Marquette Marathon

Marquette Marathon
DateSaturday of Labor Day weekend
LocationIshpeming, Michigan to Marquette, Michigan
Distance26.2 miles (42.2 km)
Primary sponsorNorthern Michigan University and others
Established1977
Official sitewww.marquettemarathon.com
Participants500+[1]

The Marquette Marathon is an annual marathon in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, United States. The course runs point-to-point, starting at Cliffs Shaft Mine Museum in Ishpeming, follows the Iron Ore Heritage Trail and ends at the Superior Dome in Marquette.[2][3] It is held annually on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend.[4] The race is one of the fastest Boston Marathon qualifiers in the USA, with a descent of almost 800 feet (240 m) in the first 5 miles (8.0 km).[5] The section along the Iron Ore Heritage Trail is on a gravel-covered path through the forest, but the later part of the course features views of Lake Superior.[6]

The Marquette Marathon brings nearly $500,000 to the Marquette community according to the Marquette Marathon committee, which is consistent with studies of the economic impact of smaller marathon events.[7][8][9] However this positive impact is contested by some local business owners who claim road closures reduce sales by 10% the day of the race.

Race history

The Marquette Marathon was first run in 1977 with 49 finishers.[10] Since then, it has gone by several names and used different course routes. The first iteration of the Marquette Marathon was run from 1977 until 1982; the renamed Northern Shufflers Marathon was between 1984 and 1996.[11][12]

The Marquette Marathon was restarted in 2010, and the current course, finishing at the Superior Dome, has been run since 2021. Before this change, the race finished on North Third Street near Blackrocks Brewery.[13]

In 2020, the race was canceled due to COVID-19. However, nine runners ran the course in an unofficial virtual race.[14]

The Marquette Marathon was part of the Great Lakes Marathon Series, a circuit of 25 marathon races near the Great Lakes, from 2013 until 2019.[15][16][17]

Race weekend

The race expo is held on Friday of Labor Day weekend at the Superior Dome. There is a one-mile kids' race called the Pebble Run on the same day.

On Saturday, the Marquette Marathon starts at 7:30 am; the Marquette Half Marathon starts in Negaunee, Michigan at 9:00 am; and the Wildcat 5 km race starts (at 9:00 am) and finishes at the Superior Dome.

Past Marathon winners

Date Men's winner Time
(h:m:s) 		Women's winner Time
(h:m:s)
August 31, 2024 Adam Martin Caldwell 2:19:27.9 Courtney Rouse 2:59:54.8
September 2, 2023 Noah Jacobs 2:34:26.8 Violet Butts 2:59:45.8
September 3, 2022 Chris Scott 2:33:51.6 Elizabeth Dollas 2:54:48.1
September 4, 2021 Alex Dennis 2:39:05.9 Liza Breznau 2:59:15.8
August 31, 2019 Samuel Parlette 2:35:47.2 Tiffany Kari 3:05:11.8
September 1, 2018 Joe Ketarkus 2:59:58.3 Mandy Dye 3:10:17.7
September 2, 2017 Alex Prasad 2:43:03.6 Sarah Kasabian-Larson 2:57:17.8
September 3, 2016 Brad Vincent 2:49:51.2 Janet Becker 3:06:01.5
September 5, 2015 Nate Hoffman 2:36:41.1 Elizabeth Whiting 3:00:49.4
August 30, 2014 Vince Bechard 2:35:51.7 Christina Carradine 3:15:03.3
August 31, 2013 Jon Rock 2:29:04.6 Elizabeth Jones 3:06:56.5
September 1, 2012 Matthew Paullin 2:44:17.2 Christina Mishica 3:13:28.9
September 3, 2011 Luis Cruz 2:45:05.4 Elizabeth Jones 3:13:38.5
September 4, 2010 Ricky Alvarez 2:37:57.8 Elizabeth Jones 3:01:52.7
September 22, 1984 Chris Danielson 2:42:11 Rhonda Henderson 3:58:31
September 18, 1982 Chris Danielson 2:38:10 Laurie Hallifax 3:23:18
September 12, 1981 Doug Kurtis 2:15:31 Sally Sakalos 3:18:16
September 6, 1980 Doug Riske 2:32:16 Sheila Joosten 3:12:24
September 8, 1979 Chris Danielson 2:32:46 Eunice Carlson 2:50:53
September 9, 1978 Chris Glowacki 2:39:17 Eunice Carlson 3:00:31
September 10, 1977 Scott Lachniet 2:35:14 Denise Green 3:39:45

