Securian Winter Run Half Marathon, 10K & 5K

Saturday, January 25, 2020 • St. Paul, MN • Course Map

Believe it or not, 1,000 runners or more are bold enough to come out to brave the 30-degree conditions in the winter here in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area each year to run in and finish the Securian Winter Run Half Marathon, part of a weekend of winter festival events that take place in this eastern half of Minnesota’s Twin Cities metropolitan area.

As you might expect, this outdoor festival boasts a cornucopia of wintertime wonders — ice-skating exhibitions, ice-carving competitions, ice castle replica buildings, snow sculpture displays, and much more.

The out-and-back race begins and finishes in downtown St. Paul, just a few blocks from the banks of the Mississippi River at the corner of Jackson and 6th Streets. From there, the race follows a meandering route alongside the riverbanks, across a combination of flat stretches and hilly terrain, unfolding almost entirely along Shepard Road (also called the Great River Road).

The course’s most significant hills occur at the beginning (and the end) of the race, when runners are heading toward the finish — and shouldn’t push too hard, according to some past participants.

Walkers are welcome to participate in the 5K, but not the 13.1-mile half marathon, as race organizers must re-open parts of the course by 11:30 AM. All half-marathon participants are expected to be back on Jackson Street and heading toward the finish by this time (the race starts at 9:00 AM).

Organizers also strongly encourage runners and walkers to dress appropriately for the aptly named winter run, as conditions in past years have seen temperatures drop to as low as zero degrees Fahrenheit.

Participants must guard against hypothermia and just against getting dangerously cold, and race organizers may be forced to cancel or shorten the race in case of extreme weather conditions.

Race Weather & Climate

Located just a few miles to the east of neighboring Minneapolis, the city of St. Paul experiences the same frigid temperatures and icy conditions as much of the rest of the state this time of year.

January brings the city’s coldest and snowiest weather of the year, and temperatures have been known to drop as low as 29 degrees below zero during the month.

Past Results

Course Map

See the race route map for the Securian Winter Run Half Marathon here.

Starting Time

  • 9:00 AM – half marathon
  • 9:15 AM – 10K
  • 9:25 AM – 5K

Fees

  • $60 – $65 for the half marathon
  • $55 – $60 for the 10K
  • $50 – $55 for the 5K

Registration

To reserve your spot in the 2020 running of St. Paul’s Securian Winter Run Half Marathon, 10K or 5K race, register online at ChronoTrack.com here.

Official Race Website

www.securian.com

Comments

Ever run in the Securian Winter Run? Share your impressions here, or post your review in the Comments below.

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