From the race organizer - "This is a point to point marathon starting in Byron and finishing downtown at the Mayo Civic Center. Other events include a 5K on Saturday and a half/20 mile or relay marathon on marathon day. Live band at the finish and free beer to 21+ participants."
The Med City Marathon was the 214th largest marathon in the U.S. last year and was the 336th largest in 2022.
This year 7.6% of finishers qualified for the Boston Marathon and 7.8% of runners qualified for Boston in 2023.
This gives the Med City Marathon the 243rd highest percentage of Boston Marathon qualifiers in the U.S. last year and the 200th highest percentage so far in 2024.
Its Course Score of 99.54 ranks it as the 88th fastest marathon course in the U.S. and the 2nd fastest course in Minnesota.
The typical race time temperature and humidity levels are above the ideal range for optimal marathon performance. This, coupled with the Course Score, gives the Med City Marathon a PR Score of 98.63. This PR Score ranks it as the 201st fastest marathon in the U.S. and the 5th fastest in Minnesota.
Learn more about PR Scores and Course Scores on the FAQ page.
Med City Marathon Elevation Chart
Max Elevation: 1280 feet (390m) Min Elevation: 975 feet (297m)
This was my second marathon I have run. The race started near the Rochester Airport and slowly went North towards the city. I enjoyed the first 8-9 miles because it was on open country roads which allowed me to get into a rhythm and run my race. At about mile 10 the race transitioned onto paths/paved trails that winded around the city, which was not my favorite part, hard to stay in a rhythm. We ran about 12 miles around the city and came back to where we intersected mile 10 and finished the final 4 miles. For the final .4 miles you run on a sidewalk where the road is not blocked off and then make a sharp turn and run 100ish yards to the finish. Great on course support and it was easy for my friends and family to find us while running.
Race Tips
My goal for the race was a sub 3 hour, I paced the first half of the race and then negative split the last 5-6 miles and that worked out well for me and ran a 2:58. First 8 miles went by really quick and then it was hard to get into a rhythm with the winding roads after that.
We stayed at a local hotel in Rochester and they charged us a late check out fee even though we were running the marathon, which wasn't great, check with the hotel before you book so you do not run into this issue. We drove to a parking garage near the convention center and hopped on a bus and it took us to the start line. Great plan, the convention center is near the finishing line. Would recommend. The post race festivities were great, live music, snacks, and great atmosphere.
