Heatwave Half Marathon St. Paul
St. Paul, MN
- Half Marathon, Half Marathon Relay, 10K, 5K, 1 Miler, Kids Run
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
Every Registration Includes:* Great Swag – designer shirt & custom medal* Chip-timing with live results and awards (no chip timing for the mile and kids dash)* Free photos* FREE Kona Ice waiting at the finish line* Plenty of fun! 5K/10K/Half Marathon & Relay registration includes a custom bib, designer shirt, and … MORE
Local Historical Weather (Jul 11):
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
| H (°F) | 88 | 84 | 87 | 75 | 87 |
| L (°F) | 70 | 69 | 65 | 57 | 71 |
Find Nearby Lodging (hotel, rental, etc.):
Budget race but liked the course
Parking: Plenty of parking. I arrived at 5:30 a.m. and parked in the main lot, but there are several additional lots within about a 0.5-mile walk. Packet Pickup: Race-day pickup … MORE
Parking: Plenty of parking. I arrived at 5:30 a.m. and parked in the main lot, but there are several additional lots within about a 0.5-mile walk.
Packet Pickup: Race-day pickup opened at 5:30 a.m. The swag included a cotton tank top and a cooling towel. There wasn’t a size chart on the website, and I assumed it was a technical shirt, so I sized up. The tank ended up being about two sizes too big. I was told exchanges wouldn’t happen until after the race, but by the time half marathoners finished, all the smaller sizes were gone because the 5K/10K runners had already exchanged theirs. A size chart on the website would help. The cooling towel, however, worked great and I used it throughout the race.
Restrooms: The pavilion bathrooms were locked before the race but were open afterward. The race company only rented four porta-potties near the start/activity center, with none on the course. I run around Lake Phalen often, so I know where the park restrooms are, but they frequently lack toilet paper and aren’t always clean. There’s a newer indoor restroom around mile 5 near Round Lake that also has a filtered water station, and I’d recommend using that if it’s open. It would be helpful if the organizers marked restroom locations on the course map or included them in the race-week email.
Start: There were 319 participants across the 5K, 10K, and half marathon, with 96 running the half. Pacers were available, with the slowest at 3:30. Because the path is narrow and there were no assigned staging areas, the first mile was congested. Things opened up after the 5K turnaround, but there were also several double strollers on the course. A staggered start, especially sending the 5K off last, would make the opening miles much smoother.
Course: The race starts south of the pavilion, goes through the tunnel, and loops around Round Lake before joining the Lake Phalen trail. The Round Lake section is mostly shaded, while much of the east side of Lake Phalen is fully exposed. Runners stay on the outer bike path, avoiding the steeper hills. Half marathoners turn around after the Beach House and before the hilly section and complete a double loop. One final short but steep hill about 0.1 mile from the finish makes it difficult to build speed for a strong finish. Would have made more sense to find a way to finish people on the flat.
Water Stations: There were aid stations only at the 5K, 10K, and half marathon turnarounds (which you pass again on the return). The biggest disappointment was that the water was extremely hot…not just warm. On an 85°F day at a race literally called the “Heatwave,” I expected more effort to keep runners cool. Ice water, ice at the aid stations, or cooling options would have made a big difference. I ended up relying on my cooling towel and detouring to park drinking fountains because their water was cold.
Finish: Finishers received a medal plus warm bottled water and granola bars. There were no bananas, chips, or other post-race snacks. As a bare minimum they could have had big tubs with ice in them to keep bottled water cold. We did receive a ticket for a free item from the ice cream truck (mostly popsicles), although mine melted before I could finish it. I preferred the snow cone truck they had at a previous race.
Overall: This is a small, budget-friendly race with a modest field and a no-frills atmosphere. If you register early, it’s a good value. Because there are multiple parking lots along the course, it’s also an easy race for family and friends to spectate, cheer on the runners, relax in the shade, and even hand you cold water during the race.