Welcome to Marquette County.
The Upper Peninsula is a vast landscape that quickly overwhelms the unprepared. Da Marji, as referred to by locals, will fool you. Do your homework. Believe the stories. Prepare. Marquette County trails are littered with rocks, roots, and punchy climb after punchy climb hammering you into submission. Since 2015 our average DNF rate is 60%. Weather in the U.P. can be defined as unpredictable. We encourage you to prepare for everything from the possibility of all-day rain or even flurries. Not kidding.
The coveted Marji Gesick belt buckle is awarded to those that can complete the 100-mile course in under 12 hours. Many have tried. Almost all have failed. They usually return to complete their unfinished business.
100+ miles. 12,000 feet of climbing.
With a course that is somewhere north of 100 miles (but probably south of 120), unpredictable weather, and relentless terrain, the Marji Gesick 100 is a day racers won’t soon forget. No matter how much they want to.
There’s a reason why professionals and amateurs alike travel from across the country to compete for the winning prize of one dollar. They come to test themselves. To find their limits & destroy them.
A fortunate few 100-mile runners will finish in under 30 hours and earn a belt buckle. The rest will be out on course well past sunset and some into the next morning.
Designed by local artist Gordon Gearheart our buckle has become synonymous with the definition of endurance and grit. The Marji buckle is as real and raw as the effort required to claim it. Ultra-runners finishing under 30-hours will go home with hardware claimed by only a handful of people.
We will hide a yet to be determined number of checkpoints throughout the course. They will be directly on course and easy to recognize. Competitors are required to arrive at the finish line with a token from each checkpoint (what the item is will be disclosed at a later date). If you do not have all of the required checkpoint items for your event – you will be disqualified from consideration for the cash prize ($1.00) and buckles.
There is a cut-off at Jackson Park around mile 85. You must leave Jackson park by 2:00am EST Sunday morning. Unclaimed drop bags will be moved to the finish line at this time.
50+ miles. On foot.
Our 50+ mile ultra is a true test of one’s will. With a course that features every kind of rock imaginable to punishing climbs and potentially muddy descents the Marji Gesick 50 on foot is a long day (and night) no matter how you slice it.
We will hide a yet to be determined number of checkpoints throughout the course. They will be directly on course and easy to recognize. Competitors are required to arrive at the finish line with a token from each checkpoint (what the item is will be disclosed at a later date). If you do not have all of the required checkpoint items for your event you will be disqualified.
There is a cut-off at Jackson Park around mile 35. You must leave Jackson park by 2:00am EST Sunday morning. Unclaimed drop bags will be moved to the finish line at this time.
Self-Supported Ethos
You will be self-supported. There are no race operated aid stations. We will sign the course; however, signs fall down, people pull them down, bears eat them. You must be prepared to fend for yourself. Road rules apply. You will not find happy, smiling volunteers stopping traffic and waving your through – anywhere. You are on your own. If you finish expect to finish after dark. In the event of an emergency call 911. In recent years our community has developed a reputation for supporting Marji Gesick racers with “pop-up” aid stations. We are extremely lucky to live in an area where people care so much about other people. Our race team would like to share this word of caution: Pop-up aid stations are not operated by the race. They have no obligation to be there. There is no guarantee they will be in the same place this year or anywhere at all. We cannot stress enough – You are self-supported.
Marji Gesick is a production of the 906 Adventure Team, a 501(c)3 Non-Profit. The organization is based in Marquette County and currently serving two additional U.P. counties in Delta and Gogebic with a mission to empower people to become the best version of themselves through outdoor adventure.
Note: the MG200 runs once every 5 years.
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