The Marquette Marathon, Half Marathon, and Wildcat 5K are destination races run through the beauty of Marquette County. You’ll be greeted in Marquette with a stunningly beautiful downhill course, sweet shirts, and quality finisher medals. The Marquette Marathon runs on a downhill/certified course that is an official Boston …
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The Marquette Marathon, Half Marathon, and Wildcat 5K are destination races run through the beauty of Marquette County. You’ll be greeted in Marquette with a stunningly beautiful downhill course, sweet shirts, and quality finisher medals. The Marquette Marathon runs on a downhill/certified course that is an official Boston Marathon qualifier.
The Marquette Marathon and Half Marathon run on the scenic Ishpeming-to-Negaunee-to-Marquette route, which has received rave reviews from our runners. Both the full and half courses are not only breathtakingly beautiful but they are FAST! As you’ll see in the course maps, there’s a lot of downhill. Plentiful aid stations are located along the course.
The 5K runs a point-to-point course within Marquette, featuring a gorgeous Lake Superior view and the same downtown finish as the longer races.
The full marathon course has quickly become known as one of the fastest Boston Marathon qualifier courses in the country! The start is in the heart of the small iron mining town, Ishpeming; which means “heaven” in Ojibwa. This town loves athletes! It is home to the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame and is proud to be the start of the Noquemanon Ski Marathon. From Start to Finish: Net Elevation Drop of 814 feet.
The half marathon course starts at the Michigan Iron Industry Museum in another of our mining towns, Negaunee. Admission to the Michigan Iron Industry Museum is free! Negaunee means “low ground” in Ojibwa but don’t be fooled… you will be going lower because this is a fast course, too! Negaunee hosts the start of the Ore to Shore Mountain Bike Epic every summer. From Start to Finish: Net Elevation Drop of 723 feet!
Both courses join together on the Iron Ore Heritage Trail. This trail is a multi-use, year round trail that connects communities and people to the region’s historic sites and human stories. With over 160 years of mining ore, it’s no wonder that Marquette County’s landscape is so exceptional! The trail is partially paved with asphalt along with crushed granite. The footing is great for running!
Racers will enjoy a steady decline in elevation as well as amazing scenery full with trees, lush vegetation and spectacular rock formations. Both races will bring you to the shores of Lake Superior in Marquette where the courses will separate until the finish. Full Marathoners will continue around Presque Isle where they will be privy to some of Marquette’s proudest views and Half Marathoners will make their way to the finish as they pass the world’s largest dome, the Superior Dome.
You will feel the energy as you fly down the final stretch on Third Street lined by friends and family, our wonderful community, shops, bars and restaurants.
The Marquette Marathon and Half Marathon will be one you won’t forget!
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Beautiful and fast course!
Pre Race Stuff Pre-race communication was good. There weren't any hotel discounts for the race. The expo was open several hours one evening and had the essentials. Race day bib … MORE
Pre Race Stuff
Pre-race communication was good. There weren’t any hotel discounts for the race. The expo was open several hours one evening and had the essentials. Race day bib pickup was available.
Race Day
I loved this course! This was a point-to-point course in which we were bussed to the start line in Ishpeming. Drop bags were left at the start line which held ~450 marathoners. Temps were ~40 F at the start and the weather was perfect rising into low 60s F! Lovely course scenary … ~18 miles through the woods and fields (mostly paved, 6 miles of crushed gravel/dirt) leading into Marquette then 8 miles along the lake shore. The first several miles I ran with the 4 hour pace group. The trail holds ~3 abreast so it was congested in that group and hard to pass initially. See the photos on the marathon website. Eventually the crowd spreads out and you have room around you. Water stops were every 2-3 miles but the portpotties were not that frequent. The woods are mostly shaded but the fields have sunny parts. You are running east into the rising sun, so I heeded the advice of a previous reviewer who recommended sunglasses. Glad I wore them. Indeed there is a hill around mile 22. If you have time, go see it before the race to put your mind at ease. It’s not that bad. I was able to run it albeit at a slower pace. Given the nature of the course, there weren’t many spectators but when you find a cluster of them, they are enthusiastic.
Post Race
Nice medal, basic participant shirt, and the usual post-race snacks. Finish area had a number of folding chairs available, which was appreciated to chill out in. There were ample medical personnel roaming the finish area on the lookout for anyone under duress. Drop bag pickup is very conveniently located.
Note: Photo below is at the start area as the sun rose.
Beauty of Lake Superior
Super small expo in the dome (which was cool to see), but got the job done. Organization and communication was great! Bus to start line was easy to catch and … MORE
Super small expo in the dome (which was cool to see), but got the job done. Organization and communication was great! Bus to start line was easy to catch and enough porta potties at start. Course itself was nice and fairly easy. Downhill for majority of 1st half on mixture of paved and gravel trails without much scenery. Second half was mostly flat and fairly unshaded with a decent size hill around mile 22, but beautiful scenery is abundant. Didn’t necessarily love the half marathoners joining around mile 6 and speeding by and no real public transit/ Ubers available to get to bus if not staying in downtown vicinity. Overall a great race and student volunteers were super nice and energetic.
Downhill stretches and scenic views!
