Minneapolis Marathon - Race Reviews

So full disclosure, I BQ'd by 8 minutes at this race, so I am predisposed to gush about it. This was my 25th marathon, but only my second BQ and my second fastest time (fastest since 2008). So that should tell you something about the course. It is not flat, but it is definitely fair IMO (contrary to other comments). There are some rolling hills throughout, but honestly nothing awful until about Mile 25, when there are 2 significant climbs. This is generally not how you want to close a marathon, but I understand that construction caused the race organizers to move the finishing miles this year only. Hopefully, they will correct that in 2016. 45 degrees on race morning made for ideal conditions as well, and that is why you choose a location like MSP for a May race. Something notable to point out that is fantastic about the race is how they separate marathoners from half-marathoners. The half starts a full hour later, so you never deal with them. You're out there from the beginning with legit full-marathoners. And when you finally come together with the half runners in the last mile of the event, marathoners are in a separate lane. Hallelujah! Other race organizers need to get the memo from MSP on this tactic, as there is nothing worse than dodging half-marathon walkers at the end of a full marathon when you are trying to BQ. In this race, marathoners had plenty of room, and no one to dodge. You have no idea how awesome this was. Others have mentioned some other stuff that I mostly agree with. Good, small expo, nice jacket, good logistics, shuttles, etc. Some complained about course beauty, but I actually thought it was really nice. I love running through local neighborhoods as we did in the beginning, and then running along the river was really pretty IMO. Crowd, was sparse, but hey, if you want a big crowd, go to Chicago or NY. All in all, I had a fantastic experience at MSP and would highly recommend. I travelled 450 miles to get here, and I will probably do it again.

Team Ortho put on a great event, and I hope to see this one grow in the years to come. Overall, the organizer's attention to detail is evident on race day. That being said, there are a few issues that can be rectified in the future in order for this event to unlock its true potential. My take... ***Pre-race - Yes, the guys need to work on this one. You had to dig for a race guide that just appeared a week or so before. You had to check back and manually search for your bib number. Shuttle info appeared with no announcement one day too. I think the website needs a 'news' section when important parts of the website are updated for the runners. Also, the Facebook page needs to add the same important info to complement its mainly inspirational format. ***Expo - a small, no nonsense affair. Bib collection and chip testing were right where you entered in back section of the Depot Renaissance Hotel. Jacket collection followed and had its own station for trying various sizes on. A few vendors. I filled out a brief marathon survey and earned a cool $20 to spend at the Team Ortho store. Bought my wife a marathon tech shirt with the money. She earned it for putting up with my early alarm clock for the 18 weeks leading up to race day! ***Race City Logistics - Incredibly easy. Minneapolis has a terrific light rail system with a dedicated line from the Mall of America (Bloomington) to Target Field in downtown. A paltry $1.75 gives you 2.5 hours of unlimited travel on the rail and buses, if you need them. I stayed at a really, really nice Residence Inn near the Mall of America and made good use of the light rail. Yes, there was even a train early enough to make the 6:30 AM race start north of downtown. I prefer to stay near the airport, so I cannot vouch for the host hotel or hotels. Staying near the mall was a snap and gave me a wide range of celebration meal options afterwards. I highly recommend staying near MOA and at the Residence Inn, in particular. ***Race Day Logisitics - no really big issues here. I boarded a bus behind the host hotel at 5:10 and was on my way. The organizers made the decision this year to give the marathoners a dedicated 6:30 start, and I applaud them. Half marathoners started an hour later which erased any congestion on the shuttles, on the course or at the start line. Plenty of portable toilets at the waiting area, but not any that I could see at the start line, which was a ten minute walk up the street. Maybe bag check could have started earlier too, but I don't think it was that big of a deal. ***Course - fine, really. 902 marathoners meant that you were no longer elbow-to-elbow after about a half mile. Small rolling hills and mostly flat sections through parkland and residential areas in the first half. Plenty of bridge crossings and more pronounced hills in the second half. On the whole, I would not call it a hilly course. 17 very enthusiastic aid stations counting the start and finish. Gel stops were outlined in advance on the course map which will hopefully be in PDF format next year for better clarity. Yes, there were plastic cups in use, but there is a way to make them work efficiently if you practice during training. There were some sections of concrete and a short section of running on cobblestones, but I was amazed at the good quality of pavement considering the brutal Winters of the Twin Cities. Crossing the mighty Mississippi multiple times was a true race day highlight. Magnificent! ***Spectators - Some pockets of spectators on course, but not a steady steam by any stretch. The marathon just started in 2009 and has made major course changes sine then, so it is still a young race with plenty of room for growth. Hopefully, the city will really back it in the future. Most of the spectators were lining the final 300 feet or so which is the norm in medium-sized events like this. ***Finish Line - beautiful river setting with the dramatic architecture of the Guthrie Theatre to your left, good DJ/race announcer, good snack bag and plenty of hydration, bag collection needs improvement. Entering a school bus and coming back down really hurt after a long race. Maybe it will be in a tent in the future, I hope. Could walk to the light rail from the finish line no problems. ***Bling/Goodies/Swag/Amazement of Friends - This is a really nice medal which captures the theme of the event, so I don't understand where the criticism is coming from. I just ran 26.2 miles and am proud of that fact. Life is too short to focus on the width of the medal's ribbon in my opinion. ***Final Words - Great event. Can become even better with a few minor tweaks and better marketing. Minneapolis is one very fit city, so be prepared to accept the challenge and take on the city that is usually ranked #1 or #2 in overall fitness. Team Ortho did a nice job here, and I only wished that I lived closer to do this one again. I highly recommend making the trip to MSP.

