Twin Cities Marathon Fills 11,000 Runner Field

Registration closed Monday for the 27th running of the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon.

11,000 runners representing all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, and 14 other countries are entered in the October 5th event. Registration numbers were increased by 500 participants this year to accommodate the growth in interest in marathons across the country, officials said.

Like its Duluth counterpart Grandma's Marathon, Twin Cites filled more slowly this year than in recent years. This year's race closed in 33 days; the 2007 event closed in 19 days and the 2006 race filled in 15 days.

TCM Race Director Brian Mastel doesn't see cause for concern in the reduced pace, however.

"We did fill slower than the last two years," he said, "but we also had a pretty significant change in registration: online only, we opened registration almost 3 weeks earlier in the year than we ever have, and increased our field by 500 spots. If you throw out the last two years - '06 was the 25th [anniversary of the event] and '07 fed off the excitement of closing in 15 days - with the added 500 we actually closed quicker than we did in '04 and '05 (28 and 29 days)."

Mastel feels nation-wide marathon participation demographics are still strong.

"I track the finisher numbers for the top 100 or so marathons in the country and even with the LA Marathon and Georgia Marathon (both down 3,100 and 2,200 respectively) marathon participation across the country is actually up for the first 5 months compared to last year," he said.

(You can read Grandma's Marathon executive director Scott Keenan's archived comments on registration for his race HERE.)

Still Spots on the Starting Line ... Runners still wishing to take part in the 2008 Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon can reserve spots through the Fundraiser Entry Program benefiting Youth Fitness Partners of the marathon. These organizations include: Bolder Options, Migizi Communications, and the YWCA of Minneapolis.

150 additional marathon entries are available to support these partners. Interested participants can register online at mtcmarathon.org beginning this Thursday at 12:00 p.m. For the $95 price of registration, plus a $100 tax-deductible donation, the first 150 entries received will gain entry into the race.

“Runners looking for a great fall race come to the Twin Cities for the terrific community support, the beautiful fall weather and for a top-quality marathon experience,” TCM executive director Virginia Brophy Achman said in a media release. “We are excited to offer a limited number of additional spots in the marathon as we help raise funds for our community partners."