The Med City Marathon is an annual marathon in Rochester, Minnesota, started 1996. The race course is certified by the USATF and is one of the races in the US that can qualify a runner for the Boston Marathon. Although the race was formerly a point-to-point course from the Rochester International Airport, to the Mayo Civic Center in downtown Rochester, the 25th running in 2021 saw a course change to a two-loop route around the city. Previously, Mayo Clinic and Scheels were main sponsors of the marathon. In 2021, Rochester's Active PT and Sports became the main sponsor.

Course Prior to 2021, the marathon was a point-to-point race with one large loop. The race started near the Rochester International Airport, right off US Route 63. The course went north for eight miles through rural agricultural area before turning east at the Zumbro River, following paved trails to Soldiers Field Golf Course and Mayo Park into Rochester.

The course continued in the city, going east on roads for more than a mile, turned at Quarry Hill Nature Center, and followed the north banks of Silver Creek and Silver Lake before following Cascade Creek west past Cascade Lake. The race route went south and connected the loop, and the runners followed the Zumbro once again, this time ending at the Mayo Civic Center.

Race weekend The race weekend begins with the Med City Fitness Expo in the Mayo Civic Center. Outside the expo, the Altra Federal Credit Union 5K kicks off the race weekend. The Ronald McDonald family 1.8 mile walk and various kids races add to the festivities. The following day, a 20-mile race, a half marathon and a marathon relay start in the morning at the same time and place as the marathon.

History Heat has been a factor in this southern Minnesota marathon. In 2006, the hot air forced race organizers to close the race after three hours. The start time was moved up an hour the next year. In 2018, the marathon, marathon relay, and the 20-mile race were canceled due to hot weather again. Runners in that year were given entry in the half-marathon.

The race was founded and directed for many years by local runners Wally and Peggy Arnold, though the local YMCA took management for a few years.

In 2009, race officials faced new competition from two more marathons, St. Croix Events' Stillwater Marathon and Team Ortho's Minneapolis Marathon. Both new events were scheduled for the same week as Med City, which was already facing competition from the other large regional marathons: Fargo and Madison. Race directors for the Stillwater and Minneapolis marathons claimed their race weekends would draw more than 4,000 runners (each), so many people questioned whether Med City would survive. Consistency prevailed though, and by 2016, both the Stillwater and Minneapolis marathons folded.

The course has changed several times through the years. In 1996, the course did a few loops in the city. The course had a slight change in 1998, but then in 2007, the marathon course started runners in Byron, Minnesota. Changes were made again to shift the start from west side of Byron, where the school is, to the east side of the town.

Race directors in 2013 changed the running route more to avoid crossing trains tracks late in the race. In previous years, Canadian Pacific managers would not halt trains during the marathon, despite the requests from race directors. Most races saw no problem, but in 2001, a train moving through on race day caused a five-minute delay for many runners. It happened again in 2013 as a cold rain fell on runners at the 25-mile mark. The next year, the course was shifted. Now runners cross tracks only at the beginning of the race.

2019 saw a totally new course, when the start of the race was moved just north of Stewartville, Minnesota, near the Rochester International Airport.

In 2014, 413 runners finished the full marathon. One of the first-time marathon racers was 50-year-old Tim Walz, who was the U.S. representative for . Walz is now Minnesota's governor and in 2024 was selected as the Vice Presidential nominee for the Democratic Party. He finished in 4:46:22.

An official race sponsor was added in 2015: the North Dakota-based Scheels, which had opened a large store in the Apache Mall that year.

In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic in Minnesota (caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2) had spread to Minnesota and Gov. Tim Walz ordered nearly all places of gathering and commerce closed with an executive order to stay at home. Run for the Lakes Marathon and Grandma's Marathon canceled all races, and the Boston Marathon decided to postpone their 2020 race.

By April 6, nearly 1,000 people in the state had contracted COVID-19, and the race organizers decided to postpone the race weekend to September 5–6. By June 23, the Boston Marathon and Twin Cities Marathon (in October) had canceled all events, but Med City was still on for early September. But on July 20, race director Mark Bongers put out a press release announcing the cancelation of the marathon, writing that "after conversations with the Minnesota Department of Health, members of the Minnesota Running Industry Task Force, the USATF, Mayo Clinic Emergency Medicine physicians, our sponsors and community leaders on how we could safely race, we came to the conclusion that it just isn't possible with so many ongoing uncertainties surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic."

In 2021, the race was postponed again, in the hopes that it would run September 12 with the blessing of the department of health and the city of Rochester. Although COVID-19 cases were rising again, the race was held, though the number of participants was much lower. When the race took place, spectators saw the closest ever finish. Levi Severson came from behind Mike Walentiny at mile 26 and took first by just 15 seconds.

