Marathon Details - Charlevoix Marathon

North America Marathons > USA > MI > Charlevoix > Charlevoix Marathon

Charlevoix Marathon & Half Marathon, 10K, 5K

Charlevoix, MI USA

June 15, 2024

http://www.charlevoixmarathon.com

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Results:	2023 \| 2022 \| 2021 \| 2019 \| 2018 \| 2017 \| 2016 \| 2015 \| 2014 \| 2013 \| 2012 \| 2011 \| 2010 \| 2009 \| 2008 \| 2007 Top 3 Finishers by Year

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Name:	Ron Suffolk
Address:	9775 Ponderosa Drive, South Lyon, Michigan 48178
Phone Number:	248-921.1032
Email:	Email the organizers



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Reviews

Course 4.5

Organization 4.5

Spectators 3.3

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Number of comments: 68 [displaying comments 1 to 11]

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

MADDOG Maddix from Gaylord mi (6/20/2023) "6am start,,,7 hour finish time,,,ill be back" (about: 2023) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Charlevoix Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Nice job guys, and gals... thank you... as a slow runner, I know its hard for people to hang at the aide stations, but please tell the helpers the slower people have a very hard time and need the help the most... through the race and at the finish.
R. H. from Milwaukee (6/23/2019) "Nice small town matarhon" (about: 2019) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Charlevoix Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 We drove up and across the UP from Milwaukee and had a nice time in Charlevoix. Packet pickup was very easy and the free (with donation) spaghetti dinner held at the Methodist church was awesome! The day of the event came early as the race started at 6:30. Parking was a breeze downtown. Plenty of bathrooms available as well. The start of the race went off in time and away we went. The course was flat with some small rollers here and there. Most of the course is run on a path near Lake Michigan so it was nice/shaded scenery. No issues with course markings and no lack of support at aid stations. Spectators were very sparse which is why I gave it two stars on that. Finish line was strange. I received an awesome medal and a few bottles of water. At first I thought that was it and started hiking back to my car. I then found the post race food near where the original packet pickup was. All summed up - it was an above average marathon event for me. I would recommend this for your Michigan event. This marks my 13th state completed.
H. M. from NW Arkansas (7/4/2017) "Beautiful small-town race" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Charlevoix Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 It's a bit out of the way but worth the trip for a small-town marathon. I can see why Runner's World named it a top 10 small town marathon - that's how I found out about it. Course is very scenic, largely an out-and-back trail along the shore of a lake so you have the opportunity to see those ahead of you and behind you after the turn-around. A few small hills here and there but nothing too unmanageable. Half-marathon course parallels the marathon but starts 30 minutes later so that you don't suddenly find out you've been pacing yourself for the first 6 miles against a half-marathoner. Weather was good this year - mid 50's at the start (pretty good for a late-June race). Fans along the course were a bit sparse, but most of them cheered enthusiastically for anyone who ran past (and thanks to the lady with the 'Punch here for Power' sign who showed up mid-way and again in the last couple of miles when I really needed it!). Some of the age group awards were stolen the night before the race, which is a bummer, but they race team said they'd be shipping out replacements.