I decided to run this race on a whim, the week of the marathon. Overall, I'd say this marathon is pretty decent, although by no means great. Will start with the highlights and then head to the needs improvement. First, this is a very traveler friendly race for people flying in from out of town. I flew into MSP, paid $1.75 for the light rail that goes right from the airport to downtown Minneapolis. The light rail stop was only a few blocks from the host hotel and packet pick-up. No hassle, no cab, no rental car - good on the budget. The rates at the host hotel were reasonable as well considering it is right downtown (and a short walk from the finish). 2nd, the race is fairly well organized. The packet pick-up went pretty smooth despite a large crowd. I liked that they had a station set-up where you could confirm your chip was working before the race which I'm sure avoided some race day timing headaches. On the topic of timing, I think this race had one of the best systems I've seen (up there with the big city marathons). Results were on the web page almost immediately after finishing and there seemed to be few timing errors/complaints. The shuttle bus system to the start was also very good. They had an army of shuttles sending a bus off every few minutes. If you were late to the start it was your own fault. No line at all. While the course is nice, it is not spectacular. The 1st half gently rolls and runs through primarily residential areas. It is nice to cross the Mississippi River so many times. The entire 2nd half is an out and back through a nice park/residential area near the river. There are some decent climbs in the final 2 miles, so save some gas. Finish is downtown at the Guthrie Theater. There were a decent number of spectators, especially in the 2nd half. The improvements needed for this race are fairly simple in my opinion. 1st, aid stations were using plastic cups. I don't know how many snapped and cracked when I tried to drink. Please switch to paper as they are so much easier to grab. 2nd, some aid stations were not filling the cups with much of anything, little more than a few sips. Some simple training/guidance to the volunteers would help. Next - the medal is a bit on the cheaper end compared to other marathons. Design/quality could be a bit nicer. Good medals seem to attract more runners these days. Last - As this race continues to develop and grow it would be nice to make the course a bit more of a tour of the city. I could see a future where the long out and back is eliminated and the course shows off more of Minneapolis. Bottom Line - If you are looking for a quick and easy way to check off Minnesota, this isn't a bad option. I don't regret running this race, but I probably won't ever be back to run it again.

