Reggie Oeltjen Douglas Trail 11-Mile Race

Welcome to the 2025 Reggie Oeltjin Douglas Trail 11 Mile Race! This is the 49th Anniversary of this event, and we're excited for you to toe the line.

This 11-mile race takes place on the Douglas Trail, an asphalt rail-trail system that extends from Northwest Rochester to Pine Island. Participants meet in Douglas to race through a canopy of trees that shade the trail most of the way. Runners are treated to a race gift, post-race refreshments, and delicious, hydrating watermelon.

The first Douglas Trail Race took place in 1976. The race was renamed in 2017 to honor Reggie Oeltjen, a longtime member and volunteer of the Rochester Running Club. Reggie’s dream was to run border to border across Minnesota, from South Dakota to Wisconsin, at age 65. He passed away peacefully in his sleep midway through his journey.

We will host packet pickup near the start of the race from 6:30-7:45am on Raceday morning. Be prepared for any weather, although I almost guarantee a beautiful, seasonally cool morning with the sounds of happy, chirping birds... 😀

WEATHER UPDATES

As the forecast currently stands, we'll be right at a threshold AQI of 150. We are currently planning to host the Reggie Oeltjen Douglas Trail Race.

However, we know that the weather quality is still borderline for those who are sensitive to allergens and air pollution. If you do not feel comfortable racing tomorrow due to the air quality, we are offering you the opportunity to defer your race registration. Please email us at rochesterrunningclub@gmail.com if you intend to defer your race registration rather than race tomorrow.

Please check your emails in the morning before heading to the start line as there is a small chance that we'll cancel the race if the AQI is dramatically higher in the morning than anticipated. We will email all registered participants if that is the case.

We look forward to seeing everyone in the morning and wish you all good luck tomorrow morning - have fun, run hard, cheer on your friends, and enjoy the beautiful cooler temperatures. We hope you'll enjoy some well-deserved watermelon at that finish line!