Bemidji Blue Ox Marathon

Incorporated May 20, 1896, Bemidji is a vigorous, friendly city of quaint charm in a setting of natural beauty that covers an area of 16 square miles with an elevation of 1,356 feet. The judicial seat of Beltrami County, geographically, Bemidji is the First City on the Mississsippi River, situated on Lake Bemidji and Lake Irving, sister lakes fed by the mighty river.With that being said, the Bemidji Blue Ox Marathon is the place to be!!

The Blue Ox Full Marathon and 26K courses will all start at the Sanford Center and head around the east side of Lake Bemidji along the Paul Bunyan Trail. While the Half Marathon will start approximately 3 miles up the trail. Half Marathoners will take buses from the Sanford Center to the starting line. The buses will leave the Sanford Center at 8:15am. Buses will remain near the starting line so runners can stay warm if they choose. The Half course will continue along with the 26K course.The Full Marathon will turn off the trail and head up towards Bass Lake. At Bass Lake, the route will turn around and head back to the trail. Once back on the trail, all the races will continue the same way, running along the east side of Lake Bemidji, through Lake Bemidji State Park, and continuing on around the west side of the Lake. The routes will continue past Cameron Park, through Diamond Point Park, past Bemidji State University, and of course past Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox. ALL races will finish at the Sanford Center.

The full-marathon cut-off is 6 hours (about a 13.5 minute per mile pace). Racers that fall behind the race cut-off pace will be offered transportation to the Sanford Center or may surrender their race bib and continue without further race support at their OWN risk. If participants expect to walk more than half the time, we strongly encourage you to complete in the 26K or half marathon instead of the full, as race support will be available for a longer period of time.