M. D. from Virginia (6/30/2016) "Small town race, flat and fast" (about: 2016) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Charlevoix Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 I picked this race due to the comments I read about a lot of people BQ-ing (I unfortunately didn't). The course was pretty flat, aside from one big hill around mile 10 and a slight incline at the end (around mile 25, last thing I needed at that point). There were some nice water views after the half-marathon turnaround point but when you weren't covered by trees it was HOT. The temperature probably was around 70+ after 9am, in the shade... so hotter in the direct sun. Can't control the weather but it was miserable in that sun. There were a couple of houses who had sprinklers out (thank you!)but not a ton of crowd support. If you need a lot of spectators for support then this is not the race for you. A lot of the course followed a highway, so sort of not as scenic as I was hoping for. All in all it was great for a small race, pretty well organized and very straight forward. Great to have real bathrooms as an option and showers afterwards. Pizza and fudge afterwards was great too! The main complaint I had was it wasn't obvious where the food tent was afterwards and there was no gatorade...
D. F. from Tennessee (6/29/2016) "Great Summer Marathon" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Charlevoix Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I ran the 2016 Charlevoix Marathon and had a blast. The course was pretty much as flat as one could expect for a marathon and had spectacular views of Lake Michigan. Weather this year was the hottest on record with 59 at the start and about 75 at 10 am. It did get hot, but what can you expect from a summer marathon? Organization was top notch: packet pick-up was fast and convenient and aid stations were well stocked and managed well and lots of emails went out before the race with directions for runners. I loved the medal and the race shirt. If you are traveling to the area, there are some great hotels near the start line which are very convenient including the Weathervane Terrace, Edgewater Inn and Pointes North Inn. Overall this was a great summer marathon.
S. M. from Des Moines, Iowa (6/26/2016) "Overall, a disappointment." (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Charlevoix Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 2 What a beautiful city! Charlevoix was very pretty. They weren't joking about the scenery, along the water. Gorgeous! Positives: 1. It is a mainly flat course. The huge hill at mile 25 is just mean though. Why a huge hill at that point in the run? 2. Easy packet pick up. 3. Easy to park on race morning. 4. Screen at the finish line displaying results. 5. Washrooms available before the race. 6. Boston qualifier. 7. They gave a free race entry, for 2017, to the runner who volunteered to sing the national anthem. Cute. Negatives: 1. Race was supposed to start, early, at 06:00h. We received an email about the 06:00h start about a week ahead of the race. Race morning we find out it's not starting until 06:30h. Not cool. No, really. Not cool. The temperatures were forecasted to be very high near the average finishing time. The race should have started at 05:00h or 05:30h, as there were runners collapsing by the time it was 90++ degrees at 09:00h, 10:00h, 11:00h. I saw at least three ambulances during the run, helping runners. There were two other times that I could hear sirens in the distance. I was just praying it wasn't a fellow racer in heat distress. It's so dangerous. I took two waters and one energy drink at every water stop + had my own energy with electrolytes for the race + was well-hydrated pre-race. Even still, I was very dehydrated by the end. It scares me to think of what could've happened if I didn't have the experience and knowledge related to what my body needed, for hydration, in that heat. Seriously - if you're going to hold a race at this time of year, think about the safety aspect of the heat. The heat was nothing short crippling. It was my worst marathon time ever at +42minutes off of my average time. You know it's bad when the two guys in the medical tent are heard discussing the safety of racing in the heat. 2. The water stops were sort of adequately manned. (I know they're volunteers. I always thank them up and down, regardless). At at least one stop I had to wait. At that point though, it didn't matter to me since my pace was way off (because of the heat). Getting water was a safety issue. So, wait I did. Man oh man, would I have been furious about waiting for water if I had been on-pace for a Boston qualifying time though. 3. On such a hot race day, there should have been more effort made to have COLD WATER at the water stops. A lukewarm cup of water or Gatorade does nothing to quench thirst. 4. Have some consistency with your water stops, PLEASE. One stop the water is all on the right-hand side. The next stop they're all mixed on the tables and you don't know what you're grabbing. Just have some consistency so the RACERs can grab and go. Thanks. 