I found the course to be awesome in the natural beauty and not overly technical for most runners. The packet pickup lady was rather rude. Not a nice representation of the area residents for those of us traveling over 800 miles to run - it would have been a little more acceptable had she been helpful. Weather was perfect, and bugs were minimal as a bonus. Island was the best scenery of just about any of the courses I have run; however, be sure that you are in optimal health due to minimal staff/aid stations present. Event could probably use one more station toward the middle of the course.... I heard a few folks were lacking in the hydration dept. Nice touch with the handmade medals; however, I (and others) think all folks that complete the race deserve a generic medal of some sort and give the glass to the top dogs due to the fact that it's a long way to run to leave empty handed. Overall, it was an ok race - add a station, take away an old bird (packet lady), add a few more snacks at the finish and give medals to your finishers, and you'll makes more folks happy.

The course is absolutely beautiful, so when I got a debilitating cramp at mile 8 after running down a 200-foot hill and through a mile of sand, I knew I would at least have nice things to marvel at all the way back to the finish. The few fans that come out are awesome and the town of Munising really makes everyone feel welcome. However, the race began before all the runners were there - this didn't affect me; I took one of the first buses and ferries.

But the real kicker is that once I finished the race, my calves seized up so violently that I fell over. What did race people at the finish do? Came over and took off my timing chip. Not a word of concern or an offer of help.

Sure, I'm not a top 10% or top 50% or top 90% finisher, but I'm still a marathoner. I did the same course, I paid the same money, and I deserve the same amount of concern.

I can't say that I would ever do this marathon again - it seems like other smaller races have their organizational skills a little bit sharper. If I was going to be in the area during the race, I would probably just stick with the 10K and then do some camping on the island.

I have run 36 mararthons all over the US and Canada and this is by far the most beautiful. Superb organization, especially considering this is a trail marathon on a wilderness island. Great volunteers at aid stations. Shuttle buses take you from your hotel to the boat dock and a ferry boat whisks you over the island - all on time and like clockwork. Course was well marked with highly visible arrows plus red and yellow flags. Detailed information provided to runners on transportation and logistics. Great food at the finish, including bagels, trail mix, pretzels, goldfish, bananas, and even iced coffee made to order! Patagonia silk-weight race shirts are beautiful and functional. Hand-blown glass medallions for age group award winners were some of the nicest I have ever seen.

This was a great race in a most beautiful setting, Grand Island, in the UP of Michigan.

I love the eco-running philosophy of the race: no disposable cups, the race shirt is made from recycled materials, and there is free shuttle transportation from the local hotels to the ferry. Packet pickup was quick and easy, and the ferry ride to the island was quick and let all runners enjoy a lovely sunrise.

The weather was perfect, about 55 at the start. The course was not too technical, with some roots/rock. There were not many hills, just a few inclines. The run along the beach was a nice break, and challenging, allowing runners a chance to get up-close-and-personal to Lake Superior.

Kudos to the folks at the 4 water stops, the US Forest Service, and all the volunteers who helped make this race a success. There aren't a lot of spectators, so if you're looking for someone to cheer you on and tell you how great you look at mile 23, this isn't the race for you.

An added bonus at this race is that you literally can run through the finish chute and right into Lake Superior when you're done. (and I did!)

My favorite moment of the day was this: I remember rounding a curve and hearing something, which I thought was a wind gust, only to find out it was the sound of a rushing waterfall. At that point, the trail was full of mottled sunlight, a wood thrush was singing its flute-like song and little red squirrels were chattering away. Looking to my right I saw the blueness of Lake Superior. I said to myself, "It doesn't get any better than this."

If you have the opportunity, experience this race. Notice I didn't say "run" this race, as it's not a PR course. This race is a true journey. Enjoy it.

This was my first marathon and I'm glad I chose Grand Island. The views helped the miles melt away. I could have done without the beach section. The ferry ride was not well organized. I got in line at 6 a.m. and did not get on the island until 6:50. Fortunately they delayed the start until 7:10. The ladies at the packet pick-up were rather rude and unhelpful. I would recommend putting a friendlier face up front. The fans are the other runners and they were great. Nothing beats an ice bath in Lake Superior after a hard run. If you don't need to be pampered, then I would highly recommend this run. I can't wait for next year!

