Tour de Essex - 7k Trail Run

9 AM - Saturday, October 21, 2023
Essex Park, Rochester, MN

Experience the rolling hills of the Essex Park trails at the Tour de Essex. Enjoy the trails used for hiking, running, dog walking, and cross country skiing. These trails are expertly maintained throughout the year by volunteers of the Rochester Active Sports Club (RASC).

The approximately 7K trail run will start on the Essex Park entrance road and then head onto the trails. Running surfaces on the race course are mainly grass and dirt with short sections of gravel and asphalt.

This is a low key, low frills race. No race mementos (e.g. shirts) or awards will be provided. Water will be available on the course. Runners will be timed with results published on the Rochester Running Club and Rochester Active Sports Club web sites.

The entry fee is a very reasonable $15.00 (that's right - only $15!) for online registration through Thursday, October 19. The entry fee for race day registration will be $20. RASC and Rochester Running Club members will receive a $5 entry fee discount. All entry fees from the race will be put towards trail maintenance expenses.

Race day registration will begin at 8 AM at the Essex Park red barn (not the picnic shelter).

The race starts at 9 AM.

If you have any questions, contact John Resman at jresman@gmail.com.

Come on out and enjoy a great fall morning touring the Essex Park trails, and at the same time you'll be supporting the year-round maintenance of the Essex Park and Quarry Hills Park trail systems!

This race is jointly sponsored by the Rochester Active Sports Club and Rochester Running Club.

For the discounted race fee, join the Rochester Active Sports Club or Rochester Running Club.

2023 Overall Results

Runners enjoyed a beautiful sunny, temperate 50 degree morning as they arrived for the 7.4K (4.6 mile) Tour de Essex trail race on Saturday, October 21, 2023. The leg and lung burning effects of the constant up and down course were slightly mitigated by the great conditions, scenic trails, and fall colors.

The runners were led across the finish line by Noah Billings averaging 6:44 miles. Brian Wells followed Noah at a 6:52 mile pace with Brian Hunn finishing third at a 7:18 mile clip.

Shannon Rupp finished first among women with the sixth fastest female course time bounding through the hills at a 7:39 mile pace. The next women following Shannon through the finish line were Branda Anderson at an 8:17 mile clip, and Megan Pfrimmer averaging 9:10 miles.

Several people set age-group best mile pace times -

Female 20 - 29 7:39 Shannon Rupp

Female 40 - 49 8:17 Branda Anderson

Female 70 - 79 11:03 Diane Mann

Male 19 and under 6:44 Noah Billings

Male 50 - 59 7:26 Eric Woodford

Congratulations to all of the runners enjoying a beautiful fall morning at the Tour de Essex and supporting year round maintenance of the Essex Park and Quarry Hill trails.

Online registration closes on Thursday, October 19

Race day registration begins at 8 AM.