Past half marathon winners

Date Men's winner Time
(h:m:s) 		Women's Winner Time
(h:m:s)
August 31, 2024 Ian Torchia 1:09:57.8 Maggie Priebe 1:19:50.7
September 2, 2023 Alex Dennis 1:09:22.7 Kathy Vandehy 1:14:11.8
September 3, 2022 Charles Smogoleski 1:06:05.8 Natalie Anderson 1:21:44.9
September 4, 2021 Richard Swor 1:06:20.1 Katie Lakin 1:22:11.3
August 31, 2019 Alexander Dennis 1:17:23.7 Callie Bartel 1:27:11.4
September 1, 2018 Samuel Parlette 1:11:45.2 Kameron Burmeister 1:19:04.8
September 2, 2017 Jeffrey Quednow 1:14:41.4 Callie Bartel 1:25:16.0
September 3, 2016 Nathaniel Langlie 1:15:32.2 Victoria Phillippi 1:28:10.1
September 5, 2015 Daniel Dehlin 1:13:46.5 Melissa Burkart 1:19:17.8
August 30, 2014 Tracy Lokken 1:14:45.1 Melanie Bicigo 1:28:51.1
August 31, 2013 Tracy Lokken 1:10:07.3 Alison Goss 1:28:43.8
September 1, 2012 Tracy Lokken 1:12:36.0 Alison Goss 1:33:17.7
September 3, 2011 Tracy Lokken 1:09:12.4 Alison Goss 1:32:20.8
September 4, 2010 Tracy Lokken 1:12:53.4 Valerie Kelso 1:34:49.2

Past Wildcat 5 km winners

Date Men's winner Time
(m:s) 		Women's winner Time
(m:s)
August 31, 2024 Qwynn Darnell 17:16.5 Emma Ziegler 23:06.1
September 2, 2023 Qwynn Darnell 17:27.2 Chessie Sergey 21:20.2
September 3, 2022 Anthony Plana 18:25.7 Chessie Sergey 22:00.5
September 4, 2021 Scott Carhoun 18:16.1 Roman Menhart 21:59.2
August 31, 2019 Jeffrey Quednow 17:53.1 Amber Huebner 22:06.8
September 1, 2018 Lucas Cavalieri 18:46.2 Laurie Tardiff 21:05.3
September 2, 2017 Brent Skaw 18:01.1 Deedra Irwin 19:05.8
September 3, 2016 Richard Sandlin 17:16.5 Rebecca Kraemer 23:09.1

References

  1. ^ "Record-setting year for Marquette Marathon". Upper Michigan Source. Negaunee, Michigan: WLUC-TV. September 5, 2022. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  2. ^ Huff, Matthew (July 9, 2024). "Make a Splash and Maybe Clock a PR With These Best Beach Town Races". Runner's World. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  3. ^ Kwapisz, Nathan (September 1, 2022). "NMU students prepare for Marquette Marathon". University Wire. Carlsbad.
  4. ^ Kwapisz, Nathan (September 1, 2022). "NMU students prepare for Marquette Marathon". The North Wind. Northern Michigan University.
  5. ^ Nothaft, Patrick (May 19, 2019). "Off the Beaten Path: Several Unique and Challenging Road Races Show Case Michigan's Unique Summer Appeal". Ann Arbor News.
  6. ^ D'Addona, Dan (September 7, 2018). "Oren qualifies for Boston Marathon: Hamilton graduate will compete in nation's biggest race". The Holland Sentinel.
  7. ^ Hunter, Cali (March 30, 2017). "Sharing Third Street". The North Wind. Northern Michigan University.
  8. ^ Burge, Bruce (September 18, 2013). "U.P. communities good model for rest of state". The North Wind. Northern Michigan University.
  9. ^ Wicker, Pamela; Hallman, Kirstin; Zhang, James (November 30, 2012). "What is influencing consumer expenditure and intention to revisit? An investigation of marathon events". Journal of Sport and Tourism. Vol. 17, no. 3. pp. 165–182. doi:10.1080/14775085.2012.734058.
  10. ^ "Race Profile". Association of Road Racing Statisticians. September 10, 1977. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  11. ^ Hanlon, Stephen (April 16, 1994). "Running Down a Dream". The Times. Munster, Indiana.
  12. ^ Williams, Katherine (May 21, 1996). "Madison Runner Enjoys Fast Track". The Capital Times. Madison, Wisconsin.
  13. ^ Rifenburgh, Adam (August 31, 2017). "Runners Fill The Streets This Weekend for the Marquette Half & Full Marathon Plus the Blackrocks 5k!". Fox Sports Marquette. Marquette, Michigan: WFXD-FM. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  14. ^ Markle, Tyler (September 12, 2020). "Runners participate in 'virtual' Marquette Marathon". Upper Michigan Source. Negaunee, Michigan: WLUC-TV. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  15. ^ Nelson, Kyle (April 2, 2013). "25 events combine to form Great Lakes Marathon Series". Grand Rapids Herald-Review.
  16. ^ Copper, Mike (September 14, 2013). "Marathon set for Sunday at Presque Isle". Erie Times-News.
  17. ^ "Important Notice". Race Roster. December 5, 2019. Retrieved November 6, 2024.