What a wonderful event! Having run about two dozen marathons, including large and small events around the country, my wife and I decided to enter our first trail marathon. It was a terrific decision, as nearly everything about this experience was memorable.

The big star here is the setting and the course: a run around an island in Lake Superior that is a wildlife area managed by the National Park Service. Nature's beauty is on full display, here, as the course circumnavigates the island through mixed boreal/deciduous forest on double-track (mostly), some single-track (but not technical), and even two stretches of deep, soft sand on the beach, the first about 0.7-mile long and the second perhaps a quarter of a mile in length. Views from the sandstone cliffs, some hundreds of feet above the lake, were breathtaking, and the only sounds were those of runners' footsteps, birds, chipmunks, and perhaps the occasional distant chit-chat of other runners (though with a limit of 300 the field was spread out pretty thin). Utterly spectacular views, and with the ambrosial aroma of hemlock, spruce and pine, and soft ground underfoot, it couldn't have been more pleasant. To be sure, the course is not fast; my wife's Garmin showed a total of nearly 5,000 feet of climbing, but most of this was of the gently rolling variety. There were several steeper hills as well, but these were fun too.

About the organization: Jeff, the race organizer, created this race with a vision in mind to help support the local Nature Conservancy and to use any excess funds for trail maintenance (I recommend that this be specified on the entry form and that a spot be created for voluntary extra donations by the registrants). He and his team clearly have dedicated themselves to putting on a well-run event, and this showed at every step, from packet pick-up to the awards ceremony. The volunteers were cheerful and eager to help fill your water bottle (carrying one is mandatory, because logistics dictate that there only are 4 aid stations) with Heed or water. The Capilene shirt from Patagonia is very nice. We did not miss having a medal at the end (contra some comments), and instead relished the rare opportunity to salve our tired legs in the cool (!) waters of Lake Superior (the course ends right on a beautiful beach). This was far and away the most delightful post-race amenity for us, but runners also were provided with bananas, gorp, and an envelope of Recoverite (the latter at packet pick-up). The short ferry ride back to the mainland was most enjoyable, sharing the experience as we did with about 75 (?) other happy (it seemed to me), tired runners.

All in all, we highly recommend this run as an idyllic jaunt through the north woods.

Thanks to the race organizers and all of the volunteers for putting on a spectacularly successful event.

I'm a pavement pounder, and this was my first trail marathon. I trained on a lot of hills in the woods, but was not prepared for the mile stretch of loose beach sand that totally exhausted me near mile 7. The views are breathtaking. Plan on taking an extra half hour to 45 minutes to finish (above an average marathon). Considering the location of this race, there may be a few things that need tweaking, but this marathon should not be missed. Despite my slower time, it was great to see volunteers greeting me at the end. But no finisher's medal??? I'm currently having my own made, and found out others are doing the same at a minimal cost. Thank you so much, Jeff, for all your hard work.

This was my first time running the Grand Island Marathon and based on everything I had read I had certain expectations. All expectations were exceeded! This was the most fun I have had running in a very long time. The weather was more than ideal for the end of July, and the trail was very fast and difficult enough to where you had to pay attention, so the time went by very quickly. As far as the organization, I had no complaints. Race start was stated in the email sent out to participants and also on the race website as were all of the bus/ferry schedules. There was more than enough time before the race to prepare. The fans that were there were very enthusiastic and supportive. Everyone at the aid stations did a wonderful job! Great t-shirt, and the glass medallion was very unique. This was a great race in a beautiful place!

The course for this race is probably the most breathtaking ones I have seen. This is my third trail marathon and this one is not quite as technical, although the mile on the beach at mile 7, was hard on my legs. My only disappointment was having to wait around until 6 p.m. to collect an age-group award. I hope next year that they will reconsider and hand those out at the finish.

Trail is breathtaking; trail difficulty rates a 3; volunteers friendly and helpful. Very disappointed that I travel over 700 miles for my first marathon and don't even get a medal to prove I finished. I've run many races that provided volunteered time from sports therapists at the end of race for the marathoners providing a more successful event. (It's a win-win for both!) Starting time was very vague online and at the event. Some issue with ferries in a.m. caused a number of runners to be late. Poor business on that. Starting time not adjusted; runners made to think it had. You won't stay around long pulling that.

Every marathon should have a medal for all finishers. Think big picture, dude!