About the Mankato Marathon
The Mankato Marathon, presented by Mayo Clinic Health System, is a Boston Marathon qualifying race which showcases beautiful dynamic courses and determined runners. Our courses are the perfect blend of Mankato’s scenic trails and urban landscape, highlighting the beautiful Minnesota River Valley. From Kids races to the Full Marathon and plenty of fun in between, we have a race for everyone!
Don’t miss out on the Pork Power Bacon 5K and the Monarch Healthcare Management 10K. Known for exceptional course support including Meds on Bikes and Sport Psych Team, you are sure to be motivated from start to finish. Kato Up for the Kato Challenges with the Mini-Kato (5k+10K), Mighty-Kato (5k+Half) and the Mega-Kato (5k+Full).
Registration opens December 1st, 2025 for this exceptional race on October 16-17, 2026. The Mankato Marathon was named the “Top Marathon Worth Traveling For in Minnesota”! The Mankato Half Marathon was named a 2017 Top 20 Half Marathon and Top 10 Beautiful On-Course Scenery in the country by The BibRave 100.
Blog
By: Mayo Clinic Health System The taper is an essential aspect of training that many new runners need to remember to incorporate into their training program. Tapering means reducing your training load before a competition to optimize performance on race day. It’s the rest period before race day to reduce...
Written by: April Graff, MS, RD, LD, Hy-Vee Dietitian As race-day approaches, runners often focus on tapering mileage and refining their race-day strategy. Equally important is ensuring adequate carbohydrate intake to maximize glycogen stores. Glycogen, the storage form of carbohydrate in muscles and the liver, serves as a primary fuel...
Written by: April Graff, Hy-Vee Dietitian Staying hydrated sounds simple, but many runners find it harder than expected. You may head out for a run carrying a water bottle and still realize later in the day that you have not had enough to drink. Or, during training, the idea of...
Written by: April Graff, Hy-Vee Dietitian As summer training miles add up, many runners find themselves hitting a wall, not from lack of motivation, but from cumulative fatigue. Mid-season burnout is common during peak mileage months, especially when high temperatures, busy schedules, and inadequate fueling come together. The good news...
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