5. Maybe have your announcer refrain from mentioning 'I think this is the last of the marathoners coming through.' Geezus, as if anyone wants it annouced that they were dead last. 6. Let racers know that there are food and snacks at the packet pick up tent for after the race. It wasn't until over an hour and a half later (already had eaten and showered and was walking around the finish line) that I discovered I could've had a snack after the race. 7. See comment #1. I am just so disappointed with how they managed the start time and the weather forecast. It turned my marathon from a Boston qualifier (was hoping to qualify) to barely finisher. I travelled quite a ways to race this past weekend. I'm glad I got to see Charlevoix and surrounding area. Other than that it was a waste of my time though. No Boston qualification and a lot of money spent. The race website boasts that 18% of their field qualify, on average. I'm curious to see how many actually qualified this year. 8. Again, the heat was crippling and the water stops were not conducive to cooling ourselves/ properly hydrating. 9. I know this point is a matter of taste and preference, but, the race medal was really ugly. A gigantic '10' to signify their 10th anniversary. A cute touch with some rock from the area incorporated, but, just ugly. It looks like a I ran a 10 mile run, not a marathon. I really, really, REALLY want to give this race another 'go'. I wouldn't ever consider it unless improvements are made. Please, step-it-up, Charlevoix. You have the potential to be AH-MAZING!
Lisa Schumacher from Chicago, IL (8/23/2015) "Spectator this year, runner next year" (about: 2015) 4-5 previous marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Although I did not run this year, I was spectating for my husband. This is hands down, the BEST marathon for spectators! The race is great, the vibe is great, the race director is great...just all around recommended. I loved it to much that I'm forgoing my original 'comeback marathon after having babies' from Bayshore to this one. Excellent job and huge shout out to Ron and the gang!
N. R. from Michigan (8/5/2015) "Too many people, course too tight for that." (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 4-5 Charlevoix Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 This was my fourth time running Charlevoix and it gets worse each year for the people finishing near the top of the pack. Let me start off by saying I love the course and will probably do it again but it gets harder to convince myself to sign up. THE BAD: the course is tight in certain areas meaning that when the leaders of the marathon are coming in, the end of the half and 5/10 k's are also finishing. This leads to a whole lot of congestion and trying to dodge around people; some get out of your way, others don't. Jumping around people is not something I want to be doing after running 24 miles. The course really could be sectioned off. The age group awards used to be awesome mugs but they switched to dinky little pint glasses. With how much they charge for an entrance fee, I'd expect better. THE GOOD: It's absolutely gorgeous in the morning. Especially when you see the lake. The overall awards are awesome stone carved Michigans. The year I won, I got a dumb little jacket from the store and the next year, they started giving these out. I've been coming back each year to try and get me one of them but the competition is getting steeper so I'll really have to step up my training. All in All, it's not bad but it's been packed in recent years, course is a gentle up slope halfway followed by a gentle downslope on the way back so it should be great if you're just looking to finish; not so much if you're trying to win.
D. M. from Texas (7/9/2015) "Great small town marathon" (about: 2015) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Charlevoix Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I ran this race in June 2015, great small town race. I narrowly missed qualifying for Boston on this course. It is a fair out & back course with an uphill stretch somewhere around mile 9, it's not a severe incline and should be manageable for anyone who trained a bit on gentle rolling hills. Weather was perfect, 55 & sunny, very well-shaded & scenic course (though I didn't pay much attention to scenery while focused on keeping pace). Well marked route, good pace groups, well run aid stations, adequate crowd support (but nothing like a big city marathon), all-in-all a very good choice for a late June race. Glad I ran it, might travel back to do it again.
