Where can I find the Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon route map?
Use the official course links on this page for the organiser route page, map PDF or route download.
Official course linksLake Wobegon Trail Marathon
This race edition
- Race date
- Date not confirmed for this distance
- Race timezone
- Timezone not confirmed
- Edition status
- Status not confirmed
Entry options
2027 edition
Entry options are not yet confirmed for this edition. Check the organiser before making plans.
Decision summary
Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon at a glance
- Cut-off average pace
- 8:32/km
- Typical conditions
- 88/100
- Evidence depth
- 44 verified facts
6:00:00 total limit divided by distance. Check gun/chip timing and intermediate limits; allow time for stops.
Historical race-date favourability, not a forecast
Source facts available
Route details
Known course facts at a glance
Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon has known course details for its marathon race. The summary below keeps the focus on what is confirmed for the course.
- Official distance
- 42.2 km
- Terrain
- Trail, Road
- Scenery
- Countryside, Lakeside, Waterfront, Riverside
Quick answers
What runners ask first
How hilly is the Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon?
The Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon is described as net downhill. The course listing puts the climb at 88 m.
Where does the Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon route go?
The Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon route starts at Holdingford High School, Holdingford, Minnesota (runners head west one mile then join the Lake Wobegon Trail 3/4 mile north of the Holdingford Trail Facility) and finishes at St. Joseph Trail Facility, St. Joseph, Minnesota. Underfoot, expect 10-foot-wide smooth asphalt bike trail on a former railroad track, with no cant. It passes Lake Wobegon Trail, Holdingford, Albany, Avon and St. Joseph. Joseph finish to the Holdingford start (5:30-6:00 a.m.).
What should runners know on race day for the Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon?
Drop bags may be left in a designated trailer at Holdingford High School and are returned to the finish area in St. Joseph. 12. Experienced volunteer pacers available for finish times of 3:00, 3:05, 3:15, 3:25, 3:30, 3:45, 4:00, 4:05, 4:20, 4:35, 4:50, 5:00, 5:30 and 6:00. Running race only - no wheelchairs, hand-cycles, strollers, skates, bikes or pets.
Race character
Scenery
- Countryside
- Lakeside
- Waterfront
- Riverside
Terrain
- Trail
- Road
- Elevation character
- Net Downhill
- Technicality
- Non Technical
- Source-stated ascent
- 88 m
- Net elevation
- -37 m
Entry, logistics and records
Records and field
- Men's course record
- 2:25:40 (Jacob Vander Plaats)
- Women's course record
- 2:58:13 (Amy Feit)
- Field size
- Limited to 500 runners (2027 edition)
- Field cap
- 500
Entry requirements
- Entry status
- Open entry: The held registration model is open entry and this edition is not marked sold out.
- Cut-off
- Finish line closes after six hours; water stations close at a 13:44 per-mile pace and runners off that pace are transported to the finish
- Qualification status
- USATF Certified course (USATF #MN 19006 RR) and a Boston Qualifier
Race day logistics
- Aid stations
- 12
- Pacers
- Experienced volunteer pacers available for finish times of 3:00, 3:05, 3:15, 3:25, 3:30, 3:45, 4:00, 4:05, 4:20, 4:35, 4:50, 5:00, 5:30 and 6:00
- Bag drop
- Drop bags may be left in a designated trailer at Holdingford High School and are returned to the finish area in St. Joseph
- Expo / packet pickup
- Packet pickup (bibs, timing chips, drop bags) at Resurrection Lutheran Church, 610 County Road 2, St. Joseph, from 4:00 to 7:00 pm the Friday before the race, plus race-morning pickup at Holdingford High School 5:45-6:45 a.m.; no race-day registration
- Medal
- Finisher medals awarded to all runners who complete the course within the six-hour time limit
- Finisher tee
- Finisher shirts awarded to all runners who complete the course within the six-hour time limit
Access and course status
- Start
- Holdingford High School, Holdingford, Minnesota (runners head west one mile then join the Lake Wobegon Trail 3/4 mile north of the Holdingford Trail Facility)
- Finish
- St. Joseph Trail Facility, St. Joseph, Minnesota
Course facts
- Course type
- Point To Point
- Surface
- 10 Foot Wide smooth asphalt bike trail on a former railroad track, with no cant
- Landmarks
- Lake Wobegon Trail, Holdingford, Albany, Avon, St. Joseph, central Minnesota farmland and meadow
- Notable features
- Pre-race pasta dinner served by the Avon Women of Today at Resurrection Lutheran Church in St. Joseph (4-7 pm Friday, $12). Buses shuttle runners from the St. Joseph finish to the Holdingford start (5:30-6:00 a.m.)
- no transport back to the start after the race. Running race only - no wheelchairs, hand-cycles, strollers, skates, bikes or pets
- Considered by many the prettiest portion of the Lake Wobegon Trail
- primarily rural except where it passes through the four small towns. Only one turn on the whole course - a left at the 'T' around mile 11.2 - so runners cannot get lost
What are typical race-day conditions?
- 12°CTypical temperature
- 19 kphTypical wind
- 2 mmTypical rainfall
- 88Favourability /100