Med City Marathon

Prior to 2021, the marathon was a point-to-point race with one large loop. The race started near the Rochester International Airport, right off US Route 63. The course went north for eight miles through rural agricultural area before turning east at the Zumbro River, following paved trails to Soldiers Field Golf Course and Mayo Park into Rochester.

The course continued in the city, going east on roads for more than a mile, turned at Quarry Hill Nature Center, and followed the north banks of Silver Creek and Silver Lake before following Cascade Creek west past Cascade Lake. The race route went south and connected the loop, and the runners followed the Zumbro once again, this time ending at the Mayo Civic Center.

The race weekend begins with the Med City Fitness Expo in the Mayo Civic Center. Outside the expo, the Altra Federal Credit Union 5K kicks off the race weekend. The Ronald McDonald family 1.8 mile walk and various kids races add to the festivities. The following day, a 20-mile race, a half marathon and a marathon relay start in the morning at the same time and place as the marathon.

Heat has been a factor in this southern Minnesota marathon. In 2006, the hot air forced race organizers to close the race after three hours. The start time was moved up an hour the next year. In 2018, the marathon, marathon relay, and the 20-mile race were canceled due to hot weather again. Runners in that year were given entry in the half-marathon.[2]

The race was founded and directed for many years by local runners Wally and Peggy Arnold, though the local YMCA took management for a few years.[3][4]

In 2009, race officials faced new competition from two more marathons, St. Croix Events' Stillwater Marathon and Team Ortho's Minneapolis Marathon. Both new events were scheduled for the same week as Med City, which was already facing competition from the other large regional marathons: Fargo and Madison. Race directors for the Stillwater and Minneapolis marathons claimed their race weekends would draw more than 4,000 runners (each), so many people questioned whether Med City would survive. Consistency prevailed though, and by 2016, both the Stillwater and Minneapolis marathons folded.[5][6]

The course has changed several times through the years. In 1996, the course did a few loops in the city.[7] The course had a slight change in 1998, but then in 2007, the marathon course started runners in Byron, Minnesota. Changes were made again to shift the start from west side of Byron, where the school is, to the east side of the town.[8]

Race directors in 2013 changed the running route more to avoid crossing trains tracks late in the race. In previous years, Canadian Pacific managers would not halt trains during the marathon, despite the requests from race directors. Most races saw no problem, but in 2001, a train moving through on race day caused a five-minute delay for many runners. It happened again in 2013 as a cold rain fell on runners at the 25-mile mark. The next year, the course was shifted. Now runners cross tracks only at the beginning of the race.[9]

2019 saw a totally new course, when the start of the race was moved just north of Stewartville, Minnesota, near the Rochester International Airport.

In 2014, 413 runners finished the full marathon. One of the first-time marathon racers was 50-year-old Tim Walz, who was the U.S. representative for Minnesota's 1st congressional district. Walz is now Minnesota's governor. He finished in 4:46:22.[10]

An official race sponsor was added in 2015: the North Dakota-based Scheels, which had opened a large store in the Apache Mall that year.[11]

In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic in Minnesota (caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2) had spread to Minnesota and Gov. Tim Walz ordered nearly all places of gathering and commerce closed with an executive order to stay at home. Run for the Lakes Marathon and Grandma's Marathon canceled all races, and the Boston Marathon decided to postpone their 2020 race.

By April 6, nearly 1,000 people in the state had contracted COVID-19, and the race organizers decided to postpone the race weekend to September 5–6.[12][13] By June 23, the Boston Marathon and Twin Cities Marathon (in October) had canceled all events, but Med City was still on for early September. But on July 20, race director Mark Bongers put out a press release announcing the cancelation of the marathon, writing that "after conversations with the Minnesota Department of Health, members of the Minnesota Running Industry Task Force, the USATF, Mayo Clinic Emergency Medicine physicians, our sponsors and community leaders on how we could safely race, we came to the conclusion that it just isn't possible with so many ongoing uncertainties surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic."[14]

In 2021, the race was postponed again, in the hopes that it would run September 12 with the blessing of the department of health and the city of Rochester. Although COVID-19 cases were rising again, the race was held, though the number of participants was much lower. When the race took place, spectators saw the closest ever finish. Levi Severson came from behind Mike Walentiny at mile 26 and took first by just 15 seconds.[15][16]

As of 2021, six people had run the marathon every year: Allen Holtz, Jeff Miller, Nels Pierson, Pete Martin, Tom Perri, and Ward Lenius.[17]

In 2023, the race was planned before Memorial Day weekend for the first time.[18]

