Twin Cities Tour Guide

What do Boston, New York, the Twin Cities, and the Olympics have in common? That’s right, they all have marathons. And the 2008 Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon will be run this Sunday, October 5. Unlike those “other” marathons, the Twins Cities Marathon takes a uniquely scenic course (pdf) through downtown Minneapolis, the “Chain of Lakes” in western Minneapolis, down beautiful Minneahaha Parakway, and across the Mississippi River before ending at the Capitol Building in St. Paul. I’ve heard it called “The most scenic urban marathon in America.”

Marathoners running on one of the scenic parkways in Minneapolis. Lake Calhoun is in the background. (Photo courtesy of Brian Roberts)

Something for Everyone

The marathon is only one part of a larger weekend “Celebration of Fitness,” including other running events and activities for adults and kids of all ages. Many participants receive free t-shirts and medals for finishing their events. These events are all held around the Capitol Building in St. Paul, a beautifully scenic area adjacent to downtown St. Paul. Most of the family and kid-oriented events will be held on Saturday, October 4. To get a feel for what the family events are all about check out the videos in the menu on the right side of the events page which include:

• Medtronic TC Family Events & TC5K
• Diaper Dash (a race for infants who can’t yet walk)
• Harry & Shelly’s Mascot Invitational
• Toddler Trot
• Pioneer Press Family Activities Tent. 

If you or your kids are interested in participating in these events, there are several ways to register.

The beautiful Minnesota State Capitol Building in St. Paul is the hub of the activity on marathon weekend.  (Photo courtesy of Tim Wilson)

If you go:

All events start and finish at the Capitol Building (map), except for the marathon itself and the ten mile race, which both start at the Metrodome and end at the Capitol Building. Registration is closed for the Marathon and 10 mile race, but it is possible to register for the family events on the day of the event up to 15 minutes before the event starts. For more information, check out the official website.

 Spectators:

Spectators are welcome to watch any of the races from anywhere along the courses free of charge. A helpful guide for spectators (pdf) offers a lot of information on how to enjoy these events without breaking a sweat.

Road Closings/ Traffic Changes

Because the marathon and other races are run on city streets, they will affect traffic in the Twin Cities during the weekend in the form of road closures and detours.

These drained but determined marathoners have almost reached the finish line… and so has this post. (Photo courtesy of Drew Geraets)

Whew! All this blogging about marathons has left me virtually exhausted! But have no fear, I shall doggedly press on to give you more of the best attractions and entertainment the Twin Cities have to offer. Stay tuned for upcoming post stops at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts and the Walker Art Center…