S. H. from New Mexico, USA (6/29/2015) "Great marathon in all the ways that matter!" (about: 2015) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Charlevoix Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 In summary: do this awesome small marathon! It was my third. I PR'd by 34 minutes, BQ'd with a 6.5-minute cushion, and even won my age group (I never thought that I could do that in a marathon)! I attribute my time to the cool temperatureabout 55 degrees at the start, low elevation, and mostly flat course. I train at 4,000 feet on hills, so this course felt relatively 'easy,' although it's still 26.2 miles and difficult for that reason, of course. There are a few small hills, which broke up the flats nicely in my opinion. There were about 400 people in the marathon and 2,000 in the whole event. I rated the organization of the race 4 stars, but I wanted to give it 4.5 stars. I felt that it didn't deserve 5 stars only because I didn't like my experience at packet pickup. Do not expect good SWAG or even a bag at packet pickup! An unfriendly woman handed me my bib and my shirt without saying much. I took a sticker from the pile on the table. That was the extent of packet pickup. The long-sleeve tech shirt had a cool logo of the state of Michigan with a runner over it, but I wished it also said Charlevoix Marathon on the front. Besides packet pickup, the organization of the race was really great! We started on time. The course was clearly marked with directional arrows on the ground and mile markers. Well-stocked aid stations were about 1.5 miles apart, and the volunteers were nice and cheered for us. They had water and gatorade at every station and gels and candy at many of them. The post-race food was goodbananas, chips, pizza, chocolate milk, and maybe one or two other things. The awards ceremony was a little delayed but not terribly. The announcer was funny but not long winded. The finisher's medal was awesome with a moving drawbridge, and I got a pint glass with the marathon logo for winning my age group. The pint glass was ok, but it'd be nice to also have a ribbon or a medal that actually says '1st place' because I probably don't have too many marathon age group wins in my future! The course is an out and back. It starts near the draw bridge and winds through a neighborhood on closed roads before turning on to an asphalt trail. There is a section on a wooden boardwalk that's about a mile long and very nice. Most of the course is in the woods with a few places near Lake Michigan with a fabulous view! There was decent shade along much of the course. There were pacers this year, and I ran with a pace group. I loved it! The pacers were friendly, encouraging, and helpful, alerting us to aid stations and giving useful reminders about form and stuff. There were only two of us left with the pacers at the end, partly because they ended up running it fast, a little more than 3 minutes faster than the goal finish time. This upset at least one runner who started with the group, but I thought it was great! I did way better than I thought I could because I pushed myself to stay with them. They even gave me the sign to carry across the finish line and keep! Charlevoix is a small town, and traffic and parking are tough. When the drawbridge is up, traffic gets pretty backed up. It took about an hour for my ride to find a parking spot on marathon morning. Get a hotel close to the start/finish and walk. It's a cute town. The restaurants and shops are decent. There's a nice beach on Lake Michigan and great views of the harbor. I did not get the sense that the community was super supportive of the race. No one was out watching in the neighborhoods that we ran through. One notable exception was a man who had a sprinkler up on a tall ladder for us to run through. He was a hero. It seemed like the only spectators were friends/family of the runners. The small number of spectators that did watch were so much fun thoughvery energetic and encouraging! This marathon has everything that matters: a very nice course, cool temperatures in June (at least this year), good hydration and nutrition, and a fun medal. Plus, now it's Boston 2016 for me!!

