Twin Cities Marathon Returns After Pandemic Hiatus

TWIN CITIES, MN — The Twin Cities Marathon will return this weekend after it was canceled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The 2021 marathon will be held Sunday morning, but events are scheduled throughout the weekend in Minneapolis and Saint Paul.

Twin Cities Marathon Weekend kicked off Friday with the Health & Fitness Expo at the Saint Paul RiverCentre.

Races will get underway bright and early Saturday morning, with a 10K race scheduled to start at 7:15 a.m. on the Minnesota State Capitol grounds in Saint Paul. The Twin Cities 5K will start at 8:45 a.m. Saturday at the Capitol.

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Saturday’s slate of events will also the Family Mile, a “diaper dash” and “toddler trot,” as well as a mascot race.

The Twin Cities 10 Mile race is due to start at 7 a.m. Sunday, with the Twin Cities Marathon stepping off at 8 a.m.

The marathon will feature thousands of runners racing from the U.S. Bank Stadium in downtown Minneapolis to the Capitol in Saint Paul. The course will take runners by Minnehaha Creek, the Mississippi River and several lakes before reaching the finish line.

Organizers have downsized this year’s marathon amid the ongoing pandemic, with about 4,500 runners set to participate. More than 8,400 people ran the marathon in 2019, according to organizers.

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Runners and fans are required to wear masks on public transportation and in all public indoor areas, including the Saint Paul RiverCentre, enclosed tents and medical areas. Runners must also wear masks in the starting areas for races until they cross the start line, as well as between the finish line and exits, organizers said.

A six-foot-tall fence is being set up on John Ireland Boulevard to block spectators’ views and reduce the number of people crowding to watch at the marathon’s finish line. Organizers have also eliminated the Expo stage and in-person presentations due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Runners and spectators do not need to show proof that they are vaccinated against the coronavirus to participate in events.