The race and registration were extremely well organized! In fact, packet pick up and the expo were easy to get through. In terms of the race, the ladder 13.1 miles definitely seemed to pick up in elevation. There were a total of 17 water/powerade stations, so hydration wasn't an issue. The course provided some beautiful back drops of the Mississippi River. In terms of fans, the ones that were there were extremely energetic; however you did have significant gaps of fans throughout the course. Overall, excellent marathon and would recommend it to anyone visiting the twin cities!

I'm a 50stater and chose this one for Minnesota. I'm pretty sure I read the course elevation chart and it said there was a net elevation loss. It didn't feel like it. It pretty much felt like the entire race was uphill. That being said, it was a great race! Pros: Renaissance depot hotel is awesome, clean, with friendly staff Well organized race, expo was fast, easy, small, but had plenty of stuff Marathoners got a tech jacket, very nice. Shuttle was a piece of cake to get on Course was beautiful. Gorgeous perfect weather for this years race!! 45degree start, dry, sunny. Ample water stations/course support.-I'm a back of the pack runner, came in at 4:51 and the water stations were still fully stocked, Sports Gel available even 4hrs in, aid stations attended, medics on bikes throughout course. No need for a water belt even if you're a slower runner during this race. there is a Ferris wheel near mile 8/9 or so, family got a great,fun,race photo of me there. Highly recommended photo spot! Spectators throughout course, some had oranges Easy access for spectators to drive to various mile markers Medal was big, really nice Cons: Wedding season at the hotel, lots of drunk people at 2AM outside your door Saturday night before race, not too terrible, but enough to wake you up for a bit. Had to buy last years shirt so I could have a running shirt with the marathon logo(Marathoners got tech jackets, so this isn't really a con, just a heads up if you want a race shirt) Big con was no paper race maps available at expo, couldn't get the online one to print in any readable way for my family to follow(street names blurred together, jpg.image would only print in sections)An easy to read map handed out or printable at expo would be great for out of towners with family trying to follow the race. Although there were tons of potties at the shuttle drop off, there was a Long walk from shuttle to start line, then no toilets at start area. Lot's of running on concrete, about a 1/2mile stretch of running on uneven bricks near mile..23 or 24. The course is UPHILL. I'm not kidding. I live in Seattle and train on hills and this race still kicked my butt! I feel like the elevation chart on the website isn't quite accurate, but that could just be me. There are some flat stretches, but mostly steep hills. All in all this was a great race, Hilly, but beautiful, well organized, great jacket for marathoners, great crowd, would recommend this race for anyone!

Course was an unusual course that missed many of the beautiful sights available in Minneapolis. At times we were running through parking lots with views of porta johns. Spectators were sparse throughout the course except between mile 17-23 on the down and back portion. This was also a very congested portion of the course. Those spectators were very enthusiastic and it was helpful during this portion where many runners struggle. Some improvements that I would like include -adjusting the course to showcase the beauty of the city -some solid food support along the course such as bananas and oranges -advertising it among the locals more, many people were unaware of the marathon -coordination with the motels listed on the web page for early breakfast (Marriot doesn't serve breakfast until after the start of the race) It was a decent marathon with some real potential available to it. Minneapolis is such a beautiful city and the people are a friendly and enthusiastic bunch.