Key:   Course record

All cities in Minnesota unless indicated otherwise

	Men						Women
Year	Place	Name	Age	Hometown	Time		Year	Place	Name	Age	Hometown	Time
2021[19]		Levi Severson	41	Edina	2:41:19		2021		Madison Hirsch	27	Rochester	3:12:18
		Mike Walentiny	33	Lewiston	2:41:34				Arianna Whitney	29	Chatfield	3:20:21
		Jeremy McJunkin	41	Rochester	2:52:21				Abi Salm	23	Plymouth	3:27:22
2020[14]		Race canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic**					2020		Race canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic**
2019[20]		Matt Barrett	32	Verona, Wisconsin	2:29:16		2019		Jia Xuan Huang	37	Shenandoah, Iowa	3:25:18
		Andemariam Hagos	39	Rochester	2:39:34				Caressa Barth	33	Winsted	3:27:17
		Braden Richardson	34	Byron	2:41:03				Brigid Karelitz	43	St. Paul	3:28:44
2018[21]		Race canceled due to excessive heat					2018		Race canceled due to excessive heat
2017[22]		Jackson Lindquist	23	Carlton	2:34:25		2017		Jessica Rollie	32	Rochester	3:10:02
		Brock Tesdahl	25	Hopkins	2:43:06				Allison Lozano	43	Lake Elmo	3:26:50
		Chris Frisch	32	Rochester	2:48:48				Brie McSherry	34	Woodbury	3:30:02
2016[23]		Connor Branick	22	Sioux Falls, South Dakota	2:42:34		2016		Mary Chestolowski	44	Rochester	3:03:09
		Mark Evans	42	Appleton, Wisconsin	2:50:43				Jessica Rollie	31	Rochester	3:04:59
		Jim Onigkeit	48	Rochester	2:51:09				Shannon Smith	35	Andover	3:26:18
2015[24]		Jim Onigkeit	47	Rochester	2:54:29		2015		Julie Crutchfield	34	Wilmington, Illinois	2:59:22
		Khris Vickroy	39	North Liberty, Iowa	2:56:03				Mary Chestolowski	43	Rochester	3:04:21
		Dustin Harford	29	St. Paul	2:59:34				Hannah Janus	29	Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin	3:16:10
2014[25]		Mark Evans	40	Appleton, Wisconsin	2:50:53		2014		Mary Chestolowski	42	Rochester	3:10:11
		Gerad Mead	34	Minneapolis	2:56:14				Sara Veith	19	River Falls, Wisconsin	3:22:58
		Peter Somers	34	Rochester	3:00:23				Robin Forbes-Lorman	30	Madison, Wisconsin	3:26:57
2013[26]		Tim Hardy	38	North Mankato	2:41:14		2013[27]		Hilary Farver	27	Des Moines, Iowa	3:08:58
		Luke Yoder	27	Kalona, Iowa	2:53:32				Jenna Baker	24	Rochester	3:10:17
		Kevin Bence	24	Waukesha, Wisconsin	2:55:34				Megan Stelljes	28	Madison, Wisconsin	3:13:51
2012[28]		Pete Gilman	37	Rochester	2:30:21		2012		Serene Griffin	42	Roanoke, Texas	3:20:19
		Robert Mitchell	33	Rochester	2:55:18				Danielle Arant	25	Rochester	3:22:54
		Kevin Bence	24	Waukesha, Wisconsin	2:55:34				Karen Plucinski	49	Carl Junction, Missouri	3:24:28
2011[29]		Ron Giles	42	Rochester	2:44:41		2011		Deborah Hudleston	31	Minneapolis	3:01:41
		Benjamin Kopecky	21	North Liberty, Iowa	2:49:03				Kari Brown	33	Garfield	3:13:10
		Forrest Tracy	31	St. Paul	2:49:35				Jessica Brakora	29	Madison, Wisconsin	3:23:31
2010[30]		Pete Gilman	35	Rochester	2:35:31		2010[31]		Amy Vantassel	34	Colorado Springs, Colorado	3:32:48
		Gary Krugger	25	Edinboro, Pennsylvania	3:03:02				Dawn Boynton	34	Rochester	3:42:08
		Jason Sinwell	32	Rochester	3:03:23				Holly Grimsrud	25	Lakeville	3:43:44
2009[27]		Chuck Engle	38	Dublin, Ohio	2:39:14		2009[32]		Heather Himler	34	Rochester	2:57:39
		Scott Haugh	40	St. Paul	2:43:46				Katie Kramer	29	Broken Arrow, Oklahoma	3:25:04
		Ron Giles	40	Rochester	2:44:30				Teri Pruszynski	34	Rochester	3:33:32
2008[33]		Mark Ott	35	Jackson, Michigan	2:54:33		2008[34]		Kara Arzamendia	30	St. Paul	3:12:19
		Ron Giles	39	Rochester	2:58:46				Erika Sperl-Imhoff	18	Rochester	3:20:53