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MADDOG Maddix from Gaylord mi (6/20/2023) "6am start,,,7 hour finish time,,,ill be back" (about: 2023) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Charlevoix Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Nice job guys, and gals... thank you... as a slow runner, I know its hard for people to hang at the aide stations, but please tell the helpers the slower people have a very hard time and need the help the most... through the race and at the finish.
R. H. from Milwaukee (6/23/2019) "Nice small town matarhon" (about: 2019) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Charlevoix Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 We drove up and across the UP from Milwaukee and had a nice time in Charlevoix. Packet pickup was very easy and the free (with donation) spaghetti dinner held at the Methodist church was awesome! The day of the event came early as the race started at 6:30. Parking was a breeze downtown. Plenty of bathrooms available as well. The start of the race went off in time and away we went. The course was flat with some small rollers here and there. Most of the course is run on a path near Lake Michigan so it was nice/shaded scenery. No issues with course markings and no lack of support at aid stations. Spectators were very sparse which is why I gave it two stars on that. Finish line was strange. I received an awesome medal and a few bottles of water. At first I thought that was it and started hiking back to my car. I then found the post race food near where the original packet pickup was. All summed up - it was an above average marathon event for me. I would recommend this for your Michigan event. This marks my 13th state completed.
H. M. from NW Arkansas (7/4/2017) "Beautiful small-town race" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Charlevoix Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 It's a bit out of the way but worth the trip for a small-town marathon. I can see why Runner's World named it a top 10 small town marathon - that's how I found out about it. Course is very scenic, largely an out-and-back trail along the shore of a lake so you have the opportunity to see those ahead of you and behind you after the turn-around. A few small hills here and there but nothing too unmanageable. Half-marathon course parallels the marathon but starts 30 minutes later so that you don't suddenly find out you've been pacing yourself for the first 6 miles against a half-marathoner. Weather was good this year - mid 50's at the start (pretty good for a late-June race). Fans along the course were a bit sparse, but most of them cheered enthusiastically for anyone who ran past (and thanks to the lady with the 'Punch here for Power' sign who showed up mid-way and again in the last couple of miles when I really needed it!). Some of the age group awards were stolen the night before the race, which is a bummer, but they race team said they'd be shipping out replacements.
M. D. from Virginia (6/30/2016) "Small town race, flat and fast" (about: 2016) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Charlevoix Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 I picked this race due to the comments I read about a lot of people BQ-ing (I unfortunately didn't). The course was pretty flat, aside from one big hill around mile 10 and a slight incline at the end (around mile 25, last thing I needed at that point). There were some nice water views after the half-marathon turnaround point but when you weren't covered by trees it was HOT. The temperature probably was around 70+ after 9am, in the shade... so hotter in the direct sun. Can't control the weather but it was miserable in that sun. There were a couple of houses who had sprinklers out (thank you!)but not a ton of crowd support. If you need a lot of spectators for support then this is not the race for you. A lot of the course followed a highway, so sort of not as scenic as I was hoping for. All in all it was great for a small race, pretty well organized and very straight forward. Great to have real bathrooms as an option and showers afterwards. Pizza and fudge afterwards was great too! The main complaint I had was it wasn't obvious where the food tent was afterwards and there was no gatorade...
D. F. from Tennessee (6/29/2016) "Great Summer Marathon" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Charlevoix Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I ran the 2016 Charlevoix Marathon and had a blast. The course was pretty much as flat as one could expect for a marathon and had spectacular views of Lake Michigan. Weather this year was the hottest on record with 59 at the start and about 75 at 10 am. It did get hot, but what can you expect from a summer marathon? Organization was top notch: packet pick-up was fast and convenient and aid stations were well stocked and managed well and lots of emails went out before the race with directions for runners. I loved the medal and the race shirt. If you are traveling to the area, there are some great hotels near the start line which are very convenient including the Weathervane Terrace, Edgewater Inn and Pointes North Inn. Overall this was a great summer marathon.