These comments refer to the 2015 race: I ran the Minneapolis Marathon as part of my attempt to do all 50 states. I found it to be a fun, low-key event and an ok choice for Minnesota. Considering that it takes place in such a large city it has a bit of a small-town feel to it. There's good and bad in that; while for the most part I thought it was well organized, there were some aspects that made me go 'huh??' Details: Pro: - Easy logistics. Getting in and out of downtown Minneapolis from the airport via light rail is a piece of cake. I stayed at the host hotel - the Renaissance Depot - and would recommend it. - Problem-free packet pickup. The expo was tiny, but I don't really care about those things. - Decent course. Not spectacular by any means, but at least it doesn't run you out along freeway service roads or through any industrial areas. It is moderately hilly; rolling throughout, nothing really major until the last 2 miles. Unfortunately the biggest hills are right at the end, and they hurt. - The course never felt all that crowded. Although there were somewhere around 4000 runners total, only 902 finished the full marathon. Everyone starts together, but I never had any problem running my pace. I completely missed the point where the half marathoners split off. One minute they were there and the next minute they were gone. - Instead of a shirt they gave us a very nice finisher's jacket. At the expo they had samples you could try on to insure that you got the right size. Apparently the jacket is a tradition; I saw a lot of runners during the race wearing their jackets from past years' races. - The weather was absolutely perfect - low 40's at the start, 50's at the end, sunny, very little wind. You can't ask for better for a late-May race. Cons: - Seriously, plastic cups? The water stops used these tiny little plastic cups. Is there a way to drink out of a little plastic cup while running without spilling it all over you? Does anyone know how to do it? 'Cause after 18 marathons I sure as heck don't. I hate having to come to a full stop just to drink, but I didn't really have a choice. - The bag drop area was a bit disorganized; they were VERY late in getting everything ready for runners to drop off their bags. The race started at 6:30 and they didn't open for business until almost 6:00. It was a 10-minute walk from there to the starting line, so everyone had to rush. - The bag drop was a do-it-yourself affair. We had to enter the front of a school bus, walk down the aisle and find a cardboard box corresponding to our bib # and drop the bag in. When retrieving the bag after the race we did the same process in reverse, digging through the box of bags till we found our own. - I thought the medal was sorta cheap and plasticky-looking. It hangs from the thinnest ribbon I've ever received for a race medal.

I took a long trip to Minneapolis for the race, and was highly disappointed it was cancelled after a lightning storm had stopped (it didnt come back). I understood, however that they were in a no-win situation. I also ended up having a fantastic time in the city of Minneapolis. The race organizers,despite the disclaimers that there wouldnt be refunds, made the great move of offering some deeply discounted registration to other races for later on if we runners responded promptly to their offer, which has left me very happy. Also, this has caused me to re-register for the 2015 race, so I'll be coming back to the city to spend my money there, as well as run. Kudos to the race organizers

The course was absolutely beautiful and had plenty of water stops. The volunteers were great about calling out water of gatorade. My family had no issues getting out to see me in 5 different places. My nephews even jumped in to cross the finish line with me!

I have nothing but compliments for the Minneapolis Marathon. The course was enjoyable, with some hills and grades but nothing too difficult. There are some great views of downtown, and the second half is a nice run along the river. Organization was great all around. Packet pick-up ran smoothly and everyone was extremely helpful. The shuttles on race morning ran flawlessly as far as I could tell. Aid stations were nicely spaced and well-stocked. The race shirt is good quality, with a zipper pocket, and the medal is one of the nicer I've received in my 26 marathons. Fans: It is always hard for me to rate this category. The fans who were there were great, especially the volunteers. But there aren't a lot of fans during the second half, which is an out and back along the Mississippi River. A couple suggestions: It would be nice to start in the downtown area, perhaps near the host hotel, but they may not have had that option. (On that note, the Renaissance is a great place to stay. We spent 4 nights there and were very impressed. They had no problem with a late checkout.) Also, I was surprised there was a charge for the shuttle to the start, as that is usually included in the entry fee. Overall, the Minneapolis Marathon is a fine choice if you are looking for a race in Minnesota, or simply want an enjoyable, scenic run in one of America's great cities.

A beautiful course on a lovely day with nearly perfect weather for running. Plenty of water stops manned by cheerful volunteers, even as far back in the pack as I am. Well organized transportation to the start. Highly recommended.

It's hard not to like a marathon when the weather is this perfect. This was my 25th state so I was a little hyped. The issues from previous years seemed to be solved. The shuttles ran smooth. The course was rolling with no big hills. The second half was an out and back along the Mississippi it was downhill both ways. The best deal was the light rail train the airport to downtown for $1.75. Finished under 4 hours with a smile on my face.