Surrounded by Lake Superior, Marquette is a beautiful, breezy city with expansive paved and gravel trails that you get to enjoy with this race. The marathoners are shuttled to Ishpeming, … MORE
Surrounded by Lake Superior, Marquette is a beautiful, breezy city with expansive paved and gravel trails that you get to enjoy with this race. The marathoners are shuttled to Ishpeming, MI to watch the sun rise of a small Midwest town. Then it’s a quick jaunt through town to get onto the main trail. Beautiful views, long downhill stretches, and frequent aid stations, this race was perfect for a first timer like me!
You should run this race!
Marquette is beautiful. It’s a fast course. There is one hill at mile 22 that kicks your butt but that’s about it for hills. This a point to point course. … MORE
Marquette is beautiful. It’s a fast course. There is one hill at mile 22 that kicks your butt but that’s about it for hills. This a point to point course. The first 16 miles are on the iron ore trail. This section is fast and covered for the most part by trees. The sun is rising so bring sun glasses as it’s difficult to see at times. Once you hit Marquette you run along Lake Superior and it’s beautiful! The views are incredible!
Beautiful race in a great town.
What a great race. Lots of communication from the rays beforehand explaining everything you needed to know. A very small expo would be the only thing I would change. But … MORE
What a great race. Lots of communication from the rays beforehand explaining everything you needed to know. A very small expo would be the only thing I would change. But apparently the race is growing and they had a record number of full marathon is this year, I believe over 500.
Course was very scenic as we started out with some beautiful, wooded country on a paved path, that turned into a double track groomed trail. And then back to paved into the town of Marquette. Then you go out onto Presque Isle Park which has plenty of scenery and a finish line at the Superior Dome
All in all a great race, and I would definitely recommend
Come for the race, stay for the area
Marquette is a cute little college town on the north coast of the upper peninsula of Michigan. It’s shores are on Lake Superior. Marquette isn’t easy to get to, so … MORE
Marquette is a cute little college town on the north coast of the upper peninsula of Michigan. It’s shores are on Lake Superior. Marquette isn’t easy to get to, so you definitely need to be intentional about selecting this event.
If you come for the event, which is held Labor Day weekend, stay long enough to enjoy the area. Cliff Jumping into Lake Superior from Black Rocks, the micro brews and plethora of locally owned coffee shops, kayaking Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and just the beauty of the Iron Range. Marquette is an easy town to drive around and has all the usual big box stores should you need anything.
The race is small and laid back with a few hundred people for each event. No pretentiousness here. The course can be a PR course if you have a careful race strategy.
Bussing to the start is super easy and reliable. Not too many spectators along the course until you get into downtown Marquette and that downhill was not as steep as I feared it would be. The course flattens out once you are downtown with a run along lakeshore drive and pretty views of the lake (but not too much that you are bored). I ran the half, but I can see how it would mentally challenging for the marathoners, because you’ll run past the finish line, up to Presque Isle Park (super pretty, but windy as it’s on the lake and not protected), then back toward the finish. Running past the finish line that late in the race when I’m already tired would kill me.
Swag: I didn’t think the swag was all that. TBH, this didn’t bother me. I’ve got too much stuff from races that I was enjoying getting out of there with my bib and shirt. Finish line had the usual beer tickets and even a coupon for hot food, chocolate milk and fruit.
Expo: super small. Queen City Running is the local shop and they have a booth with any race needs you may have forgotten at home: fuel, bottles, clothing…..
The RD was quick to respond to messages and communication was good. I’d definitely do this one again: largely for the beauty of it.
Smaller but well executed
This is a smaller race, but very well planned. You bus to the start line as it's a point to point. It's advertised as downhill, which is mainly true as … MORE
This is a smaller race, but very well planned. You bus to the start line as it’s a point to point. It’s advertised as downhill, which is mainly true as there’s an overall elevation loss, but it’s gradual, and a few minor hills thrown in. Plenty of aid stations which help as there is very few spectators for the majority of the course. You won’t be completely alone for the race, but due to it being a smaller event, may end up running alone or with fewer people. They also have pacers!
Easy on the Legs
Great downhill event that is partially on hard packed trail. Other than an uphill finish and one uphill at about mile 21 this is all downhill or small rolling hills. … MORE
Great downhill event that is partially on hard packed trail. Other than an uphill finish and one uphill at about mile 21 this is all downhill or small rolling hills. Morning packet pickup for those staying a short distance away is convenient. Blues festival that weekend so town is busy, but a lot to do! Leads to pricey rooms however. Friendly race that finishes downtown. Only drawback is that it is always held Labor Day weekend. A great small town race.
Beautiful town, cool course
This smaller marathon was first rate when it came to volunteers and course. Lots of Northern Mich University athletes out to support the runners and plenty of aid and on-course … MORE
This smaller marathon was first rate when it came to volunteers and course. Lots of Northern Mich University athletes out to support the runners and plenty of aid and on-course support. 2019 had ideal weather for a late summer race with cool at the start and bluebird skies throughout.
Beautiful, fast and well organized
The course is mostly down hill or flat. There are a few rollers but hardly noticeable. Much of the course is ran on a trail through wooded area, which provides … MORE
The course is mostly down hill or flat. There are a few rollers but hardly noticeable. Much of the course is ran on a trail through wooded area, which provides natural beauty. Nice t-shirt and medal. Exceptional food selection at finish line.