Public Radio News. Retrieved 22 November 2024.
  21. ^ Razman, Amirah (3 October 2024). "What's new at 2024 Twin Cities Marathon?". Saint Paul Pioneer Press.
  22. ^ a b "Ondoro Wins Twins Cities Marathon Again, In Record Time". CBS Minnesota. October 9, 2016.
  23. ^ a b Blount, Rachel (6 October 2019). "Twin Cities Marathon has fourth-time winner for men, first-time for women". Minneapolis, Minnesota: Star Tribune. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
  24. ^ Timmons, Bob; Albertson-Grove, Josie (2 October 2023). "Twin Cities Marathon canceled due to heat; some runners hit streets, trails anyway". Outdoors. Star Tribune. Minneapolis, Minnesota. Archived from the original on 3 October 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  25. ^ Hoff, Jennifer (2 October 2023). "Twin Cities Marathon leader details 11th-hour decision to cancel race". KARE-TV. 2 minutes 28 seconds. Golden Valley, Minnesota: posted by KARE 11. NBC. Archived from the original on 4 October 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023 – via YouTube.
  26. ^ "Extreme Heat Forces Cancellation of Twin Cities Marathon, Olympic Hopefuls Given a Lifeline". 8 October 2023.
  27. ^ "ARRS - Race series: Twin Cities". more.arrs.run. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
  28. ^ "Twin Cities In Motion - Race Results". www.mtecresults.com. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
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