I read the comments from 2012 and wanted to let the folks who read these comments to know that the course was changed and there was no problem with meeting up with the half marathoners. We all started at the same time and the half crazy folks split off and us fully crazy folks did and out and back to finish in the same spot. The course was pretty. There were ample water stations and porti-pots (about every 2 miles). It was hard for my wife to crew me along the course but I did see her twice. All in all, I think it was a good race. A little pricy but most of the Monster series and Rock and Rolls are pricy.

To start with, the sponsering hotel (Depot Renaissance) was outstanding. They gave all the marathoners an automatic 2:00 PM checkout (Portland, OR Hilton take note). Easy short shuttle to race start and nice post-race area with good beer park attached. They were carding everyone to get in the beer area which I thought odd as most runners don't carry photo ID with them. Only after I convinced the 'security girl' to check my Road ID tag on my shoe did she let my 51 year old self in. Next year, maybe they can have a list of runners and bib numbers. That way they can check age against the entry roster without all the ID shenanigans. The course was slight rolling and nice scenery along the Mississippi River. The weather was dialed up perfect too! Kudos to Amy Decker for doing a great job with this race and having such a good group of volunteers. A definite MUST for Minnesota.

Great course. I liked the downhill finish. Spectators are a little sparse. I did not like having a long walk (uphill) to the shuttles back to the start.

My comments echo what some of the other runners said. The course is scenic but challenging. This year we were supposed to run on Pike Island, but flooding prevented that, so we ran through Fort Snelling instead. The revised route included more than two miles of gravel road 'very hard on the feet!' but I expect the organizers had no alternative. The trouble began in the last few miles, as the marathoners ran up into slower half-marathoners. The half-marathoners started an hour later than the marathoners, but had the same finish line. This meant, for example, that marathoners running a 3:00 - 4:00 pace ran up into half-marathoners running about 2:00 - 3:00 pace. This was a real problem, as marathoners had to dodge and weave, and even run up onto the grass beside the very congested road. It made for an unpleasant and slow last few miles. The organizers have to solve this problem, perhaps by starting the half-marathoners two hours after the marathoners instead of one. I hope they do solve it, because aside from this, the whole Minneapolis Marathon experience was really good. I'd definitely recommend it, and I hope the event continues to grow.

This race has quite a bit going for it. The expo was small but nice and the course along the river was pleasant and offered some shaded. The short gravel section and the considerable hill at mile 18 weren't too bad. The post-race entertainment and amenities were great! However, the course congestion at mile 22.5 where the half marathoners join the marathoners was awful. The events were sequenced so that marathoners running a faster pace merged with half marathoners running a significantly slower pace. There was nowhere for marathoners to run. I had to come to a complete stop twice to avoid collisions and actually ran into one half marathoner. At one point, I ran on the grass on the side of the road to try to get around slower moving half marathoners. It's tough enough at mile 24 of a marathon without having to stop for or dodge half marathoners! One half marathon pacer recognized what was happening and yelled for the runners around her to get out of the way of the marathoners, but that didn't do much. I don't think you can expect half marathoners to look out for and stay out of the way of marathoners. With a little work to make some organizational and logistical fixes this could be a really nice race.

This race was a pleasant surprise - it was much prettier than I expected, running along the river and through the park, and a fast course (despite the one major hill around mile 18 - hard to know what to call it as it was more like a long table turned on its side but you didn't lose much time by walking it). The quality of the organization was remarkable. A few notes for 50-Staters: -Easy to get/to from airport via Light Rail system -Depot (host hotel) was delightful and offered 2pm check-out for full marathoners -Good pasta dinner at hotel -Deli for extra drinks/snacks one block from hotel (not much else in the area) -Start line next to host hotel -6:30am start for full marathoners (approx. 800), 7:30am start for half marathoners -Shuttle back from finish line to start line (approx 1 mile or so but largely uphill) -Individual goody bag which included chips, nut roll, banana at finish line -Plenty of water stops and Powerade at each station, gels as well -Nice t-shirt (v-neck, short-sleeve) and medal -Packet pick-up was fabulous - options included paying extra to have bib/chip/t-shirt sent to you the week before which I chose or expo closed at 9pm the night before the race - I was so grateful for this as too many marathons have expos that close at 5/6pm the day before the race with no race day pick-up; given the state of airline travel these days, delays are frequent so the late option is always appreciated, and the mailing option is the gold standard. Thanks to everyone who worked so hard to make this race a success.

