Race Report: A Hot, Blustery Day at the 2025 Twin Cities Marathon

After my spring race didn’t go as planned, the 2025 Twin Cities Marathon was supposed to be my shot at redemption. But fate had other ideas, and as race day approached it became clear that the weather would not be conducive to a seriously fast race.

I adjusted expectations, and I hoped that starting out a little slower would help me survive. Although the beginning of the race felt great, things were clearly off course shortly after the 10k mark. So I adjusted expectations again: instead of running for a good time, I’d have a good time running.

And that’s just what I did. Although this was my slowest race – slightly slower than my first marathon in Atlantic City – I had a great time. When life gives you lemons, make some lemonade.

Race Morning and Logistics

I flew in to Minneapolis on Thursday. I have family here, so I’ve spent the weekend visiting with them. Sunday morning, I woke up around 5:15, ate an English muffin with jam, drank some coffee, and got ready for the race. The nice thing about an 8:00 start is you can sleep in a little bit.

My aunt drove me up to the start. When we got in the car, she said, “You know we all think you’re crazy.” My response: “Sometimes, I think I’m crazy, too.” Don’t we all?

The roads were quiet at 6:30, and we quickly got to the starting area. We drove up Park Ave, and there was no traffic until a couple blocks away. We got about a block from the road closures and traffic started to back up, so I hopped out of the car and walked the rest of the way.

I milled around the starting area for a little bit as the 10 Miler started. The weather somehow didn’t seem as bad as I expected. It was in the low 70’s and it was very windy, but the windy made it feel like it wasn’t so hot.

After the 10 Miler went off, I hopped on a line for a porta potty. Then, I warmed up a bit and hung out in the Commons. When it was getting closer to the start, I used the bathroom one more time, did a few strides, tightened my shoelaces, and hopped in Corral 1. It was crowded, but I didn’t have too much trouble moving up near the 3:05 pacer.

Originally, my goal would have been to start with the 3:00 pacer and aim for a 2:58 to 3:00. But given the conditions, I planned to start slow – either with the 3:05 pacer or a bit behind – and see how my body reacted to the heat.

At 7:55 the wheelchair races started, and before I knew it, we were shuffling towards the start.

The First 5k – Going Out Too Hot

The immediate start was very crowded. The corral was wider than the starting gate, and everyone had to crowd in to get through. On the other side, it opened up pretty quickly, though. I settled in to what felt like a very comfortable pace. In the chaos of the start, I lost sight of the pacers, so that went out the window. But I figured I’d just cruise along with the crowd for a bit.

I expected the GPS to be a little funky until we got out of downtown, so I didn’t really pay attention to it. Eventually, I looked down at my watch and realized I missed the 1st mile marker altogether. Oops. It also looked like I was running close to 6:40 – and that couldn’t be right. That just felt too easy.

Just before the two mile mark, we passed by a big church. We could hear it before we got there – the bells were just ringing constantly. After passing the church, we turned onto a tree lined side street and headed uphill. I backed off the pace here, not wanting to push it too hard early on. We came up on the mile marker, and I checked the split – 13:48. Oops. That was not the 7:00-7:15/mi that I planned.

I didn’t feel like I was working hard, but my heart rate was 164-165. That’s way too high. Early in the race, 158-160 is typical. But maybe it was the hill and some of the wind gusts. If I back off the pace, it’ll even out, right?

When we hit the first aid station, shortly after the 2 mile mark, I took my first gel. The aid stations were set up with Nuun in the front and water behind, so I drank a little Nuun followed by some water. Then I dunked a cup of water on my head, and it felt great!

We passed by a lone bagpiper and a random guy with a sousaphone. I was beginning to get the sense that music was a big part of this experience. I managed to slow down a bit in the third mile, but I still split 6:59 – and 21:22 for the first 5k.

The Next 5k – Settling In and Cruising Along

After the 5k mark, we got to Lake of the Isles. The crowds downtown had been a bit sparse near the start, but as we approached the park they started to thicken up. It would flip back and forth – short stretches of quiet and short stretches of people packed shoulder to shoulder.

