Grand Island Trail Run 2024 - Race Reviews

I loved this marathon. It was my first trail marathon and it was fabulous. It is a bit bare bones- minimal crowds and just a few support staff. But, that was fabulous. I loved that the racers were all so supportive of one another. I loved that there was no mess made at the water stops. We stopped and they filled our water bottles and off we went. The course was BEAUTIFUL! I could gush on and on about the stunning clarity and beauty of Lake Superior. I appreciated that they had a shuttle bus to drop us off at the start. I had to wait a 1/2 hour for the bus and that made me a bit nervous. But, it was all good. We arrived in plenty of time to ride the ferry to the start. Oh- and the ferry ride was adorable! If you are looking for a fun trail marathon, I highly recommend this race!

Absolutely enjoyable race. I'd recommend booking lodging well in advance. I booked white pine lodge in Christmas right up the road from Where the ferry takes you to the island for very reasonable cost booking 3-4 months in advance. Looked it up and lodging in the area way more expensive right before race. - packet pickup a breeze day before race. - enjoyed wonderful 'northern Michigan-centric food'. Whitefish and chips from the 'Captain Ron' food truck that were great, and of course a chicken pasty and an apple pasty. Delicious! - rain was in forecast but stayed away until late in race for me - shuttle pickup from the hotel great, and quick little ferry to island pre-sunrise was flawless - lots of talk about bugs, but mosquitoes weren't terrible, and a runner let me borrow some bug spray - liked having early start option - 57th marathon and I must say, it's the first time for me that we were literally yelled at by the race director-no joke, talking thru a bullhorn and every once in a while literally yelling thru bullhorn 'hey!!!! Listen to me!!!!' As he described things about the course. In his defense, he did preface by saying he hasn't slept all night and there had been issues w race signage getting messed with overnight; but it still was a bit unwelcoming-and something I have never seen in any of the previous 56 marathons across all 50 states that I've done.... I must say all was forgiven as far as I'm concerned w the beauty of the course and how much I enjoyed it. - Course was absolutely sublime. Highlights-mile 8 along beach, views along cliffs spectacular, blue Lake Superior is amazing, just a peaceful, gorgeous wilderness island. - got poured on last couple miles, but I didn't really care, and decided to embrace it and slog right thru giant puddles instead of running around them. - aid stations well stocked and didn't mind at all having to have my own hydration system And just refilling at the aid stations every 4 miles or so - course not tough on joints since you aren't running on concrete, have to be very aware w some areas w tree roots - loved getting to finish and going right over to go wade right in Lake Superior for an 'ice bath' lol - I was soaked anyway so went in shoes and all and it felt great - medal is unique, made of wood, but I must say, I thought it was flimsy and underwhelming - ferry back to mainland a breeze - had to wait for 45 min w other runners for shuttle back to hotels w fried legs not fun My complaints are minor. The majestic beauty of the nature/island and peace while running is alone enough to make this race well worth it, in my opinion. Thoroughly enjoyed it!

This is a great way to race off the grid. It's entirely on trails around a pristine island in a remote and beautiful part of the country. Most people won't have the chance to get up to this area much less run through it. Truly a unique adventure. Lake Superior is one of the coolest things I've ever seen. This is a chance to be surrounded by it. It rained the day I did it but that is part of this sport. It added to the challenge and was not a negative factor. It is a beautiful place to run rain or shine. The cliffs to the water were cool, so was the beach, and dense forest. Plus the boat ride to the island added to the experience. Organization, volunteers, spectators, community and other runners were all great. Thanks for making this a great adventure.

This course has some technically challenging passages and is a true trail run. There is one hell of an incline around mile 4 that had been rutted and washed out from heavy rain. This section was the worst for me but cool all the same. At one point you run along the beach, which is where my runners' high started kicking in. Beware of the mosquitos- they are vicious and determined. Wear multiple layers of bug spray or resort to rubbing mud on yourself mid run. Spectators can venture into the island or wait at the finish line and play in Lake Michigan. I would highly recommend this race for anyone who loves being outdoors.

This race is awesome. The island is amazing! Logistically, it was a bit anxiety-inducing, but they have everything planned nearly perfectly. Parking at the high school & taking the bus to the ferry was no problem. The ferry ride takes less than 10 minutes. The course is 99.9% trail (there's maybe 200 feet of sidewalk/boardwalk when you get on/off the beach). And running on the sliver (only a foot or so wide!) of a beach was an experience. Prepare to get wet. The trail circles the island and has spectacular views of Lake Superior and the UP in the distance, as well as a few other smaller islands. I didn't mind the 'no cup' water stations because I always run with my own bottle. Aid stations were well placed and stocked with essentials (& M&M's!) The finish line was feet from the ferry dock. Everyone took a dip in the crystal clear water. I ran this race with a friend to check of the state. After I'm done with 50 states, I plan to return to this area/island and possibly this race with my family! I never knew how beautiful the UP was! Definitely left an impression on me!

