I picked this one for my destination marathon this year. My wife and two of her friends are also doing their first full. Sounds like a really nice race. Anything i should know ahead of time? Who else is in?
I picked this one for my destination marathon this year. My wife and two of her friends are also doing their first full. Sounds like a really nice race. Anything i should know ahead of time? Who else is in?
I’m not running it this year (focusing on IMWI), although my wife wants us to run the 10 miler. It is a good marathon - very scenic around the Twin Cities lakes.
Weather-wise, be ready for anything. The course is generally flat except for the last 6 miles on Summit Avenue. These are mild rollers that have kicked my butt a few times. Take the race easy for the first half to have reserves at the end. You don’t want to be bonking when you hit those hills.
Fan support rocks, particularly along Summit Avenue. The finish down to the state capitol is awesome (even if you are bonking).
Cheers!
-Tropic
It’s a great race to run. The highlights are:
Gorgeous course. It didn’t get the name “The most beautiful urban marathon in America” for nothing. Tree lined course goes past 4 lakes, and follows the Mississippi parkway for a nice stretch.
The start stages at the MetroDome. You wait inside the dome, and there are lots of bathrooms inside!
A recent marathon time in the low 3:30’s or a recent BQ usually gets you into coral/wave one - really nice.
Huge fan support along the entire course.
Spectacular downhill finish into the state capital campus.
It’s a gorgeous course, especially in late fall (although the weather is always a wildcard). I love the portion around Lake Calhoun.
As others have said, Summit is a real killer so late in the race but the downhill finish is sweet. Also, the cheer zones along Summit are some of the best - the last 10K are super fun. My only dislike of the marathon is that you are running on the road and many of them have not been paved in recent years although they improve further in the course.
I usually run the 10 miler (if I get in through the lottery), a super fun race as well with the Summit finish.
Enjoy!
Thanks for the tips! Any suggestions on things to do/hotels or areas to stay while I’m there? Where are the best spots for post race junk food?
Guarantee it Will be your favorite! Stay at the hotel at the mall of america. You can take the lightrail right to the start of the race for less than $2. (I think it runs at that time) Then you’ll have a ton of stuff to do if the weather sucks. It also happens to be right across the freeway from the airport.
There are a ton of good placplaces around for treats afterwards. I’d hit up pizza luce for great pizza. Trust me, its worth it. Then go to izzys ice cream. They make it onsite and have a ton of interesting flavors.
Good luck, ill be there too!
Guarantee it Will be your favorite! Stay at the hotel at the mall of america. You can take the lightrail right to the start of the race for less than $2. (I think it runs at that time) Then you’ll have a ton of stuff to do if the weather sucks. It also happens to be right across the freeway from the airport.
There are a ton of good placplaces around for treats afterwards. I’d hit up pizza luce for great pizza. Trust me, its worth it. Then go to izzys ice cream. They make it onsite and have a ton of interesting flavors.
Good luck, ill be there too!
+1
If you do make it to Pizza Luce make sure to try the baked potato pizza and the artichoke dip.
There is tons to do on the twin cities, if you have any specific questions let me know! I live a mile off the course and can recommend some great run/bike routes.
I’d hit up pizza luce for great pizza. Trust me, its worth it.
I love me some Pizza Luce, but…no love for Punch? Or Black Sheep? Or Pizzeria Lola?
To OP…what sort of post-race foods/drinks are you looking for? The Twin Cities has a ton of options (well…depending on where you’re coming from!). There is truly excellent Vietnamese food on Eat Street (Nicollet Ave), as well as a fair number of places that have delicious East African (Somali/Ethiopian) food due to the large immigrant population.
I love me some Pizza Luce, but…no love for Punch? Or Black Sheep? Or Pizzeria Lola?
I hear those are great but luce happens to have a ton of vegan food too 
Coolest part of this race IMO was that the spectators seemed like they actually enjoy watching a foot race, rather than enjoy being in the sun and/or drinking. When I delve back into marathon running, I’m excited to go back. Feel free to read my RR from last year’s race. Some stuff about the course, some pictures of the beautiful course.
I’d hit up pizza luce for great pizza. Trust me, its worth it.
I love me some Pizza Luce, but…no love for Punch? Or Black Sheep? Or Pizzeria Lola?
To OP…what sort of post-race foods/drinks are you looking for? The Twin Cities has a ton of options (well…depending on where you’re coming from!). There is truly excellent Vietnamese food on Eat Street (Nicollet Ave), as well as a fair number of places that have delicious East African (Somali/Ethiopian) food due to the large immigrant population.
