First Run in October 1982
1982The first Twin Cities Marathon took place on 3 October 1982 and attracted 4,563 entrants. For 45 years the marathon weekend was anchored to the first Sunday in October.
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Course & Elevation
The Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon is a point-to-point road marathon from downtown Minneapolis to the State Capitol in Saint Paul, Minnesota, organised by Twin Cities In Motion. The organisers describe it as starting in downtown Minneapolis, winding through the chain of lakes, and ending in St. Paul, and call it 'The Most Beautiful Urban Marathon in America'. The start line is at 615 South 6th Street, near U.S. Bank Stadium, with an 8:00 am start, and the course winds through downtown districts and crosses the Mississippi River. The course climbs steadily from mile 21 to mile 23 before a downhill last half mile to the Capitol. The time limit is six hours and 30 minutes from the time the start line closes. The first race was held on 3 October 1982 and had 4,563 entrants. Marathon Weekend also includes 5K and 10K races and family events, and the organisers report more than 30,000 registrants across the weekend. From 2027 the weekend moves from the first Sunday of October to mid-October, with the marathon on 17 October 2027, after extreme heat forced the cancellation of Sunday events in 2023.
Surface: road Profile: Flat
Weather
Typical climate for the race month — an estimate, not a forecast or a race-day record
Temperature 10°C
Humidity 68%
Rain Chance 31%
October in Minneapolis is cool and variable: average highs are around 15°C and lows around 5°C, with relative humidity near 68% and measurable precipitation on about nine to ten days of the month. The move to mid-October is meant to give cooler race-day conditions than the old early-October date.
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Race Lore
Heat and a New Date
2023Extreme heat forced the cancellation of the Sunday events in 2023. After a multi-year review with climatologists and medical partners, Twin Cities In Motion announced in July 2026 that from 2027 the weekend would move to mid-October, with the 2027 marathon set for 17 October.
Famous Runners
DB
Dick Beardsley
Duel in the Sun runner
2:09:37 1981
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Course Record
02:08:51
Dominic Ondoro (2016)
Registration
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Fun Facts
- ▸ The first Twin Cities Marathon on 3 October 1982 attracted 4,563 entrants.
- ▸ The 2023 Sunday events were cancelled because of extreme heat.
- ▸ From 2027 the marathon weekend moves from the first Sunday of October to mid-October, with the 2027 marathon on 17 October.
- ▸ The marathon weekend draws more than 30,000 registrants, from all 50 states and over 24 countries, according to the organisers.
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