S. M. from Des Moines, Iowa (6/26/2016) "Overall, a disappointment." (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Charlevoix Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 2 What a beautiful city! Charlevoix was very pretty. They weren't joking about the scenery, along the water. Gorgeous! Positives: 1. It is a mainly flat course. The huge hill at mile 25 is just mean though. Why a huge hill at that point in the run? 2. Easy packet pick up. 3. Easy to park on race morning. 4. Screen at the finish line displaying results. 5. Washrooms available before the race. 6. Boston qualifier. 7. They gave a free race entry, for 2017, to the runner who volunteered to sing the national anthem. Cute. Negatives: 1. Race was supposed to start, early, at 06:00h. We received an email about the 06:00h start about a week ahead of the race. Race morning we find out it's not starting until 06:30h. Not cool. No, really. Not cool. The temperatures were forecasted to be very high near the average finishing time. The race should have started at 05:00h or 05:30h, as there were runners collapsing by the time it was 90++ degrees at 09:00h, 10:00h, 11:00h. I saw at least three ambulances during the run, helping runners. There were two other times that I could hear sirens in the distance. I was just praying it wasn't a fellow racer in heat distress. It's so dangerous. I took two waters and one energy drink at every water stop + had my own energy with electrolytes for the race + was well-hydrated pre-race. Even still, I was very dehydrated by the end. It scares me to think of what could've happened if I didn't have the experience and knowledge related to what my body needed, for hydration, in that heat. Seriously - if you're going to hold a race at this time of year, think about the safety aspect of the heat. The heat was nothing short crippling. It was my worst marathon time ever at +42minutes off of my average time. You know it's bad when the two guys in the medical tent are heard discussing the safety of racing in the heat. 2. The water stops were sort of adequately manned. (I know they're volunteers. I always thank them up and down, regardless). At at least one stop I had to wait. At that point though, it didn't matter to me since my pace was way off (because of the heat). Getting water was a safety issue. So, wait I did. Man oh man, would I have been furious about waiting for water if I had been on-pace for a Boston qualifying time though. 3. On such a hot race day, there should have been more effort made to have COLD WATER at the water stops. A lukewarm cup of water or Gatorade does nothing to quench thirst. 4. Have some consistency with your water stops, PLEASE. One stop the water is all on the right-hand side. The next stop they're all mixed on the tables and you don't know what you're grabbing. Just have some consistency so the RACERs can grab and go. Thanks. 5. Maybe have your announcer refrain from mentioning 'I think this is the last of the marathoners coming through.' Geezus, as if anyone wants it annouced that they were dead last. 6. Let racers know that there are food and snacks at the packet pick up tent for after the race. It wasn't until over an hour and a half later (already had eaten and showered and was walking around the finish line) that I discovered I could've had a snack after the race. 7. See comment #1. I am just so disappointed with how they managed the start time and the weather forecast. It turned my marathon from a Boston qualifier (was hoping to qualify) to barely finisher. I travelled quite a ways to race this past weekend. I'm glad I got to see Charlevoix and surrounding area. Other than that it was a waste of my time though. No Boston qualification and a lot of money spent. The race website boasts that 18% of their field qualify, on average. I'm curious to see how many actually qualified this year. 8. Again, the heat was crippling and the water stops were not conducive to cooling ourselves/ properly hydrating. 9. I know this point is a matter of taste and preference, but, the race medal was really ugly. A gigantic '10' to signify their 10th anniversary. A cute touch with some rock from the area incorporated, but, just ugly. It looks like a I ran a 10 mile run, not a marathon. I really, really, REALLY want to give this race another 'go'. I wouldn't ever consider it unless improvements are made. Please, step-it-up, Charlevoix. You have the potential to be AH-MAZING!
Lisa Schumacher from Chicago, IL (8/23/2015) "Spectator this year, runner next year" (about: 2015) 4-5 previous marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Although I did not run this year, I was spectating for my husband. This is hands down, the BEST marathon for spectators! The race is great, the vibe is great, the race director is great...just all around recommended. I loved it to much that I'm forgoing my original 'comeback marathon after having babies' from Bayshore to this one. Excellent job and huge shout out to Ron and the gang!
N. R. from Michigan (8/5/2015) "Too many people, course too tight for that." (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 4-5 Charlevoix Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 This was my fourth time running Charlevoix and it gets worse each year for the people finishing near the top of the pack. Let me start off by saying I love the course and will probably do it again but it gets harder to convince myself to sign up. THE BAD: the course is tight in certain areas meaning that when the leaders of the marathon are coming in, the end of the half and 5/10 k's are also finishing. This leads to a whole lot of congestion and trying to dodge around people; some get out of your way, others don't. Jumping around people is not something I want to be doing after running 24 miles. The course really could be sectioned off. The age group awards used to be awesome mugs but they switched to dinky little pint glasses. With how much they charge for an entrance fee, I'd expect better. THE GOOD: It's absolutely gorgeous in the morning. Especially when you see the lake. The overall awards are awesome stone carved Michigans. The year I won, I got a dumb little jacket from the store and the next year, they started giving these out. I've been coming back each year to try and get me one of them but the competition is getting steeper so I'll really have to step up my training. All in All, it's not bad but it's been packed in recent years, course is a gentle up slope halfway followed by a gentle downslope on the way back so it should be great if you're just looking to finish; not so much if you're trying to win.