The course is fine. It's pretty much a long out and back along the Mississippi River. It would be fine if it was just a marathon going on, but you end up running into the back of the slower half marathoners around mile 22 or 23 on a really narrow road. This leads to lots of congestion and weaving in and out of people very late in the race when you're really suffering. There was a hose across the road at one of the water stops and I saw two people trip on it. One of the banners wasn't weighted down and fell over taking out another runner. Also there was very little crowd control and bikers were cutting in and out of the race very dangerously. The organizers seem to not be able handle more than one even at a time and it really shows with all the problems this race has. Highly recommend Grandmas or Twin Cities for Minnesota marathons.

Some day Team Ortho's operations team will be as good as its marketing team. They do a great job with pre/post event parties and swag, but every Team Ortho event I've run has had major logistical problems. Yesterday there were water stops where you needed to grab your own water, slow half marathoners and relay runners wandering the course, a course that was way too tight (six foot bike lane in Ft. Snelling for two way traffic), long lines for the bus to get back to the start (anyone remember 2010 Monster Dash), and a pacer at a middle of the pack time who dropped out. I understand the Ft. Snelling stretch had to be changed at the last minute but you need to reassess whether that should even be part of the course. Net, I appreciate the free beer at the finish, but I'd prefer being treated better in the four hours on the course. This event has an opportunity to be a real spring alternative for the Twin Cities running scene, but it has some serious work to do.

This is a small-medium sized race that follows the Mississippi River (mostly) through Minneapolis and the surrounding area. The course is mostly on city roads with rolling hills, some of which are more than just bumps in the road. Small parts of the course meander on National Park trails that aren't in great shape. There is a short (3/4 mile-ish) section on gravel, and there is a section of rather tight two-way runner traffic. There is a very serious hill at mile 18. Steepest hill I've ever seen on any race course. The race is well-organized, with packet pickup, the start area, gear check, and the post-race stuff well-set out and clear. Volunteers were numerous and as always, quite helpful. Water stations are more than adequate. My only beef here is that they used plastic cups. Impossible to drink from while moving. Spectators aren't wall-to-wall, but there are many, and they are enthusiastic. Medal and T shirt are nice, but I wish the medal had the date. Small problem, I suppose. I'd absolutely recommend this race to anyone.

Overall this is a great marathon. Pros: Packet pick up is easy. Marathon started early enough to avoid most of the heat. Waterstops were well manned. Gorgeous course! Cons: Super hilly!!!!! Would be nice to have waterstops at every mile after 20 instead of every other mile. Last three miles were very crowded from the half. Very frustrating weaving in and out of people at that point! Highly recommend if you are looking for a beautiful course for fun. Not recommeded if you are trying to PR.

The pre- and post-race experience of this marathon were fantastic - well organized fair, nice function shirt and hat, good food supply, fantastic medical staff. The race itself was challenging - despite studying the elevation map I was taken by surprise by the hill at mile 17 and then on the very last mile - that's just painful when you are trying to get into your last mile sprint. The course change led to a 4 or 5-mile stretch on dirt roads - hard to run in flats as you feel every rock. And, the one failure of the organizers - there were no water stops for those miles, and with the temperature in the 80s and 90s, that didn't go so well. The field was comparatively small - under 900 people altogether - which made for stretches of running all by myself - quite nice. The start, however, was at the same time as the half marathon which meant another 2500 people on the same course. Ir spread out rather quickly, though. I didn't make my BQ as I had hoped, as heat and hills really hit me, but ran a PB and overall much enjoyed the race. Great great audience, too.

Team Ortho puts on a great series of runs throughout the year. The swag is great and this course is both fun and challenging. The hill coming out of the river bottom to Ft. Snelling was brutal. Everyone I know that ran this course talks about that hill and the hill just before the finish.

