Lift Bridge Road Races
Stillwater, MN
- Half Marathon, 10 Miler, 10K, 5K
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
NEW in 2025 – a half marathon distance! The Lift Bridge Road Race is based at Lift Bridge Brewing Company in Stillwater – the event’s title sponsor. The half marathon, 10-mile, 10K and 5K courses show off the best of historic residential Stillwater and its scenic lakes and paved trail … MORE
Local Historical Weather (Jun 27):
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
| H (°F) | 81 | 70 | 72 | 83 | 80 |
| L (°F) | 58 | 57 | 54 | 56 | 49 |
Find Nearby Lodging (hotel, rental, etc.):
Easy Logistics
Logistics: I got there at 5:10am and was first one in the parking lot next to Harbor Freight. It's right across from the finish line. They shuttle you to the … MORE
Logistics: I got there at 5:10am and was first one in the parking lot next to Harbor Freight. It’s right across from the finish line. They shuttle you to the starts for each distance and the buses are at the end of the street. They do have gear check at each start line which is nice because last year it was raining and this year was chilly so could wear extra layers right up to start. The 10 mile was a small field, 120 people. So the logistics for this race are super easy.
Packet Pick Up: This year I opted to get my packet race morning-they opened at 5:20. Super easy. You get a soft cotton style shirt and bib, and ticket for free drink. Pick Up is right at the Brewery which is the start line.
Start Line: Was at Stillwater Middle School. They had about 5 porta potties so no worries if you take one of the earlier buses but as the buses drop off the line gets longer. They tell you not to drive to the start lines as they can get full and some of them do but this one had a big lot.
Course: This race is one of 5 in a series of races that are held in different parts of Stillwater. This course runs through neighborhoods so you don’t see much exciting scenery. The first couple miles are shaded but after that you have long stretches of full sun exposure. There are also lots of hills that are sort of steep rollers but you don’t always get a down right after an up. You might go up, turn a corner to flat, etc. This race is really good about water stations every 2 miles. There was also a chunk of porta potties around mile 3.5 and then single ones here and there after that. The fun part is the various courses feed into each other so doing the 10 miles I eventually saw the half runners go by and got to cheer them on.
Post Race: The lines for everything were line so I just went and cheered on the back of the pack runners near the finish chute and then things cleared out. Lots of shade trees to relax under after the race.
Overall: If you’re looking to get some mileage done with easy logistics this is a good race for that. If you like a smaller race this one is nice. If you are trying to get your MN state done and like something more scenic then I’d pick something else or try the St Croix Crossing or Log Run in the series.
Terrible Course, Great Race Production
Let me start by saying that every Run Stillwater race is well ran, easy on the bib pickup, and seamless getting to the starting line on the bus system. I … MORE
Let me start by saying that every Run Stillwater race is well ran, easy on the bib pickup, and seamless getting to the starting line on the bus system. I have never had a problem with grabbing my bib, getting to the bus, parking, or getting to the starting line with time to warm up. Every race production is 5/5.
When it comes to 5ks, the Run Stillwater races have 4 good races and 1 poor race – the 1 poor race is the Lift Bridge 5k. The course begins right off of the Browns Creek Trail on a sidewalk and starts with a steady 75ft uphill first mile right into a neighborhood with a handful of turns. Right at the second mile, you hit a nice 30ft uphill before a flat portion into the finish line. Lift Bridge is basically the highest point in Stillwater so it’s hard to include downhills, but the course is absolutely brutal compared to the other Run Stillwater races.
I would recommend this race if you enjoy tougher 5ks / don’t care much about time. Huge thank you to Wild River Running for the bib!!
Could be better
The Lift Bridge courses have room to improve mainly with all the turns throughout the course and the brutal hill right before the finish. I ran the 5k and was … MORE
The Lift Bridge courses have room to improve mainly with all the turns throughout the course and the brutal hill right before the finish. I ran the 5k and was thrown off by how often we had to turn, the weather didn’t help much either. The old course going into Bayport was much better – arguably the best one Run Stillwater had.
Hot, Humid, Hilly
Nice small summer run, but plan on some serious heat this time of the year. Well organized with a very nice post race party. The scenery is also nice running … MORE
Nice small summer run, but plan on some serious heat this time of the year. Well organized with a very nice post race party. The scenery is also nice running through the outskirts of Stillwater, MN. I originally thought this race was sponsored by Liftbridge Brewery, and was looking forward to a cold one after the race, but I was wrong. It might be a nice touch though.