This is a great trail run, even though it has the sand portions. The water stops were about right with great helpers. I loved the number of runners for the race. Not too few and not too many. We lucked out on the weather - though humid, it could have been hotter. My only beef was the female Wyatt Earp organizer who was bent on ruining someone's day. Congrats to her as I saw that she managed to DQ 3 runners. Long drive to the run, but worth it. I like the artist's version of this medal. It wasn't the clear-cut medal type that many like, but a hand-crafted one that identifies with the race itself. Good touch to have a local artist craft them.

Very nice area to visit, and even more beautiful views. I wish I would have stopped at all of the overlooks along the course to take in the views. Should have taken a week to ski, dive, and kayak the clear waters of Superior. Great experience.

Pros:
No spectators.
Green theme.
Buses were prompt for pickup at the hotels.
Short ferry ride to the island.
The views!
The refreshing dip in Lake Superior after the race.
Nice race shirt.
Nice presentation of the island by Park Services.
Views from the beach were nice (but the sand was not so nice).

Cons:
ID stickers should have been removed from the timing band to prevent them falling off on the trails.
No post-race party.
Post-race snacks were limited.
Disappointed with ceramic medallion design.

I choose this race because my in-laws live a few hours from Munising. We decided to make it a vacation by camping at the tourist park just a mile or so from the ferry dock. What a wonderful week. The only downside was that the fog rolled in on the day we rented a boat to tour the pictured rocks. The course was wonderful. Very runnable trails. Most of the course is on double-track, and the views are breathtaking at several points on the course. I brought a camera with me just to get some great photos. It's certainly not a PR course, but the people are incredibly nice. The expo was small but had the things you'd need. I found that the choices for food in town weren't all that great. Overall, I'd recommend this race to anyone who is looking for something a bit different. This was a race of marathon distance with an ultra vibe to it.

This race is fun! The beautiful cliffs and beaches are inspiring and seem to carry you through the 26.2 miles. There is something wild and fun running on an island, part of a national park, only reachable by ferry or boat. This year they added very cool North Face tech tees and copious amounts of organic nuts and trail mix. The race is very well organized and the director is very friendly and helpful. My family enjoyed taking the little shuttle around cheering for me at the mile 15 beach and shuttling back to the finish line in time to see me cross. It was worth running twice, and the long car drive up north.

This is the second year in a row I trekked to Grand Island to run the 10K. A truly amazing course because of the natural beauty - tree cover; a windy, dirt path; a view of Lake Superior. I will likely run the full marathon next year if I can gather up the courage to do so.

For anyone considering this race, you have to be ok with running with virtually no spectators and few water stops (only one for the 10K, and a handful for the marathon). That adds to the challenge though, and makes it a badge of honor to complete it. I've run 3 "normal" marathons and would consider it a much greater achievement if I end up running and completing the Grand Island Marathon. There is nothing else like it.

One critique: the Forest Service went over the trail the day before the race, which brought a lot of large rocks to the surface. I had to basically look down for much of the race so I wouldn't step on a rock and twist an ankle. I don't remember this being an issue last year, and I hope it doesn't happen again next year.

It is a tough marathon with hills, mud, and rocks. It is by far the most beautiful marathon I've ever run. I wanted to stop twice to take in the beauty of the course.

The course was beautiful. This is a must-do for trail runners who care more about scenery than a fast time. The course was challenging, with the beaches and hills, but easier than the only other trail run I have done, the North Country Trail run in Manistee.

We just returned from our first Grand Island Marathon. It was tough (hello, hills), but absolutely beautiful! The weather was perfect and everyone was very nice. The shuttle and ferry system worked out quite well, although a few people on the later shuttles were really pressed for time. It was great to see a race completed without the course being littered with cups and gel packs. My only issue was the post-race food. I'm used to much larger races, and the trail mix was very good and organic; it just left a little to be desired. I also was disappointed that only the top three runners per age group received a medal. We all acquire lots of medals, but I felt that this was a significant accomplishment. I would strongly recommend this race to anyone looking for a gorgeous challenge! (The only reason I gave the spectators three stars is because there weren't that many; the ones that were there were great!)

This race makes for a great time and fun vacation. The scenery was unbeatable, the weather was perfect, the people on the trails were very friendly, and the race was well organized. Loved it! My only complaint is regarding the end-of-race snacks, which were very scarce. All though it's a nice thought to have all-organic food, I think most runners after 26.2 miles want to see more than just sample-sized cups with a few nuts and "take one" signs.

Overall, an awesome experience! The sand definitely slows you down, but the run on the beach is gorgeous!

How can you beat boating over to a beautiful island with the sun rising and nothing to do on a summer Saturday but run? The volunteers were great; the trails were soft (you hardly noticed the hills); and the beaches and landscape were breathtaking. This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I highly recommend to anyone who is willing to train well enough. I am looking forward to running this again in 2009.