I think we passed a random concert band somewhere around here, set up on the side of the road. I don’t remember a lot of specific details about this section of the course – just the lake coming in and out of view, some rolling hills, and lots of people. The course was fairly shady so far, so the sun wasn’t an issue. But the wind was definitely kicking up here and there.

I planned to take gels at alternating aid stations, so when the next one came I just grabbed hydration. Downed a cup of Nuun, followed by some water, and dumped a cup of water on my head for good measure. I was feeling great at this point, and I chucked the cups up and over a stream of runners to my right … and bounced off the rim into the trash bin. Score!

I made a conscious effort to ease up on the pace, and it was more reigned in than the first 5k. But I was still under 7:00 for miles 4 and 5 and just over 7:00 for mile 6. My split for this 5k was 21:53. If I could keep cruising along at this pace, I’d be happy.

To the Halfway Point – Derailed

Shortly after the 10k mark, I heard somebody yell, “Good job, pacer!” And I thought, “Uh oh.”

I looked to my left, and sure enough, the 3:05 pacer was coming up on my shoulder. I still felt ok, and I pushed the pace a little. Then I moved off to the side, let them pass me, and tried to tuck in behind the pack.

I assessed how I was feeling, and I could have kept up with them … but it would have required working harder than I should have this early in the race. It just didn’t seem sustainable, and I’m pretty sure if I had truly tried to follow them I’d have just crashed out early.

Instead, this is when I came to terms with the fact that this wasn’t going to be the day. It was hot, the wind was still whipping up periodically, and the sun was starting to peak through the clouds and the shade.

Around the same time, we passed a house blasting some music. Journey was pumping out of the speakers – Don’t Stop Believin’! I’ve crashed and burned before, and I’ve beat myself up over it. But not today. I just smiled and thought, “Let’s cruise to the finish and have a good time.” I knew there’d be another day to run fast.

By the time we got to the third lake, the sun was bright. My mouth was noticeably dry and I was beginning to feel dehydrated. I’d stopped at every aid station so far and taken multiple cups – but the next stop seemed to take forever to come.

For a while, I was still cruising along in the low to mid 7:00’s. When we finally got to the aid station, I walked through it and made sure to take in a few full cups. I felt a little better. But my pace started to fade a bit more after that.

I eventually made it to the halfway point – 1:36 – and that’s the last time I really thought about the pace.

To the Finish – Having a Good Time

Shortly after the halfway point, we turned out of Lake Nokomis and onto the Minnehaha Parkway. I knew my family would be waiting just up ahead, so I started scanning the sidelines looking for them.

Before I got to them, a firetruck pulled up to one of the barriers. I wasn’t sure what was happening, and I sped up to follow another group in front of the truck. Next thing I know, it was on the Parkway – behind us. We all moved to the side, and I ran on the grass for a little bit. The truck turned down the next side street.

Weird. Whatever.

A little further on, I looked up to see my family on the side of the road – my wife, my aunt, and my cousin, who apparently showed up just in time. I smiled, stopped to give my wife a kiss, and then I kept on running.

Another mile down the road, we turned left and started up along the Mississippi River. Eventually, the 3:20 pacer passed me. I looked closer and saw that the group following him was mostly all women – and it occurred to me that they were probably all chasing a solid BQ-5. Good for them. At least someone was having a good day!

Shortly afterwards, I heard, “Hey Brian!” Turned around to see one of my friends from Threads. We chatted for a few, and then he cruised ahead. I was chugging along at an easy pace by this point, so I kept watching people pass me. I kept high-fiving the kids on the side of the road and making the best of it.

Randomly, the sky darkened and it started to rain. It’d rain on and off for the rest of the race, and I noticed some puddles along the course on the way to the finish. Weird weather.

By the time we crossed the bridge and headed south, I was ready to be done. I took a short walking break every mile or so – either through the aid station or in between them. When I looked around, I realized a lot of other people were doing the same thing. We were leapfrogging each other – running, walking, getting passed, and then passing each other over and over.

When we turned onto Summit, I was so thankful to be almost done. Although the road stretched on for a loooooong time. I kept walking the aid stations and I managed my effort up the hills. The crowds here were super thick and motivating. Every time I heard somebody yell, “Go Essex!” I gave a fist pump or flashed a smile.