I chose to run the Minneapolis Marathon for my MN race as a 50-stater. I had wanted to run Twin Cities but chose Minny b/c I wanted to run a summer race. I had initially avoided this race bc I wanted to see MN in the fall, and I also was a little intimidated by the profile of the large hill late in the race and was looking for a fast course. The hill was a tough one, but not as bad as I thought. The organization was amazing for this race. The crowd really got into it to. There's nothing about this course that I would say was specifically stand-out, but I felt like they had all of the little things figured out for runners. The fact that they re-certified the course at the last minute to ensure that some last minute flooding didn't diminish the value of the race says something about Team Ortho. Ultimately, I picked up my first BQ on this race. I'll always remember it!

This is an excellent race. I would recommend it to anyone looking to do a summer marathon.Specifically for out of towners because you can fly right in and catch the LRT to the host hotel, which is where the start of the race is!! The organization is superb. The course is good however I wish they could change that hill coming out of Fort Snelling at mile 17. It was rough. Again I really enjoyed this race and even though I didn't perform the way I expected to I will probably be back again. Great job Team Ortho!!

The aid stations were well spaced. The spectators were awesome. The course left something to be desired. No reason to have an out and back course through Minneapolis. There is plenty of places to create loop course. My biggest gripe with this race was the entry fee. Far too expensive for what you get in return. The entry fee should have included a finishers shirt. It was a decent race however.

This is one of the most well organized races I've run. The Team Ortho staff was super helpful and supportive. Marathoners will enjoy a bevy of free stuff... finisher's jacket, hat, t-shirt (could use some improvement on the fabric and tight fit) and beautiful finisher's medal (one of my favorites). Additionally, the medical staff was fantastic. I've never experienced such a plentiful and helpful medical staff - especially the ones on bikes who were cruising all over the course and were very proactive about making sure all runners were healthy. The course was mostly beautiful, giving runners a good tour of the city. The first half was great with ample shade and some nice downhill stretches. The second half was not as enjoyable. Around miles 15-16, a heavy rain the day before resulted in a muddy and slippery footpath around the lake followed by a monster hill at mile 17  so steep that neither I nor anyone around me could run up it. The next mile adjacent to a highway was pretty boring, sunny and hot. The combo really knocked the wind out of my sails. The last few miles felt like they were mostly uphill (the price for a fun fast downhill stretch out of the start). Changing the 2nd half of the course would really improve the overall experience. All in all, this was a great marathon, but not a course that facilitates achieving a PR. The best part was the staff, which seems to have had a mission of making runners feel that they were the only thing of importance the whole weekend.

Let's get right to it: Pros: 1. The best tech shirt I have ever received! They even give a nice jacket for finishing the marathon! Medal is cool! 2. Good course. 3. The best website out there. 4. Good post-race food. 5. Awesome work on the part of volunteers and those who put this race together. Cons: 1. I enjoyed the course except for miles 16-19, when you run around a lake. Path is uneven, muddy, and doesn't really show the best of Minneapolis. I would like it if they changed the course to delete this part of the race and had runners go through the University of Minnesota and maybe parts of downtown Minneapolis. After running around the lake there is a killer hill coming up to the river bluff. Wow! If you can run up that, you are truly my idol. I have truly been impressed with Team Ortho races and love running them. Sign up for this race. You won't be disappointed. :)

No sophmore jinx for Team Ortho's 2nd Minneapolis Marathon! The pros are easy to name... * Best gear giveaways I have ever seen for that level of entry fee (or maybe for any level of entry fees)!! * Very numerous and enthusiastic volunteers * Solid website and use of Facebook, etc. for frequent communication * Good logistics around expo, host hotel, start/finish line location * A very nice medal Only a very few minor "non-pros"... * Post-race food and location thereof was not quite optimum * While definitely scenic, the course changing to multiple surfaces in some areas and seemingly net uphill in last half was somewhat off-putting. Overall, I was very pleased with the experience. Nice job, Team Ortho!