D. M. from Texas (7/9/2015) "Great small town marathon" (about: 2015) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Charlevoix Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I ran this race in June 2015, great small town race. I narrowly missed qualifying for Boston on this course. It is a fair out & back course with an uphill stretch somewhere around mile 9, it's not a severe incline and should be manageable for anyone who trained a bit on gentle rolling hills. Weather was perfect, 55 & sunny, very well-shaded & scenic course (though I didn't pay much attention to scenery while focused on keeping pace). Well marked route, good pace groups, well run aid stations, adequate crowd support (but nothing like a big city marathon), all-in-all a very good choice for a late June race. Glad I ran it, might travel back to do it again.
S. H. from New Mexico, USA (6/29/2015) "Great marathon in all the ways that matter!" (about: 2015) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Charlevoix Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 In summary: do this awesome small marathon! It was my third. I PR'd by 34 minutes, BQ'd with a 6.5-minute cushion, and even won my age group (I never thought that I could do that in a marathon)! I attribute my time to the cool temperatureabout 55 degrees at the start, low elevation, and mostly flat course. I train at 4,000 feet on hills, so this course felt relatively 'easy,' although it's still 26.2 miles and difficult for that reason, of course. There are a few small hills, which broke up the flats nicely in my opinion. There were about 400 people in the marathon and 2,000 in the whole event. I rated the organization of the race 4 stars, but I wanted to give it 4.5 stars. I felt that it didn't deserve 5 stars only because I didn't like my experience at packet pickup. Do not expect good SWAG or even a bag at packet pickup! An unfriendly woman handed me my bib and my shirt without saying much. I took a sticker from the pile on the table. That was the extent of packet pickup. The long-sleeve tech shirt had a cool logo of the state of Michigan with a runner over it, but I wished it also said Charlevoix Marathon on the front. Besides packet pickup, the organization of the race was really great! We started on time. The course was clearly marked with directional arrows on the ground and mile markers. Well-stocked aid stations were about 1.5 miles apart, and the volunteers were nice and cheered for us. They had water and gatorade at every station and gels and candy at many of them. The post-race food was goodbananas, chips, pizza, chocolate milk, and maybe one or two other things. The awards ceremony was a little delayed but not terribly. The announcer was funny but not long winded. The finisher's medal was awesome with a moving drawbridge, and I got a pint glass with the marathon logo for winning my age group. The pint glass was ok, but it'd be nice to also have a ribbon or a medal that actually says '1st place' because I probably don't have too many marathon age group wins in my future! The course is an out and back. It starts near the draw bridge and winds through a neighborhood on closed roads before turning on to an asphalt trail. There is a section on a wooden boardwalk that's about a mile long and very nice. Most of the course is in the woods with a few places near Lake Michigan with a fabulous view! There was decent shade along much of the course. There were pacers this year, and I ran with a pace group. I loved it! The pacers were friendly, encouraging, and helpful, alerting us to aid stations and giving useful reminders about form and stuff. There were only two of us left with the pacers at the end, partly because they ended up running it fast, a little more than 3 minutes faster than the goal finish time. This upset at least one runner who started with the group, but I thought it was great! I did way better than I thought I could because I pushed myself to stay with them. They even gave me the sign to carry across the finish line and keep! Charlevoix is a small town, and traffic and parking are tough. When the drawbridge is up, traffic gets pretty backed up. It took about an hour for my ride to find a parking spot on marathon morning. Get a hotel close to the start/finish and walk. It's a cute town. The restaurants and shops are decent. There's a nice beach on Lake Michigan and great views of the harbor. I did not get the sense that the community was super supportive of the race. No one was out watching in the neighborhoods that we ran through. One notable exception was a man who had a sprinkler up on a tall ladder for us to run through. He was a hero. It seemed like the only spectators were friends/family of the runners. The small number of spectators that did watch were so much fun thoughvery energetic and encouraging! This marathon has everything that matters: a very nice course, cool temperatures in June (at least this year), good hydration and nutrition, and a fun medal. Plus, now it's Boston 2016 for me!!

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Marathon Details - Charlevoix Marathon