As of 2021, six people had run the marathon every year: Allen Holtz, Jeff Miller, Nels Pierson, Pete Martin, Tom Perri, and Ward Lenius.

In 2023, the race was planned before Memorial Day weekend for the first time.

Results

Key:

All cities in Minnesota unless indicated otherwise

Men Women YearPlace Name Age Hometown Time Year Place Name Age Hometown Time 2021 Levi Severson 41 Edina 2:41:19 2021 Madison Hirsch 27 Rochester 3:12:18 Mike Walentiny 33 Lewiston 2:41:34 Arianna Whitney 29 Chatfield 3:20:21 Jeremy McJunkin 41 Rochester 2:52:21 Abi Salm 23 Plymouth 3:27:222020 Race canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic** 2020 Race canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic** 2019 Matt Barrett 32 Verona, Wisconsin 2:29:16 2019 Jia Xuan Huang 37 Shenandoah, Iowa 3:25:18 Andemariam Hagos 39 Rochester 2:39:34 Caressa Barth 33 Winsted 3:27:17 Braden Richardson 34 Byron 2:41:03 Brigid Karelitz 43 St. Paul 3:28:442018 Race canceled due to excessive heat 2018 Race canceled due to excessive heat 2017 Jackson Lindquist 23 Carlton 2:34:25 2017 Jessica Rollie 32 Rochester 3:10:02 Brock Tesdahl 25 Hopkins 2:43:06 Allison Lozano 43 Lake Elmo 3:26:50 Chris Frisch 32 Rochester 2:48:48 Brie McSherry 34 Woodbury 3:30:02 2016 Connor Branick22Sioux Falls, South Dakota2:42:34 2016 Mary Chestolowski44Rochester3:03:09 Mark Evans42Appleton, Wisconsin2:50:43 Jessica Rollie31Rochester3:04:59 Jim Onigkeit48Rochester2:51:09 Shannon Smith35Andover3:26:18 2015 Jim Onigkeit47Rochester 2:54:29 2015 Julie Crutchfield34Wilmington, Illinois2:59:22 Khris Vickroy39North Liberty, Iowa2:56:03 Mary Chestolowski43 Rochester 3:04:21 Dustin Harford29St. Paul2:59:34 Hannah Janus29Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin3:16:10 2014 Mark Evans40Appleton, Wisconsin 2:50:53 2014 Mary Chestolowski42 Rochester 3:10:11 Gerad Mead34Minneapolis 2:56:14 Sara Veith19River Falls, Wisconsin 3:22:58 Peter Somers34Rochester3:00:23 Robin Forbes-Lorman30Madison, Wisconsin3:26:57 2013 Tim Hardy38North Mankato 2:41:14 2013 Hilary Farver27Des Moines, Iowa 3:08:58 Luke Yoder27Kalona, Iowa 2:53:32 Jenna Baker24Rochester 3:10:17 Kevin Bence24Waukesha, Wisconsin2:55:34 Megan Stelljes28Madison, Wisconsin3:13:51 2012 Pete Gilman37Rochester 2:30:21 2012 Serene Griffin42Roanoke, Texas 3:20:19 Robert Mitchell33Rochester 2:55:18 Danielle Arant25Rochester 3:22:54 Kevin Bence24Waukesha, Wisconsin2:55:34 Karen Plucinski49Carl Junction, Missouri3:24:28 2011 Ron Giles42Rochester 2:44:41 2011 Deborah Hudleston31Minneapolis 3:01:41 Benjamin Kopecky21North Liberty, Iowa 2:49:03 Kari Brown33Garfield 3:13:10 Forrest Tracy31St. Paul2:49:35 Jessica Brakora29Madison, Wisconsin3:23:31 2010 Pete Gilman35Rochester 2:35:31 2010 Amy Vantassel34Colorado Springs, Colorado 3:32:48 Gary Krugger25Edinboro, Pennsylvania 3:03:02 Dawn Boynton34Rochester 3:42:08 Jason Sinwell32Rochester3:03:23 Holly Grimsrud25Lakeville3:43:44 2009 Chuck Engle38Dublin, Ohio 2:39:14 2009 Heather Himler34 Rochester 2:57:39 Scott Haugh40St. Paul 2:43:46 Katie Kramer29 Broken Arrow, Oklahoma 3:25:04 Ron Giles40Rochester 2:44:30 Teri Pruszynski34 