Tour de Essex - 7k Trail Run
9 AM - Saturday, October 10, 2026
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 Community (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. A race memento can be purchased for an additional fee. No 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 Community web sites.
The entry fee is a very reasonable $25.00 for online registration through Friday, October 9.. The entry fee for race day registration will be $25. RASC and Rochester Running Club members receive a $5 entry fee discount. The entire race entry fee will be put towards trail maintenance expenses at Essex and Quarry Hill Parks. Rochester Active Sports Community volunteers mow the trails during the summer, clear brush and downed trees, and groom the trails for skiing in the winter.
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 Community and Rochester Running Club.
For the discounted race fee, join the Rochester Active Sports Community or Rochester Running Club.
Tour de Essex Results
2026 Overall Results Age Group Results Race Recap
2025 Overall Results Age Group Results Race Recap
2024 Overall Results Age Group Results Race Recap
2023 Overall Results Age Group Results
2022 Overall Results Age Group Results
2021 Overall Results Age Group Results
2020 canceled due to COVID
2019 Overall Results
2018 Overall Results
2017 Overall Results
2016 Overall Results
2015 Overall Results
2014 Overall Results
2013 Overall Results
2026 Overall Results
Strong south winds brought warm 65 degree temps for the 9 AM start of the Tour de Essex on October 10, 2026. Over 45 runners took on the challenge of the never-ending uphills and downhills of the 7.45K course through Essex Park. Participants successfully navigated the numerous gopher mounds and slightly wet grass of the prairie areas and enjoyed the beautiful fall colors along the wooded trails.
Noah Billings led the pack through the first half of the race, but Steven Brady made a strong move in the second half to pass Noah and capture first place overall at a 6:37 mile pace. Noah crossed the finish line second overall averaging 6:56 miles. Erik Stone rounded out the top three male finishers with a 7:27 pace. Congrats to Noah who recently returned from competing on the US team at the World Triathlon Age Group Championships in Spain.
Kristen Resman led the women's field from start to finish completing the Tour de Essex in a women's course record pace of 7:12/mile (breaking the previous record of 7:17/mile). Isabel Marquardt and Emily Paradis came across the finish line together as the 2nd and 3rd women finishers at an 8:01 mile pace.
Gwen Jacobson broke her own women's 60-69 course record running at a 8:21/mile pace. She ran a minute per mile faster than her pace on this course five years ago!
A number of runners earned spots among the fastest mile-pace times in the history of the Tour de Essex
20-29 Female - Isabel Marquardt - 5th fastest (8:01)
20-29 Male - Noah Billings - 5th fastest (6:56)
30-39 Female - Kristen Resman - fastest (7:12)
30-39 Male - Steven Brady - 6th fastest (6:37)
40-49 Female - Branda Anderson - 7th fastest (8:37)
60-69 Female - Gwen Jacobson - fastest (8:21)
70-79 Female - Diane Mann - 5th fastest (12:19)
70-79 Male - Keith Nelson - 3rd fastest (9:56)
80-89 Female - Rosemary Harnly - 2nd fastest (14:06)
Thank you runners for participating in the Tour de Essex. Your entry fees go directly towards the maintenance costs of keeping the trails in great shape at Essex Park and Quarry Hill. Rochester Active Sports Community volunteers mow the trails, clear brush, and remove downed trees during the summer, and groom the trails for cross-country skiing in the winter.
Thank you to the race volunteers providing runners the opportunity to experience these wonderful trails.
Congratulations to all the runners as they enjoyed - and endured - a fall sojourn on the Essex Park trails!
Online registration closes on Friday, October 9, 2026.
Race day registration begins at 8 AM.