Imagine running 3.1 miles without ever touching the ground floor. St. Paul’s first-ever “Skyway 5K” on Saturday dares runners to traverse downtown St. Paul mostly from the second floor skyway system, moving between some of the city’s oldest commercial buildings without leaving them.
So far, at least 700 participants have signed up for the challenge, including St. Paul City Council President Rebecca Noecker and Council Member Saura Jost.
“The tag line is ‘Run where no one has run before (Literally. They don’t let people do this.),’” said Noecker on Wednesday, addressing the council. “This is all being planned by folks who just love downtown and want to bring vibrancy to the skyways.”
Unlike a traditional 5K, the climate-controlled race — which will be chip-timed with staggered heats throughout the morning — features stairs, sharp turns and changes in flooring. It’s still compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, as those who need to use an elevator will have access to one, and walkers and children in strollers are welcome.
As with any physical competition, there’s at least a modicum of danger along the course. How will runners share the road when there isn’t one? How many racers will suffer bruised knees on walls and skyway windows? If you abort the course or need a breather, where do you pull off?
“I’m very interested to see what it’s going to be like,” said Jost, a seasoned 10-mile and half-marathoner who plans to stick to her 7-year-old son’s running pace. “It’s going to be warmer running inside.”
It’s little secret that St. Paul’s downtown skyway system has taken its share of hits, even before the pandemic and remote work sent customers and then skyway vendors packing, and some long sections remain off-limits to the general public or have since closed entirely. The route map, for instance, avoids the shuttered Alliance Bank Center.
Still, downtown’s tilt toward residential living continues to draw skyway walkers, including a group of seniors who meet at U.S. Bank Center every Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. to explore the skyways together for camaraderie and exercise. A skyway run elevates the same concept to another level.
The Skyway 5K aims to “highlight the beauty and uniqueness of the St. Paul skyway system while giving runners an unforgettable experience to run through one of the things that makes Minnesota so ‘one of a kind,’” reads the marketing materials, which include offers of event t-shirts. Every runner will receive a branded winter beanie.
Sponsors and fundraising partners include Anderson Race Management, Summit Brewing Co., the District 17 CapitolRiver Council and the St. Paul Union Depot.
The event starts and ends at the Union Depot transit hub in Lowertown, with the first heat around 8 a.m. Admission is $39 to $52. More information is online at skyway5k.com.
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