Rochester 3:33:32 2008 Mark Ott 35 Jackson, Michigan 2:54:33 2008 Kara Arzamendia 30 St. Paul 3:12:19 Ron Giles39Rochester2:58:46 Erika Sperl-Imhoff 18 Rochester 3:20:53 Steven Weigand Rochester2:58:58 Jen Block 38 Rochester3:27:30 2007 Nick Payne37Rochester 2:41:15 2007 Tammy Berg-Beniak39 Mazeppa 3:14:10 Brett Evans36 St. Paul 2:47:45 Jennifer Halverson31West St. Paul 3:22:04 Steve Hanke26Rochester2:51:40 Kris Anderson31Mankato3:24:15 2006* Brett Evans 35 St. Paul 2:56:43 2006* Kathy Waldron47Green Bay, Wisconsin3:30:44 Cameron Berg23Palo Alto, California2:57:15 Marilee Hardyman 41Rochester3:36:42 Jeff Miller35Minneapolis3:22:19 Gretchen Sadaka35 Rochester 3:36:49 2005 Pete Gilman 30Rochester 2:25:54 2005 Ann Marie Thiessen 34Tacoma, Washington 3:04:46 Aaron Nodolf 26West Allis, Wisconsin2:44:16 Deb Thomford 47 Zumbrota 3:24:49Nick Payne 35 Rochester2:45:39 Kristi Walsh 25 Rochester 3:35:37 2004 Patrick Russell 28Duluth 2:36:58 2004 Deb Thomford 46 Zumbrota 3:26:40 John Reich 35 Rochester2:43:27 Gretchen Sadaka 33Mankato 3:34:46Derek Dippon 31 Cedar2:45:33 Kim Kolbeck 24Rochester 3:35:46 2003 Brett Evans32West St. Paul 2:43:06 2003 Benita Glassford 32 Lake Mills, Iowa 3:13:59 Andy Prevost25 Cloquet 2:44:23 Patty Langum42 Brooklyn Park 3:14:19 Gregory Lindusky44 Cottage Grove 2:55:27 Teri Pruszynski 28Rochester 3:33:18 2002 Pete Gilman27Byron 2:30:06 2002 Kathy Neises31 Madison, South Dakota 2:56:31 Daniel Deuhs31 St. Paul 2:38:33 Kathy Waldron 43Green Bay, Wisconsin 3:01:45 David Audet37Concord, New Hampshire2:51:45 Joyce Bourassa34Lakeville3:04:59 2001 Jerry Wille44Rochester 2:46:28 2001 Kathy Waldron42Green Bay, Wisconsin 2:57:15 Andy Prevost23 Cloquet 2:46:42 Deb Thomford 43Zumbrota 3:17:04 Jeffery Miller36Albert Lea2:51:55 Karla Behringer43Rochester3:17:10 2000 Bill Field38Faribault 2:33:07 2000 Kathy Waldron41 Green Bay, Wisconsin 3:02:13 Jerry Wille43Rochester 2:40:08 Heather Gilbertson28Eagan 3:11:32 Jeffery Miller 35 Albert Lea2:42:04 Jean Herbert 43 Albuquerque, New Mexico 3:14:32 1999 Terry Tupy29 Rochester 2:51:09 1999 Kathy Waldron40 Green Bay, Wisconsin 2:59:28Bill Suffrins35Rochester 2:53:34 Karen Asphaug43Hastings 3:13:55Jeff Allen32Rochester 2:56:38 Deb Thomford 41Zumbrota 3:29:18 1998 Jerry Wille41Rochester 2:47:50 1998 Kathy Mathieson39 Green Bay, Wisconsin 3:03:28 Darren Ruschy34 Minneapolis 2:48:18 Jean Herbert42Albuquerque, New Mexico 3:14:16 Roy O'Sullivan30Kalona, Iowa2:50:27 Kathleen Eikens35Minneapolis3:14:33 1997 Dan Frusher 27Rochester 2:29:40 1997 Benita Amundson26 Rochester3:07:44 Jeffrey Miller 32Albert Lea 2:43:46 Shelly Davis 37Wadena3:15:27 James Hannon 38 Rochester 2:47:35 Cynthia Wilkowske 31Minneapolis3:17:55 1996 Todd Sperling36Goodhue 2:35:16 1996 Paulette Dow 30St. Paul 3:06:42 Terry Gendron36Moline, Illinois 2:36:25 Benita Amundson25Marinette, Wisconsin3:09:56 Brad Kautz38Rochester 2:42:29 Kathleen Crozier19Minneapolis3:13:51 * Due to hot weather, race official called runners off the course. The race was officially canceled after 3 hours, though results were listed through 4 hours and 30 minutes.

** A "virtual" race was scheduled.