I’m definitely looking for comfort food afterward. Pizza/giant burritos/BBQ will be on the menu. I’m not a big ethnic food fan, especially post race.
Great race, I am doing it for the 3rd time. (07 and 08) and now.
The first few miles are spent getting out of downtown, either too fast of a pace, or you are stuck behind a mob. Know your plan of attack ahead of time, and execute. If it is running with a pack, expect you may be down some time, or seed yourself a bit higher and avoid some of the crowd. depending on your goals.
My first race, I started out wayyyy to fast trying to run with someone else (who also went out way too fast) and the first 8 miles I knew I would never hold up, then again it was my first marathon.
Second year, I stuck with a pace group. Most annoying 5’ flat chick I have ever run with. Then again, I got my time. Pick your battles I suppose.
Overall there is a lot of energy on the course. As others have said, the number of lakes are pretty populated with people. The hardest part of the course starts at 20ish, in front of Medtronic, when you start climbing. It comes at a bad point in a marathon, and a the same point on the course. You are running out of energy stores and things get a bit tougher. Summit just seems like a never ending climb, but not crazy steep, just like you are never going to see the top.
Aiming for a 3:30 this year (4:12 PR) best of luck to you.
I would say trying to snag a Juicy Lucy would be a good “in-town” post race option. Matts bar is quite well known for them. If you stay at MOA, then you would be pretty close to that as a option.
A recent marathon time in the low 3:30’s or a recent BQ usually gets you into coral/wave one - really nice.
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I am having a senior moment, did we give a time at registration for them to verify? I don’t recall…
A recent marathon time in the low 3:30’s or a recent BQ usually gets you into coral/wave one - really nice.
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I am having a senior moment, did we give a time at registration for them to verify? I don’t recall…
Yes - In the registration they ask for the distance and time of your best performance between 1/1/11 and 7/8/13 (the cutoff for coral assignment).
I’m definitely looking for comfort food afterward. Pizza/giant burritos/BBQ will be on the menu.
Aha. You’ve heard some good pizza options already. The TC doesn’t have much in the way of giant burritos, but we have some decent BBQ. Famous Dave’s is a locally-based chain that actually makes pretty solid BBQ, but I’m a fan of Brasa (2 locations, one in NE Minneapolis, one in St. Paul) which is more of a slow-cooked-with-a-latin-influence sort of place (they have BBQ brisket, pulled pork and chicken, etc but no ribs). Rudolph’s also has pretty good BBQ.
The suggestion of a Jucy Lucy is a good one (cheese-filled burger patty). Matt’s Bar is the classic, but if you want something a little more upscale the Blue Door Pub has more interesting varieties.
as others said, summit avenue after mile 20ish is really hard. and the killer is that it just doesn’t appears to be that hard!
the support on summit (and elsewhere for that matter) is awesome! (i have nothing else to compare to, but) it kinda reminds me of state street in IMMOO… they really get you go!!
i will be running it for the second time. good luck to you!
Ran it in 2009 and 2011.
Be ready for all types of weather, either 90 degrees and sun or 50 degrees and rain. The way this year is panning out, it will be cool and wet. If packet pickup is still in the excel center, walk down the street to Cossetta’s Italian Market for a bite to eat.
run n fun is a great place to pickup some good running gear as well.
Ran it in 2009 and 2011.
Be ready for all types of weather, either 90 degrees and sun or 50 degrees and rain. The way this year is panning out, it will be cool and wet. If packet pickup is still in the excel center, walk down the street to Cossetta’s Italian Market for a bite to eat.
run n fun is a great place to pickup some good running gear as well.
x2 on Cossetta’s for the meal stop around packet p/u - you won’t regret it.
Run N Fun is no doubt a great local shop, and the packet p/u expo is pretty sweet for gear. Gear West (one of the Top 10 tri shops in the country - awesome folks) always has a big booth there – if David “DKT” Thompson is in town, he’ll there helping out, and he’s always a cool & laid-back dude to chat up.
Cheers, Chris
So I ended up injuring myself during IMC, but will still be there spectating as it is the wife’s first full marathon. We won’t be renting a car, so does anyone have any tips for getting around the city during the race? I saw we can take the train from the start-line to mile 15, but other than that, it doesn’t look like it will be easy to see runners in multiple spots on the course like it was in Chicago.