I ran the Minneapolis Marathon for the first time this year and Team Ortho does an outstanding job of promoting the event and the cause it supports. I generally enjoyed the event; however, the course and some of the organization both need work. Because the half and full start at the same time, and due to some of the roads being far too narrow, something needs to be done to avoid the congestion in various portions of the first 3-6 miles. The most disappointing aspect of the race is the lack of split timing at standard markings like 5K, 10, half and 20 miles. There was no runner tracking, which has become common in larger races. Overall though, it is an event worth running, but Team Ortho needs to make a few changes.

I ran the half, and as previous posts have mentioned, it is hard to say anything bad about this race. The organization is top-notch, with one of the most informative websites I've seen. The logistics are great, with the race start, finish and expo at the same location - ideal for out-of-towners. Also, you can take the light rail from the airport to downtown for only $1.75 - you can't beat that. Also, the finisher medal is fantastic - one of my favorites so far - and hats off the volunteers at the water stations for wearing rubber gloves. This is a small gesture that I'm sure gets overlooked all too often; but for me, that attention to detail goes a long way - thank you! The only negative comment I can make is that there was very little food or water at the finish. What little there was you had to walk a good distance in order to get to, and even then, there wasn't much at all. My only suggestion is at the very least to add some bottled water at the finish. Otherwise, this is one race I highly recommend. Great job to all of those involved.

I was very impressed with the overall quality and value of this marathon. There was plenty of water on the course, and many high-energy volunteers, spectators and happy runners. It was a nice touch having names on race bibs. Only negative comment: I did not find the food at the end.

This marathon was a great marathon that was easy for people traveling from out of state. Everything was well organized from the minute I registered, and the "perks" were outstanding! I was impressed to come home with a great finisher's jacket, technical tee, hat (for registering early, I believe), and nice medal. Normally I don't comment on medals, as they sit in one of many shoeboxes - however, this one was different with the stained glass features. It might have to find a spot outside of my shoeboxes. Everything was all in one urban environment and locations were well-organized. Fans were great. We ran along the bike path, but the community seems very active, and everyone shared the path when need be and views were lovely. Only thing I tend to not care for: the course was shared with the half marathon people, which made the first 9 miles crowded, but that could just be a personal thing. I prefer to have them on their own course, as there were many of them and they tended to run 3- or 4-wide. Plenty of water along course, and there seemed to be a great number of fans. A few tiny hills, but nothing major. This was a great marathon - I can't really say anything bad about it. I'd come back if I ever want to do another marathon in Minnesota!

Just got done not too long ago running my second Minneapolis Marathon, and they sure know how to put on a fun event. Easy to get to, and very encouraging volunteers. Your first name and home town are on your bib - nice touch. I know I'm a nitpicker, but why no dates on the medals or shirts? I LOVE my 1996 Grandma's Marathon shirt because that was an amazing summer and run for me. Having the date is cool for when you want to look back. Volunteers and crowds were great! The other runners were kind of snotty and had the elitist "Minneapolis attitude" ("don't talk to me; don't look at me"), which I don't care for, but I wasn't there for them. I'll see the crowds next year! I love this new way of welcoming summer!

The marathon was generally well-organized. Considering the first-year status of the race, it was very good. The course had some poorly marked sections and some runners went the wrong direction. Portions of the race were far too narrow for the number of runners. It created congestion around the midway point. The course was relatively easy until the constant uphill of the final mile.

I flew in from Atlanta... I always like races I don't have to rent a car for. Flew in and took the train to a stop just a couple blocks from the host hotel - very nice! The start is quite close to the hotel - that was great. I just ran the half for this one, but Pacer Jim was fab while I ran with him. That last hill at the end does hurt, but other than that, a pretty fast/flat course. The best half-marathon medal and shirt combo I've gotten, and the medal also outshines some full medals (I have 6 half and 6 full medals). Well done race - amazingly glitch-free for a first running. I took them up on the early bird special and registered for the full this coming year in 2010. Well done!!