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Twin Cities
Estelle Timar-Wilcox

What to know for this year’s Twin Cities Marathon weekend

People run down the road.
Runners travel as a group on West River Parkway around 7 a.m. Sunday, participating in an unofficial race after the Twin Cities Marathon and TC 10 Mile race were canceled in 2023.
Courtesy of Leila Hussain

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More than 28,000 athletes will participate in races Saturday and Sunday for the Twin Cities marathon weekend. 

Officials say it could be the biggest weekend in the race’s 44 years, after last year’s marathon was canceled due to unseasonably warm temperatures.

Dean Orton is the president of Twin Cities in Motion, the organization behind the marathon. 

“It’s exciting, and a lot of unfinished business for folks, including everybody who worked so hard to put this event on,” Orton said. “We’re just excited that we get that chance to be back at it and have conditions that are favorable.”

Weather 

Temperatures will be cooler this year after last year’s cancellation. Highs for Saturday are forecast to reach the low 80s, as runners take on the 5K and 10K races.

Sunday highs are forecast in the mid-60s – much more ideal than last year’s low-90s, Orton says. 

But that’s still warmer than usual for this time of year. Amid changing weather patterns due to climate change, Twin Cities Marathon officials commissioned a study last year to examine weather patterns, with an eye towards potentially moving the marathon later in the fall. At the time, they decided to stick to the first weekend in October. 

That’s up for reconsideration, though, Orton says. The marathon plans to commission another study, and will consider moving the date in 2026 and beyond.

“What we’re after is higher levels of green-flag conditions for everyone to experience the most beautiful urban marathon in America in the fall, and the conditions to be kind of the tradition of what they expect,” Orton says.

Expanded accessibility 

The marathon is piloting a handcycle program this year, after disabled athletes pushed for inclusion. 

Competitors in this field will be allowed to use a wider range of mobility devices, including electric-assisted ones. That will expand wheelchair participation beyond just the elite category.

“This idea of allowing E-assist to give them that added strength and confidence, to make sure they can complete the course safely – we feel it’s an important step for us,” Orton said. “We’re excited to open up this pathway.” 

New this year: half marathon

Two hundred runners will compete in the first Twin Cities half marathon. The new course starts at Lake Nokomis and follows the marathon path to the finish near the State Capitol. 

Orton says it’s an in-demand distance. Organizers wanted to test the route with a small number of runners to decide whether to offer it more widely in future years.

Watching the marathon

Orton says he’s hoping to see a big crowd of spectators this year, in addition to the usual running club tables, volunteers and former Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Alan Page playing the sousaphone at mile 5.

Organizers highlight recommended spectator spots on the 10-mile and marathon maps, including the finishing stretch down Summit Ave. in St. Paul and – for the marathon – the Chain of Lakes in Minneapolis.

The marathon course will be closed to vehicles.

Elite runners to watch

Marathon organizers launched a new program this year that will bring in about 20 emerging elite runners. The “Best of the Midwest” invitational seeks out elite runners who are early in their careers. They’ll compete in the elite field for a $20,000 prize. 

“They've got some amazing talent, and I think we're looking at some future Olympians,” Orton said. “One more thing that the marathon can do for the community is… to be the place to help those emerging athletes.” 

Past Twin Cities Marathon champions are returning on both the women’s and men’s sides this year. 

Defending 2022 women’s champion Jessica Watychowicz from Illinois will return as part of the Best of the Midwest invite. On the men’s side, four-time Twin Cities Marathon winner Dominic Ondoro of Kenya will race. Ondoro holds the course record of 2:08:51 set in 2016. 

In the elite wheelchair race, men’s defending champion Wyatt Willand is expected to lead; Twin Cities Marathon newcomer Veronica Gonzalez is favored to lead the women’s race.

The 10-mile men’s race will feature two Olympians: Conner Mantz and Clayton Young represented the US in this year’s Olympic marathon. The women’s side will feature 2022 NCAA 10K champion Mercy Chelangat; Everlyn Kemboi, who won the 10K NCAA championship the year before; and 2017 10-mile runner-up Natasha Rogers.