Marked by beautiful views and a country feel, the Circle the Lake Half Marathon, 10k, and 5k will take you along the shores of Circle Lake in rural Rice County, MN. Located just 20 minutes south of Burnsville, MN, these courses are run over rolling hills on a mix of …
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Marked by beautiful views and a country feel, the Circle the Lake Half Marathon, 10k, and 5k will take you along the shores of Circle Lake in rural Rice County, MN. Located just 20 minutes south of Burnsville, MN, these courses are run over rolling hills on a mix of paved and dirt roads. It is possible to spot bald eagles, osprey, deer, ducks, pelicans, and to hear the hum of a distant tractor. Runners will have views of the island in Circle Lake, home to many species of wildlife. These courses are open to competitive racers, families, dogs, kids, seniors, and are iPod friendly. The race starts and ends at the historic Millersburg School House, and you will follow part of the same route the Jesse James Gang once traveled on Dodd Road on September 6, 1876. After the race enjoy a complimentary drink at Boonie’s Grill, voted the best burger and best kept secret in Southern Minnesota.
The race is held two weeks before the Twins Cities Marathon, so it is perfect for those of you training for that race. Our half marathon is tough and will test your mettle. There are several big hills that will challenge you! All races will be chip-timed. There will be posted mile markers and water/sports drinks will be available throughout the course.
Families, kids, and dogs are welcomed. Run it for a time or walk it for enjoyment. We’re iPod friendly–however, if you are wearing headphones, please be aware of your surroundings and keep the volume down so you are able to hear cars.
Circle Lake is used for recreation, sports, and by naturalists. This is a charity event sponsored by the Circle Lake Association. The association has many projects completed and much more planned to improve the lake’s watershed. The proceeds from this event go toward funding those projects.
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Fun, with Gravel and Hills
This was the second time running the Circle the Lake Half for me and I will be coming back! This is a small race, with only 43 half marathoners this … MORE
This was the second time running the Circle the Lake Half for me and I will be coming back! This is a small race, with only 43 half marathoners this year, but with the 5k and 10k starting together with the Half, it seems like a little larger race at the start.
Course circumvents Circle Lake, but there are not too many views of the water. About half of the distance is on gravel and half paved. Some of the gravel sections had been recently graded and had fairly substantial stones on top, so need to be careful. Later start time means it gets a little warm later in the race, but water stops are well positioned. There are also several rolling hills that get a bit repetitive. I am sure they added a few between 2019 and 2021!
Volunteers and participants were all friendly and seemed to be having a good time. Boonies Bar and Grill at the start line gave everyone who participated a Bloody Mary.
Only weird occurrence during my race was being stopped by a sheriffs deputy during the run to let traffic go through. Usually course marshals prioritize the runners. But overall, there are few places on the course to encounter much traffic. This is very rural Minnesota.