		Steven Weigand		Rochester	2:58:58				Jen Block	38	Rochester	3:27:30
2007[35]		Nick Payne	37	Rochester	2:41:15		2007[36]		Tammy Berg-Beniak	39	Mazeppa	3:14:10
		Brett Evans	36	St. Paul	2:47:45				Jennifer Halverson	31	West St. Paul	3:22:04
		Steve Hanke	26	Rochester	2:51:40				Kris Anderson	31	Mankato	3:24:15
2006*[37]		Brett Evans	35	St. Paul	2:56:43		2006*		Kathy Waldron	47	Green Bay, Wisconsin	3:30:44
		Cameron Berg	23	Palo Alto, California	2:57:15				Marilee Hardyman	41	Rochester	3:36:42
		Jeff Miller	35	Minneapolis	3:22:19				Gretchen Sadaka	35	Rochester	3:36:49
2005[38]		Pete Gilman	30	Rochester	2:25:54		2005[39]		Ann Marie Thiessen	34	Tacoma, Washington	3:04:46
		Aaron Nodolf	26	West Allis, Wisconsin	2:44:16				Deb Thomford	47	Zumbrota	3:24:49
		Nick Payne	35	Rochester	2:45:39				Kristi Walsh	25	Rochester	3:35:37
2004[40]		Patrick Russell	28	Duluth	2:36:58		2004		Deb Thomford	46	Zumbrota	3:26:40
		John Reich	35	Rochester	2:43:27				Gretchen Sadaka	33	Mankato	3:34:46
		Derek Dippon	31	Cedar	2:45:33				Kim Kolbeck	24	Rochester	3:35:46
2003[41]		Brett Evans	32	West St. Paul	2:43:06		2003[42]		Benita Glassford	32	Lake Mills, Iowa	3:13:59
		Andy Prevost	25	Cloquet	2:44:23				Patty Langum	42	Brooklyn Park	3:14:19
		Gregory Lindusky	44	Cottage Grove	2:55:27				Teri Pruszynski	28	Rochester	3:33:18
2002[43]		Pete Gilman	27	Byron	2:30:06		2002[44]		Kathy Neises	31	Madison, South Dakota	2:56:31
		Daniel Deuhs	31	St. Paul	2:38:33				Kathy Waldron	43	Green Bay, Wisconsin	3:01:45
		David Audet	37	Concord, New Hampshire	2:51:45				Joyce Bourassa	34	Lakeville	3:04:59
2001[45]		Jerry Wille	44	Rochester	2:46:28		2001		Kathy Waldron	42	Green Bay, Wisconsin	2:57:15
		Andy Prevost	23	Cloquet	2:46:42				Deb Thomford	43	Zumbrota	3:17:04
		Jeffery Miller	36	Albert Lea	2:51:55				Karla Behringer	43	Rochester	3:17:10
2000[46]		Bill Field	38	Faribault	2:33:07		2000[47]		Kathy Waldron	41	Green Bay, Wisconsin	3:02:13
		Jerry Wille	43	Rochester	2:40:08				Heather Gilbertson	28	Eagan	3:11:32
		Jeffery Miller	35	Albert Lea	2:42:04				Jean Herbert	43	Albuquerque, New Mexico	3:14:32
1999[47]		Terry Tupy	29	Rochester	2:51:09		1999[48]		Kathy Waldron	40	Green Bay, Wisconsin	2:59:28
		Bill Suffrins	35	Rochester	2:53:34				Karen Asphaug	43	Hastings	3:13:55
		Jeff Allen	32	Rochester	2:56:38				Deb Thomford	41	Zumbrota	3:29:18
1998[49]		Jerry Wille	41	Rochester	2:47:50		1998		Kathy Mathieson	39	Green Bay, Wisconsin	3:03:28
		Darren Ruschy	34	Minneapolis	2:48:18				Jean Herbert	42	Albuquerque, New Mexico	3:14:16
		Roy O'Sullivan	30	Kalona, Iowa	2:50:27				Kathleen Eikens	35	Minneapolis	3:14:33
1997[50]		Dan Frusher	27	Rochester	2:29:40		1997[51]		Benita Amundson	26	Rochester	3:07:44
		Jeffrey Miller	32	Albert Lea	2:43:46				Shelly Davis	37	Wadena	3:15:27
		James Hannon	38	Rochester	2:47:35				Cynthia Wilkowske	31	Minneapolis	3:17:55
1996[52]		Todd Sperling	36	Goodhue	2:35:16		1996[53]		Paulette Dow	30	St. Paul	3:06:42
		Terry Gendron	36	Moline, Illinois	2:36:25				Benita Amundson	25	Marinette, Wisconsin	3:09:56
		Brad Kautz	38	Rochester	2:42:29				Kathleen Crozier	19	Minneapolis	3:13:51

* Due to hot weather, race official called runners off the course. The race was officially canceled after 3 hours, though results were listed through 4 hours and 30 minutes.

** A "virtual" race was scheduled.

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