Founded in 1983 by local running enthusiasts who wanted to share the beauty of the Grand Traverse Region and the Old Mission Peninsula, the Bayshore Marathon has become a “must run” for runners throughout the Midwest and beyond. Many runners return year after year to enjoy the scenic courses which …
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Founded in 1983 by local running enthusiasts who wanted to share the beauty of the Grand Traverse Region and the Old Mission Peninsula, the Bayshore Marathon has become a “must run” for runners throughout the Midwest and beyond. Many runners return year after year to enjoy the scenic courses which run along the shores of beautiful Grand Traverse Bay. To ensure a more enjoyable experience, the number of runners in all three races is limited. Bayshore races are always held on Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend.
The Full Marathon starts on the grounds of Northwestern Michigan College then winds through the waterfront along the East Arm of Grand Traverse Bay. This out-and-back USATF certified course is flat, scenic, and fast making it a favorite for both runners attempting to qualify for Boston or finish their first marathon!
The point-to-point half marathon is the most popular event and sells out! Racers will be bused out to the start at Devil’s Dive Road. The course later joins the Marathon course following Bluff, Center Rd. and East Shore Dr. back to the finish line. Expect a fast and scenic race with some of the most breathtaking views available on any Half-Marathon course.
The out-and-back 10K winds through one mile of residential neighborhoods. It then follows the marathon course along the west shore of East Grand Traverse Bay. Runners turn around at about the 3 mile marker. The course is flat, 100% paved and shaded along much of the route. Expect a fast and scenic race.
Traverse City Track Club uses proceeds from Bayshore to sponsor many running and health-related activities in and around Northwest Michigan.
LESS
Not a great as expected
This race was my first attempt at a sub 3 marathon and it was not as fast and flat as expected. Sure, the hills are small and rolling but I … MORE
This race was my first attempt at a sub 3 marathon and it was not as fast and flat as expected. Sure, the hills are small and rolling but I am used to Chicago’s ZERO hills. It also ended up being 95% humidity and windy at the start of the race. The problem with a marathon this small is that you can end up running alone..at the time when you needed the support the most. Between the humidity and battling the wind alone my system was toast and spent the last 10mi puking. There were some spectators every now and then but my family said it was hard to get out there on the peninsula to cheer. If you’re used to big city marathons this will feel incredibly boring. Post run food was pretty good and the shirt is nice. May do the half next year but I am never doing the full here again 🙁
Beautiful Race
Cool town, beautiful course and well organized race... Run along Lake Michigan on this very flat course which is great for attempting a BQ. I gave it a shot but … MORE
Cool town, beautiful course and well organized race… Run along Lake Michigan on this very flat course which is great for attempting a BQ. I gave it a shot but blew up at mile 21, you win some you lose some! Highly recommend this race and Traverse City in general, fun place to visit!
Pleasant 10K
This was my first race post-stress fracture, so I had to take it semi-easy to not overdo it, but overall it was a pleasant race! Easy to get to and … MORE
This was my first race post-stress fracture, so I had to take it semi-easy to not overdo it, but overall it was a pleasant race! Easy to get to and navigate to and from the start / finish. Would definitely do it again!
Run for the views!
What a fantastic race! I had heard great things about the Bayshore Half, and with the spots filling up in hours, it's all the more tempting for a runner to … MORE
What a fantastic race! I had heard great things about the Bayshore Half, and with the spots filling up in hours, it’s all the more tempting for a runner to want to see what all the fuss was about – boy, the fuss is real! The ‘least scenic’ portion of the race is the first couple of miles (and the last one onto the track), but even those first couple of miles give a view – especially mile two as you start running towards the east shore of Old Mission peninsula. And then, the views don’t stop! While there was limited crowd (and even the rice directors state they don’t claim to be Boston or Chicago), the fans out there were very supportive. And the volunteers were incredible! There’s ice cream from Moomer’s (and plant of other great post-race goodies) at the finish line too! Well oiled production and a wonderful race – I imagine I’ll be back again soon!
gorgeous view, fast time, wonderful day
The flat course led to a PR, but the beautiful views made the time fly by anyways. I love my race t-shirt, and I really enjoyed spending the rest of … MORE
The flat course led to a PR, but the beautiful views made the time fly by anyways. I love my race t-shirt, and I really enjoyed spending the rest of the weekend in scenic Traverse City tasting wine!
Memorial Weekend in Traverse City
It doesn't get much better than this for a (relatively) small-town marathon. Held annually on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, it's a perfect time to plan a destination race. … MORE
It doesn’t get much better than this for a (relatively) small-town marathon. Held annually on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, it’s a perfect time to plan a destination race. The area is famous for its charming towns and beautiful lake views. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is only 45 minutes away.
