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Mankato Marathon

October 17, 2026 · 7:20 AMMankato, MN, United States

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Race snapshot

Race Day

46°F

39–61°F · Feels cool

Total elevation gain

581ft

Moderate rolling hills

Participants

500

Intimate field

Entry

Registration Open

Full Marathon

$123.73

Current price for the Jul 1 - Aug 31, 2026 pricing tier; rises to $129.05 for the final Sep 1 - Oct 16, 2026 tier.

Official Website

Key Dates

1. Registration price increases to $129.05 (final tier)
  Sep 1, 2026
  Full marathon entry rises from $123.73 to $129.05 for the Sep 1 - Oct 16, 2026 tier.
2. Scheels Wellness Expo / packet pickup (Day 1)
  Oct 16, 2026
  Packet pickup and expo at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center, Mankato, 12pm-6pm.
3. Online registration closes
  Oct 16, 2026
  Online registration closes 11:59pm; in-person registration remains available at the Friday expo and Saturday morning at the start line.
4. Race Day (Full Marathon start)
  Oct 17, 2026
  Full marathon starts 7:20 AM CST at 417 Poplar Street, Mankato; official time kept for 6 hours 15 minutes (course support ends 1:35 PM).

Found in

Marathons in Minnesota Half Marathons in Minnesota Races in Minnesota Marathons in the United States

The Lowdown

The Mankato Marathon is an annual Boston-qualifying marathon held each October in Mankato, Minnesota, first run in 2010 and presented by Mayo Clinic Health System since 2011. The 2026 edition debuts new courses billed as scenic, faster, and flatter, tracing Mankato's trails and the Minnesota River Valley before finishing in the heart of City Center Mankato. Race weekend opens Friday evening with a 5K and KidsK, followed Saturday by the full marathon, half marathon, 10K, and marathon relay, plus multi-race "Kato Challenge" combos pairing the 5K with a longer distance. The full marathon starts at 7:20 AM from 417 Poplar Street, is USATF certified, carries a 6-hour-15-minute time limit, and caps the field at 500 runners. Race weekend also includes the Scheels Wellness Expo, official gear-check bags, 15 aid stations along the course, and a free shuttle to the start, with roughly 5,000 runners across all events.

01: First run in 2010; Mayo Clinic Health System has been the presenting sponsor since 2011.
02: The course was redesigned for 2026, marketed as "Scenic, Faster, Flatter."
03: Prior editions through 2025 used a different route that included Minnesota State University, Mankato, the Red Jacket Trail, Mount Kato, Sibley Park, the Blue Earth River, and a finish on historic Front Street; those landmarks do not apply to the current course.
04: Roughly 5,000 runners participate across all race-weekend events combined (full marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K, relay, KidsK); the full marathon itself is capped at 500 entrants.
05: Men's course record 2:29:26 (Jacob Gallagher, 2017); women's course record 2:58:18 (Amy Halseth, 2013) -- both set on the pre-2026 course.
06: 15 aid stations on course with water, Gatorade, ice, GU Energy Gel, bars, and oranges.
07: Official drop bags (Mayo Clinic Health System bags only) available for marathon, half marathon, first relay leg runner, and 10K participants.

Prepare for This Race

Pace CalculatorPlan splits for marathon Race PredictorPredict your marathon time BQ CalculatorBQ-eligible course Fuel PlannerPlan nutrition for marathon, cool weather Difficulty Analyzer581ft gain, 46°F avg, marathon Training PacesTraining zones for marathon

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