Click Here: Please visit our Sponsor

May 2, 2024

Grand Island Trail Marathon Runner Comments

Back to Grand Island Trail Marathon Information & Reviews

Course 4.7

Organization 3.9

Spectators 2.8

Number of comments: 71 [displaying comments 31 to 41]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 > ]

Travis DeBruyn from Frederick, MD (10/17/2009) "Most beautiful race out there" (about: 2009) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Grand Island Trail Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 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.
d. f. from Michigan (7/28/2009) "Scenery can't be beat" (about: 2009) 4-5 previous marathons \| 2 Grand Island Trail Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 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.
L. B. from St. Louis, Missouri (7/28/2009) "great race, especially the volunteers" (about: 2009) 3 previous marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 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.
P. Z. from Colon, MI, USA (7/27/2009) "This is the most scenic marathon you can run!" (about: 2009) 11-50 previous marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 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.
K. R. from michigan (7/27/2009) "Awesome course" (about: 2009) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Grand Island Trail Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 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.
J. B. from Grand Rapids Area, Michigan (7/26/2009) "What a great run!!!" (about: 2009) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Grand Island Trail Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 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!)
D. F. from Michigan (11/9/2008) "The most beautiful run of your life" (about: 2008) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Grand Island Trail Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 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!
S. L. from Midland, Michigan (11/4/2008) "Simply Idyllic!" (about: 2008) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Grand Island Trail Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 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.
P. E. from Greenville, MI (10/28/2008) "Follow-Up To My 7/30/08 Entry" (about: 2008) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Grand Island Trail Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 From the Race Director: "Regarding the chips, we had several runners start the marathon at 8:30 - the same time as the 10K start. They did this without our knowing. This really goofed up our radio communications from aid stations - trying to figure out why these runners were on the course at times when aid stations were set to close. We sent out the message to pull the chips from these runners and we also made a time decision based upon safety concerns. In the meantime, we figured out why these runners were on the course. As race director I learned that chips were pulled from runners that should not have had their chips pulled in the confusion. I was very concerned about this, so we did everything we could to make sure all of these runner had chips reapplied or had their times/places recorded properly. "I apologize for this as I know what kind of feeling is must have generated. A marathon is a difficult challenge enough, and this adds another layer of challenge. I hope my explanation at least answers the 'why' question for you." Good enough for me. I upgraded my "Organization" rating from 2 stars to 4. One more thing: if you decide to run this race, when you're at the expo try to catch the presentation on the geography and history of Grand Island. It was fascinating, and as a runner it gave me a perspective I wouldn't have otherwise had. Oh, and I'll definitely be back in '09.
L. B. from VB, Virginia (8/10/2008) "Great Day for a Great Trail Race" (about: 2008) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Grand Island Trail Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 This was a great run! The weather was perfect, the course was absolutely beautiful, the lake was awesome, and the organization pulled off the feat of getting 700 people ferried over to the island to enjoy it all. Every bit of this trail was great, including the awesome views of the lake while we ran along the shore. The Sunset-on-the-Bay Motel was an excellent place to stay. This family-owned place went out of their way to make our stay enjoyable. 50-Staters, don't miss this marathon!

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 > ]

Quick Links

Marathon Search
Upcoming US Marathons
Upcoming International Marathons
Search Marathon Results
Latest Running News
Recent Newsletters
Race Director Tools

Become an Advertiser

Click Here: Please visit our Sponsor

Click Here: Please visit our Sponsor

Click Here: Please visit our Sponsor

Click Here: Please visit our Sponsor

Become an Advertiser

© 2000-2024, All Rights Reserved by MarathonGuide.com LLC

Privacy Policy Refund Policy Terms of Use