The race was organized very well. In fact, I followed their Facebook page leading up to the race and was impressed by all the helpful advice the organizers put online. There were even contests to get people excited about running–of which I was a lucky winner! Besides the views along the shoreline of the Traverse Bay, I really liked the Moomer’s ice cream that they served up to the runners after the race. Moomer’s even came up with a custom flavor for the race!
Course rocks...traffic stinks!!!
Overall Rating: Excellent. One of the most scenic courses I've run. Very good support. Course Difficulty: Long, low grade hills, even injured and taking my time I came close to … MORE
Overall Rating: Excellent. One of the most scenic courses I’ve run. Very good support.
Course Difficulty: Long, low grade hills, even injured and taking my time I came close to my normal times.
Course Scenery: Outstanding. Looking out over the bay for sunrise and sailboats, blooming orchards and vineyards, just really pretty.
Race Production: It was good. I think it was good planning, although maybe just luck at times? I came into this run thinking it was just a small town run, and the pre-race media really didn’t lead me to believe any different, but when I got there and saw all the traffic and people, it was a little overwhelming…not a New York or Boston, but not a 300 person trail race either. I think there were around 1200 marathoners, 3500 halfers, and not sure about 10k. Anyway, no long lines at packet pickup, lots of happy volunteers, on time start, and accurate timing and results…all good in my book.
Race Swag: Good. Decent medal, tech tee, and performance socks.
My Performance: Ok. I was running along talking to people knowing that it wasn’t going to be great, and then at mile 22 I looked at my watch and was actually really close to a PR pace. The knee didn’t hold out for a PR, but this is definitely a BQ race if it’s cool and cloudy…maybe not if it’s sunny and 70.
The only downside to this race is the traffic, other than that it is a 5 shoe review. I wasn’t aware that Traverse City was a vacation destination for a lot of mid-westerners, so it was really crowded for Memorial Day, add to that the fact that there was only one road out of the race with no traffic control people there, and the result is waiting hour(s) to get out after the race…I partially blame myself for this, again, I was not prepared for the size of race it was.
All in all, a good race that I am happy to recommend; just be prepared for the logistic challenges. Stay close to the start/finish and walk off of the peninsula onto the main drag.
Lovely course, well organized race
This was my 30th state, 35th marathon. I'd heard great things about the event and learned that it sells out quickly each year (I came to find out that meant … MORE
This was my 30th state, 35th marathon. I’d heard great things about the event and learned that it sells out quickly each year (I came to find out that meant the half marathon sells out in minutes, the full sold out in about a month).
In some ways it reminded me of Grandma’s Marathon. It’s a small town, on the water, and lodging can get expensive. I found it much more scenic than Grandma’s though; for the most part, you are on the water with lovely vistas for about 23 miles of the race.
I stayed within walking distance of the start and finish, TC Central High School, which was awesome (Cambria Suites – expensive rates for that weekend but very convenient). I walked to get my packet, which was quick and efficient. Great tech shirt, a pair of running socks, and bib. Short and sweet. There were vendors too, and a pasta dinner if you bought a ticket.
The start was smooth. The half starts at the turnaround point on the marathon course and they take a shuttle to get there, so that was kind of a nice change; fewer people at the start meant shorter lines for the portajohns, at least initially! The first couple of miles go through the neighborhood near the school before popping you out on the lake drive. Lovely views and some beautiful houses provide the majority of the scenery. There are only a few gentle hills. This is an out and back course so no surprises. The half runners never had an awkward merge with the full; we saw them running back on our way out which meant no congestion or slamming into a crowd. When you get back to the school where you started, you run portion of the track, and then get funneled out to the field for the finisher area.
There were plenty of stocked aid stations, lots of gatorade and water, and also seemed like they were handing out Gu at a lot of them (I carry my own). The medal was nice; not huge, but a good, heavy medal with the logo. The finish area had Moomers Ice Cream (awesome), chocolate milk, water, and a variety of other food choices.
Weather seems like the biggest question mark about this event. Everything about it was organized from my perspective; it ran smoothly, the course was great, and the swag was good. I enjoyed it thoroughly. The only gray area is what the weather will hold. I’ve heard past years were lovely and cooler. This year was pretty warm and VERY humid. Luckily it stayed mostly overcast until about mile 20 before the sun came out. There was also a pretty nice breeze. Just be aware when you pack.
Be sure to explore Traverse City and sample some of the local fare. Lots of breweries and good eateries. Rare Bird was great, and Bubba’s is supposed to be good too. Tons of options for that post-race beer(s)!
My First Marathon!
Beautiful, beautiful course! It was my first marathon, so of course it kicked my butt!! But, besides that, water stations were plenty, lots of excitement and if I'm ever around … MORE
Beautiful, beautiful course! It was my first marathon, so of course it kicked my butt!! But, besides that, water stations were plenty, lots of excitement and if I’m ever around Traverse City in May, I would definitely do it again!