Twin Cities Marathon
The Twin Cities Marathon (TCM) is an annual marathon in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area. The race is often dubbed "The Most Beautiful Urban Marathon in America." The TCM was first run in 1982, and typically takes place during the first weekend in October. In 2006 the Marathon agreed to its first corporate sponsorship. The sponsor was/is Medtronic, Inc. The official name of the marathon changed in 2006 to, "Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon" (MTCM). The 2007 MTCM took place on October 7, celebrating its 26th anniversary.
In addition to the marathon, the MTCM has expanded to a full weekend of events providing opportunities for runners and wheelers of all ages and abilities. Additional events for adults include the MTC 10 Mile Run and the State Capitol 5 km Fun Run/Walk. Events for children now include Kids’ One-Mile & Half-Mile Fun Runs, Toddler Trot and Diaper Dash. In addition, the MTCM sponsors a competitive 1-mile road race, typically held the last weekend of April.
The Twin Cities Marathon was ranked as the third most competitive marathon for American runners by Running Times magazine.[1]
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[edit] History
There had been a marathon held in Minneapolis since 1963, originally called the Land of Lakes Marathon. The race was renamed City of Lakes Marathon in 1976 and moved to a four-lap course around Lakes Calhoun and Harriet. Also in 1976, Saint Paul first held the neighboring Saint Paul Marathon, whose course also remained within the city limits. A joint race, taking advantage of the scenic running routes on both sides of the Mississippi, was proposed soon thereafter and first run in 1982.[2]
[edit] Course
The MTCM course begins at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in downtown Minneapolis, and winds around several of the city's scenic lakes before turning along the banks of the Mississippi River. The course follows the river for several miles before crossing into Saint Paul, and then proceeds up historic Summit Avenue to finish at the state capitol building. Miles 21–25 of the course proceed on a steady uphill from the river, and are considered among the more challenging finishes among American marathons, although the downhill last half-mile allows for relatively strong finishes.
[edit] Winners
| Key | CR= Course record |
[edit] Twin Cities Marathon course records (through 2002)
| Category | Athlete | Country | Year | Record | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | |||||
| Men | Phil Coppes |  (Iowa) |
1985 | 2:10:05 | |
| Women | Zinaida Semenova |  Russia |
2001 | 2:26:51 | |
| Masters (40+) | |||||
| Men | Joshua Kipkembio |  Kenya |
2002 | 2:11:45 | |
| Women | Irina Bogacheva | Russia |
2002 | 2:29:39 | |
| Wheelchair | |||||
| Men | Saul Mendoza |  Mexico |
1997 | 1:35:03 | |
| Women | DeAnna Sodoma | (California) |
1996 | 1:54:50 | |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ "2006 Marathoners of the Year". Running Times. http://runningtimes.com/rt/articles/?id=10511. Retrieved 2007-12-22.
- ^ "25 Years and Running... A Twin Cities Tradition Evolves". Medtronic. http://www.mtcmarathon.org/Archives/. Retrieved 2007-12-22.