Near the top of the hill, I passed a house with a rock band out front. They were jamming out to Bon Jovi – Shot Through the Heart. Jersey pride gave me a little momentum there. A few blocks down, a house was blasting Eye of the Tiger through their speakers, and I kept on rolling. Finally made it to the top of the hill.

With less than two miles to go, I saw a table on the right side of the road. It said, “Free beer.” I thought about it. I kept going. A woman near the table yelled, “Go Essex!” or something like that. I turned around and grabbed the beer. After a few sips, I heard somebody else yell, “Chug that beer!” So I went bottoms up, crushed the cup, and held it above my head in triumph.

As luck would have it, MarathonFoto had a photographer in the area and caught my stop at this unsanctioned aid station.

Eventually, we turned towards the finish. The cathedral came into view, and it was a beautiful sight. The statehouse appeared next. I could see the finish line up ahead, and I charged towards the end. For that last half mile, I was back on pace as if I was having a great day.

With about 100-200m to go, I had a random side stitch. That’s what I get for chugging a beer. I held my side and gritted it out to the finish. I spotted my wife on the side, flashed a smile, and ran through the finish. So thankful to be done.

Post-Race Festivities

As soon as I slowed down, the cramp in my side went away. I grabbed my medal, took a photo, and picked up a bottle of water. Took a few big gulps and then sat by the side of the road for a few minutes.

I eventually stood back up and kept on wandering. Grabbed a bag of popcorn to nibble on and then I found my wife by the entrance to the beer garden. We sat there for a good 10 to 15 minutes while I tried to get the popcorn down and let everything start to stabilize.

My stomach felt kind of meh, a clear sign that I was dehydrated. It finally settled down, and we made our way into the beer garden. After I collected my free beer – because why else would we run a marathon? – the band was just about to start. Their name was Good for Gary – and they were pretty good.

I got back in line to buy a second beer and I chatted up a guy who had been out on the course watching his children (who I’m guessing were in their 20’s). My wife and I watched the band for a while until their set was over. The weather was perfect for this – sunny, warm, and breezy. Great day to sit in the park and listen to live music. Not a great day to run a marathon.

When the band took a break, we got up to leave. The guy who was sitting next to us said something, and we chatted for a few. In one of those, “It’s a small world,” moments, I came to find out that he used to live where I grew up in central Jersey. But he moved to Minneapolis back in the 1980’s.

We wandered a couple blocks away and caught a Lyft. Just in time, too, because the skies opened up and it started pouring out before we got back to my Aunt’s house.

Reflections and Looking Ahead

I showered, ate some lunch, and tried to take a nap. I eventually dozed off for a bit, but I couldn’t really sleep. The stress levels on my Garmin were through the roof all day.

Usually, a few hours after a race, things start to stabilize. My resting heart rate goes back down, by stress levels drop, and I feel “normal.” But Sunday, my body was on edge all day. This is how it reacts after long, hard workouts in warm conditions – and it’s a clear sign that I just didn’t react well to the heat.

In the middle of the race, I thought maybe if I had started out more slowly I would have been better off. But I think the heat was coming for me no matter what. Maybe I could have had a more respectable finish, but even eking out a 3:05 was likely out of the question. So I’m happy with my decision to back off and jog it in.

I really did enjoy the second half of the race. Giving myself permission to enjoy it made all the difference. It didn’t feel like the death march of disappointment that I’ve had in other races where things didn’t go according to plan.

I enjoyed the rest of my trip with my family, eating and drinking a little too much. But now that I’m home, I can dry out and get back to normal. My legs felt great – even the next day – which is likely one of the benefits of taking it slow in the second half.

I toyed with the idea of a second marathon this fall. Most of the good ones are sold out, but Ocean City Running Festival is still available in early November. But I think it’ll do me good to focus on shorter stuff instead. I’m already signed up for a few shorter races. I’ll be able to bounce back into training in a couple of weeks and hopefully PR at a few of those.

And then, I’ve got my eyes set on Jersey City. I really do feel like I’m in great shape, and it’s only getting better. Sunday just wasn’t the day, and that’s ok. But you gotta keep rolling the dice – and don’t stop believin’.