Scenic Byway Half Marathon & 5K

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Date

Oct 11, 2025

Starting Time

9:00 AM

Course

Road

Fees

$40+

Location

Belle Plaine

Participants

1-100

Terrain

Fast & Flat

Environment

Small Town

Temperature
High: 62°
/ Low: 41°
Overview

The 14th annual Scenic Byway Half Marathon & 5K gets underway this October as part of an effort to continue supporting clean-up efforts of a 61-acre site on the banks of the Minnesota River Valley along the northern edge of Belle Plaine, Minnesota.

The races start at Court Square Park in Belle Plaine and continue along the Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway Loop. Both the half marathon and 5K courses are USATF certified and chip-timed, making this race a great, competitive running opportunity among the peak-of-harvest beauty along the Minnesota River Valley.

Course Description

The Belle Plaine Chamber of Commerce is working with local and national businesses, as well as various governmental agencies on the MN River Valley Cleanup Project, which helped fund efforts to remove more than 1,200 tons of material from a contaminated, former salvage yard.
Funds raised from the race will go toward promotion of Belle Plaine and its unique location as the last stop on the MN River Valley Scenic Byway, as well as environmental projects, including the ongoing Minnesota River Valley Cleanup Project. This project has a long-range goal of extending biking and hiking trails from the Twin Cities to Mankato.
The race begins and ends at Court Square Park, which is home to the nation’s only two-story outhouse. Following a course with moderately hilly stretches and mostly flat terrain, the Belle Plaine Scenic Byway Half Marathon takes runners on a circular loop of quiet country roads that encompasses the beautiful Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway, a 287-mile stretch of River Valley in which Belle Plaine is the last stop.
Anderson Race Management will help organize the events, which include chip timing, awards, medals and a post-race party with food, entertainment and kids activities at Court Square for participants and families. The half marathon starts at 9:00 AM, while the 5K race gets underway at 9:20 AM.

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