Twin Cities Marathon weekend moved to mid-October for 2027
The Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon weekend will be pushed back to mid-October in 2027 after several years of hot temperatures and unfavorable conditions for runners.
The marathon weekend will be held between Oct. 10 and and Oct. 17 in 2027. Organizers looked at 50 years of weather data, mainly warming temperatures, to support their decision. Mid-October would be more stable and safer for runners, they concluded.
The marathon, which for 45 years has been held during the first weekend of October, was canceled in 2023 due to scorching heat. Last year conditions were less than ideal, with temperatures hovering around 70 degrees.
"Protecting the health of every runner, from first-timers to elites, is our top priority. Even modest cooling temperature changes can significantly reduce physiological strain, improve hydration balance, and lower the risk of serious medical events," said Dr. Jacob Kastner and Dr. David Supik, the marathon's co-medical directors, in a statement.
October is the first month of meteorological fall, and average fall temperatures in the Twin Cities have warmed by 5.2 degrees from 1970 to 2024. Fall nights have warmed by about 5.7 degrees between 1970 and 2023.
"I do think it's good to push it back a few weeks," said runner Madison Lutgen. "It gets hot, like late summer here and then it's also nice because people can push their training back a couple weeks as well. They don't have to start as early in the summer."
The dates for the 2026 marathon will stay the same. Organizers expect roughly 30,000 athletes to lace up during the weekend of Oct. 3 and 4.
The weekend includes a 5K, 10K, 10 mile and half marathon. More than 10,000 of those runners take part in the full marathon.
"We made this move with our runners and local resources in mind," said Ed Whetham, Twin Cities in Motion's director of race operations. "Shifting the date gives us a much better shot at ideal weather, which keeps participants safe and helps them accomplish the finish line experience they worked for."
Another factor that went into making the change was the fall colors are often more vibrant during mid-October, making it a more scenic run.
