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We Walk! Marathon race photo

We Walk! Marathon

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

We Walk! Marathon race photo
We Walk! Marathon race photo
Mayer
US
Peter van der Sluijs · CC BY-SA 3.0Peter van der Sluijs · CC BY-SA 3.0Graham Horn · CC BY-SA 2.0
Race date Sep expected
September 2027
City · Distance
Mayer · 50km
Entry fee
$70From the 2026 edition
2027Date September 2027 · expected · Soon
2026Date Sep 26, 2026 · Entry ~ Sep 24, 2026 · Entry fee $20 · Start 06:45
Official website ↗D-day as of Oct 10, 2026
We Walk! Marathon race photo
Peter van der Sluijs · CC BY-SA 3.0
We Walk! Marathon race photo
Peter van der Sluijs · CC BY-SA 3.0
We Walk! Marathon race photo
Graham Horn · CC BY-SA 2.0
About the raceRunner storiesHow to enterCourseRace PrepTravel
Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

About We Walk! Marathon — what makes it special

ABOUT THE RACE

A day you'll remember,
long past the finish line.

A walking marathon that started in 2009 on the Lakewobegon Trail in central Minnesota.

This year it takes place on the Dakota Rail Trail southwest of the Twin Cities, departing from Mayer.

All events feature flat course on the abandoned rail bed, with generous time limits for walking participants.

The road to your own record

Picture the course in advance
and find the pace that fits you.

When the city cheers

Streets lined with cheers, runners all around.
You'll be part of that scene.

The trip that follows the run

Take it slow with the finish still in you,
and meet the city all over again.

We Walk! Marathon runner reviews and race reports

Stories from runners who've been there.

From the joy of finishing to the tough moments — read what runners wrote themselves.

Race reports: 2
DavidRan in 2021 · Finish time 4:55:58
“I pressed on and finished in 4:55:58.”

At the We Walk Marathon, the runner increased their walking pace while catching participants ahead after an individual start. Holding speed late on, they finished first overall in 4 hours 55 minutes 58 seconds.

Read the original on Goal-Oriented Runner
DavidRan in 2019 · Finish time 5:43:53
“It was a beautiful course, but I felt isolated.”

At the We Walk Marathon, the runner entered the Fun Walk event and walked along a flat rail trail. Despite rain-soaked shoes and heel blisters, a faster final section brought a finish in 5 hours, 43 minutes, and 53 seconds.

Read the original on Goal-Oriented Runner

We translated a short line from each public race report and summarized the experience. Finish times are as stated by the author, and past editions may differ from this year's weather and operations.

See it on video,
feel it through their stories.

Preview the course and read what runners who went before you wrote.

We Walk! Marathon-Half Marathon-50k

AM 1240 WJON

View on YouTube

This may be from a past edition. Check the organizer for this year's course and operations.

The way in that fits you

YOUR ENTRY

How to enter We Walk! Marathon — registration routes

How to reach the start line —
start with what fits you.

Here are the ways to enter and what each requires.
Check the organizer's page for whether entries are open.

From the 2026 edition
Official race websiteEntry options
From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

We Walk! Marathon course map and elevation

Your 50km

Know the course and time limit, and race day comes into focus.

From the 2026 edition
Runners start · local timeFrom 06:30
Show more

Pace 10:18 minutes/mile

EventStart
Ultra06:30
Marathon42.195km06:45
Half21.0975km07:45
10K10km08:45
START

Mayer Lutheran High School, 305 5th St NE, Mayer, MN

Start · Google Maps
FINISH

Mayer Lutheran High School

Finish · Google Maps

Events include 50K, Marathon, 1/2 Marathon, and 10K.

The start is at Mayer, MN at 6:45 a.m. local time.

Participant benefits

Not yet confirmed in the official race guide

From the most recent edition

Event T-shirt 2026

This may change for the next edition.

Where and when to collect your We Walk! Marathon race bib

To the start line,
step by step.

Pick up your bib, check your wave.
So on race morning, you can just run.

From the 2026 edition

Pick up your bib at the expo

A walking-focused marathon, half marathon, 10K, and 50K event, with packets distributed at the high school on race morning.
9/26(Sat) 06:30~09:15 (race day)

Mayer Lutheran High School, 305 5th St NE, Mayer, MN 55360

Google MapsDirections

Stations & transport near the venue

  • Getting to the startNone — small rural town, no train/bus/subway service.
  • Transit cardMarathon takes place near Mayer, a small rural town in central Arizona with no public transit.

Source · checked Aug 24, 2026

More details

Getting to the start

None — small rural town, no train/bus/subway service.

IMPORTANT LOCATION NOTE: this race is in Mayer, MINNESOTA (not Arizona). Start/finish is at Mayer Lutheran High School, 306 7th St NE, Mayer, MN.

Course runs on the Dakota Rail Trail on the southwest edge of the Twin Cities metro. Small-town rail-trail venue about 45-60 min drive from downtown Minneapolis-St.

Paul; car access only, no organized shuttle found.

Map

Road closures

Please park in the parking lot away from start line/finish

Transit card

We Walk! Marathon takes place near Mayer, a small rural town in central Arizona with no public transit.

No dedicated transit card system exists; a car is required for access.

Source · checked Aug 24, 2026
READY TO RUN

From race morning to after the finish.

Your start time, fuel and bag drop.
Know them ahead and the run feels easier.

This is a racewalking-focused event, not a running race, with four categories: Marathon, half marathon, 10km, and 50km,

all starting and finishing at the south end of the parking lot west of Mayer Lutheran High School on the flat paved Dakota Rail Trail course.

Minnesota's premier racewalking event since 2009, featuring generous time limit accommodating walkers.

Times are local to Mayer. Check the latest official information before the race.

A trip built around the race

STAY A LITTLE

MAKE IT A RUNTRIP

The race is one day,
the trip can be longer.

From a hotel that makes race morning easy,
to the meals and views you'll enjoy with the medal on.

What to see in Mayer after the race

Seeing Mayer with the medal on

View all →

The city you ran — this time, a little slower.

Hotels that make race morning easyDistances are straight-line from the start.View on mapEating well is part of the tripA meal before the race, a dinner to celebrate the finish.View on map

Hotel distances are straight-line from the start. Experiences, food and sights are travel products in Mayer.

Total cost and budget for We Walk! Marathon

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

Trip prep too,
light and in one place.

ChecklistLocal eSIM · Trip.comFlight delay or cancellation compensation · AirHelpPace calculator

Once saved, you can open this page without an internet connection

Runner stories and questions about We Walk! Marathon

RUN TOGETHER

With runners who dream of
the same start line.

Be the first runner
Leave this room's first post

Mayer runners' room

Frequently asked questions about We Walk! Marathon

FAQ
When does We Walk! Marathon 2027 take place?

Not officially announced yet.

It's expected in September 2027;

the 2026 race was held on Sat, September 26, 2026.

How much is the We Walk! Marathon 2027 entry fee?

Not announced yet. The 2026 race entry fee was about $20.

What is the time limit for We Walk! Marathon 2027?

Pace 10:18 minutes/mile. (From the 2026 edition)

What distances does We Walk! Marathon 2027 offer?

Ultra. (From the 2026 edition)

What time does We Walk! Marathon 2027 start?

The race starts at 06:30. (From the 2026 edition)

Where does We Walk! Marathon 2027 start?

Mayer Lutheran High School, 305 5th St NE, Mayer, MN. (From the 2026 edition)

Where does We Walk! Marathon 2027 finish?

Mayer Lutheran High School. (From the 2026 edition)

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