Two Cities Marathon

The Twin Cities Marathon is a 26.2-mile road race from Minneapolis to St. Paul, typically held on the first weekend of October. It developed from separate marathon events in each city, with origins tracing back to the Land of Lakes Marathon, a small Minnesota Distance Running Association event that began with just five participants. Currently, it ranks among the largest marathons in the United States, with Medtronic serving as the official sponsor. The course begins in Minneapolis, passes through downtown, and continues along parkways beside lakes and rivers before concluding in St. Paul. The marathon is now the centerpiece of a broader race weekend: adults can compete in the TC 10 Mile on Sunday, while Saturday features the TC 10K, TC 5K, a family mile, toddler races, a diaper dash, and the Mascot Invitational. Thousands of volunteers support the event, and its early days were notably unconventional: the original Land of Lakes Marathon lacked a set course, imposed a strict 3:30 time limit, and was once free to enter.