Fits Do Race Reviews (sort of): The Minneapolis Marathon

By Jessie

Let me start off this post right away by stating that I did not participate in any of the Minneapolis Marathon events! I'm only writing this "review" from the point of view of a spectator.

Please share your insights in the comments if you have actual experience with this race!

The Minneapolis Marathon is relatively new. I believe this is only the third year of its existence.
It's very different than the quite popular Twin Cities Marathon, which is held the first Sunday in October. The Twin Cities Marathon has been around for decades, and it runs through Minneapolis and finishes in St. Paul at the capitol. My personal opinion is that the Twin Cities marathon offers a much more beautiful urban course, and it shows off the best of the Twin Cities.

However, the new Minneapolis Marathon does give runners another option in the area for a spring marathon, other than Grandma's Marathon in Duluth.

The Minneapolis Marathon is organized by Team Ortho, which is the same organization that held the Monster Dash 1/2 Marathon that I ran last Halloween.

Pros:

1. Great Gear: Team Ortho events have great SWAG- great medals, great finisher's shirts, etc. 
2. Customized Runner Tracking: They also have great "apps"- there was a SmartPhone application free for download, that allowed you to track your runners as they progressed. It was quite sophisticated. You could only track two runners at a time, but the app was easy to use, and seemed pretty accurate.
3. Fan Support- Despite the fact that this is a new race, there were still a lot of fans who came out to cheer for the runners, including the D-man, Matilda, and me. I even dug up an old cowbell to ring! I guarantee the others around me were chanting more cowbell please! :) 

Cons:

1. Weather- it was HOT, HOT, HOT! The race directors try to counteract this by starting the full marathon at 6:30 am, but the runners still had to contend with blazing sun and warm temperatures. We were located around mile 18, and we were sweating just as spectators. I am sure the runners were roasting.

2. Course There was also a half marathon that started an hour later (7:30). It was an out-and-back on the same course, so the full marathoners easily caught up with a lot of the half marathoners. I can only imagine that it must have been difficult to dodge the crowds as a full marathoner when this happened. We witnessed runners who were probably on pace for a 3:15 marathon, who had to weave in-and-out of thick crowds of half marathon walkers.

Also, as a spectator, I have to admit I wanted to cheer extra loudly for those full marathoners who were darting through the crowds. I found myself yelling "Go FULL marathoner!" since I knew how tough it was out there at that point in the race. They were at mile 18, whereas the half runners were only at mile 8. However, I felt guilty for singling out the fulls. I'm sure as a participants this was difficult for both parties.  

My personal experience with full marathons that include a half has always been that the half runners were the same course at the same time, and then they would split from us to go to the finish much earlier.

I understand why race directors include a half marathon. It opens up the event to a greater number of participants, and brings out the crowds (and the $$ of course). Yet, I always enjoy the races the best where the full marathon is the MAIN event.

Here's a quick recap of the races I've done, and whether they included a half:

1. Twin Cities Marathon: Minneapolis, MN- the full marathon is the main attraction. There is a 10 mile run, but it is on a completely different course and starts much earlier.
2. Bank of America Chicago Marathon: Chicago IL- the full marathon is the ONLY event.
3. Rock n Roll San Diego: San Diego, CA- When I did this race in 2006, it only included a full. I believe it now includes a half on the same course.
4. Grand Rapids Marathon: Grand Rapids, MI- Only a full marathon.
5. Big Sur International Marathon: Big Sur, CA- 20 mile race as well as the full, and a relay. All on the same course.
6. Rock n Roll Seattle: Seattle, WA- Full marathon shared the course with the half until they split off for the finish.
7. Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon: Milwaukee, WI- Full marathon was the only event.
8. Go! St. Louis Marathon: St. Louis, MO - Full marathon shared the course with the half marathoners until they split off for the finish
9. St. George Marathon: St. George UT Full marathon was the only event
10. St. Jude's Memphis Marathon: Memphis, TN Full marathon shared the course with the half until they split off for the finish.

Here is a picture of one of the leading half marathoners (with a full walker on the course). This picture makes it appear as though the runners were graciously spaced, but that definitely was not the case later in the run.

3. Hills- Apparently, the course included some poorly place hills. Hills, heat, and blazing sun? Sounds like a recipe for disaster.


Like I said, since I did not actually participate in this race, I don't know that much about the rest of the events, such as the expo, the finish line etc.

Please share your thoughts if you did participate!


We did get to see a lot of our run club friends running the half, as well as a run clubber who was running her FIRST FULL! Congrats on strong work!

Go runners! Nice work!