[6] Live coverage of the race has been provided by local radio station KKBJ-FM, Mix 103.7.

[11] The route continues through the pines, poplar and spruce trees of Lake Bemidji State Park, back around the west side of panoramic Lake Bemidji, through the city's downtown, and past the Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox statues before returning to the Sanford Center.

Throughout the weekend, the local arena hosts the Be Active Expo and (most years) the Bemidji State Beavers men's hockey team home games.

[15] Local runner Dennis Bartz spearheaded the idea to bring a marathon to Bemidji, a city of nearly 15,000 people.

[16][17] Michael Meehlhause, a Bemidji City Council member since 2012, has run in one of the races every year.