Twin Cities Marathon moving date of race to mid-October for 2027 and beyond

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Twin Cities Marathon is moving the date of the race to mid-October in 2027 and beyond because of the warm weather Minnesota has been experiencing in early October in recent years, organizers announced Tuesday. 

Twin Cities Marathon moves dates over warming temps

Big picture view:

Twin Cities in Motion announced Tuesday it is moving the dates of the Twin Cities Marathon weekend races to mid-October for the foreseeable future. TCM says the decision was made following a multi-year review that showed mid-October offers "a more stable and safer weather profile" than early October. 

The review was prompted by the 2023 race, which was canceled due to extreme heat. TCM worked with climatologists, public safety agencies, medical partners, sponsors, tourism organizations, runners and other community stakeholders during its review. 

Twin Cities Marathon has taken place on the first Sunday in October for the past 45 years. 

What they're saying:

"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. This means more people finishing safely and breaking personal records. Moving to mid-October meaningfully improves those outcomes," TCM Co-Medical Directors Dr. Jacob Kastner and Dr. David Supik said in a statement. 

"We made this move with our runners and local resources in mind," Ed Whetham, Twin Cities Marathon race director, said in a statement. "Our participants collectively put in millions of training miles over months of preparation just to get to our start line. We have a large field of first-timers every year, with about 40-45 percent of our marathoners taking on the distance for the very first time. 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."

Future Twin Cities Marathon dates

What's next:

TCM has scheduled the future dates for the Twin Cities Marathon weekend, which includes the 5K, 10K and Twin Cities 10 Mile races, through 2031. Organizers say the dates are pending permit approval. 

• 2027: October 15–17
• 2028: October 13–15
• 2029: October 12–14
• 2030: October 11–13
• 2031: October 10–12