Everything about this race is amazing!! The shuttle picked me and my family (and dog) up at the Holiday Inn Express and we watched the sun rise from the boat dock! When I got on the Island I didn't have to wait in line to use the toilet because there were plenty of porta johns. The race director gave pre-race instructions and I was off for my first Half Marathon! The volunteers at the aid stations were so friendly and helpful. I needed help with blisters and there was an EMT who helped me out with that. When I crossed the finish line there was a volunteer who printed off my time slip for me. I didn't win a glass medallion, but those who did were able to pick one out! There were so many choices!! The volunteers at the awards table were really nice. I like my wood medallion. Unlike other finisher medals, this one was made of wood and I could actually wear it around my neck! I loved the watermelon and bananas at the finish line aid station. The chocolate chunks were awesome. Finally! a trail race that has consideration for those of us who have celiac disease!! My family hiked along the trails and went swimming while they were waiting for me to finish the race. I was able to swim and hang out at the beach until we decided to take the ferry back to the mainland. The people running the ferry were helpful when I forgot my bag on the Island. They sent someone across to pick up my bag for me. We didn't have to wait long for the bus back to the Holiday Inn Express. I am definitely going to train to run the marathon next year and would recommend this race to trail runners. Running a race on an Island made me a little nervous, especially since I brought my family with me, but the people at packet pick up were very helpful and even helped out with questions my family had about what to do on the Island while I was running and places to explore in Munising when we got off the Island. I already booked my room at the Holiday Inn Express for next year!

To comment on comments below, hand blown medallions go to runners who place in their age group. Everyone else gets a super cheap wooden medallion hung with a piece of twine!!! For the $110 entry fee, I expect much more. At registration they hand you a bib and a t-shirt. No goody bag or even a BAG to place your bib and shirt in. I asked a volunteer about shuttle bus schedule and the ferry out to the island and they told me to go and read the instructions posted on the back wall. Very poor communication. The instructions stated that everyone should park at the local H.S. and take the shuttle over to the ferry dock. No one said that the shuttle would be for the RUNNERS ONLY. My mother waited for 45 minutes and no shuttle bus showed up. She called the ferry service and was informed there would be no shuttle service for spectators to the ferry dock. She was given permission to park at the dock when the instructions stated NOT TO PARK THERE. Trail was nice. You run in the shade most of the time. Running on the beach and some of the cliff and bluff scenery was beautiful. Otherwise you run on a truck trail around the circumference of the island. Great lakes endurance website charge $20 for an extra ferry ticket I purchased 2, 1 for my wife and my mother. If you go to the ferry dock they were only $15!!!!! Certainly a for profit race. They didn't even want to purchase cups to hand out water and Gatorade. They claimed environmental friendly. What a bunch of crap! Had to bring your own hydration system and volunteers would fill your camel back with a pitcher of water or heed. CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP IS THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE THIS RACE.The other runners were the best part about this race. Don't be deceived by all of the hype about this race. Certainly not worth the time and money I invested to come to Grand island.

Love this race for the views and the fact its off the beaten path. That said the medals are the same as they were the first time I ran the race and the shirts are a little small. Not much for finish line food, if there was decent food offered the wait for the boat to get back would not seem like as long of a wait. Love the course just don't expect a lot more

Shirts decent, finally fit! The same medal used for years given again - not good for repeat runners. Food at finish is fit for birds, not humans. An hour wait for boat back to mainland. Some things never change!

I have been running races since 1997, everything from 5k's and mud runs to 70 mile ultras. The course is beautiful but certainly not worth the money and is run entirely on a jeep road around the perimeter of the Island. The shirts were poorly done with small logos, and my daughter received what turned out to be last years race shirt. The volunteers at the aid stations were great - some of the other race personnel had zero personality and were not at all friendly and seemed somewhat rude and annoyed by the runners. The medal was a cheap piece of wood on a simple piece of un knotted yarn. It was given to you after your number was scanned at the finish and you were handed a receipt which was given to another volunteer who handed the medal and the receipt back to you. Pretty crappy way for my 17 year old daughter to receive her first marathon medal. I had to tie the not in the yarn so she could even wear it. Food at the end was basically non existent and then we had to wait 40 minutes while a single ferry boat shuttled runners back to the mainland. Very disappointing experience and not worth the money.

The U.P. is wonderful in the summer and this makes for a good trip. While the island is gorgeous you don't see a lot of it through the tree canopy. Rock faced shorelines will flash by at lookout points while you're running. Besides the beach portion much of the trail was monotonous to me. Most of the race is run on a two track road. The finish line treats were great with watermelon, carb cubes, cherry water, bananas and more. The bring your own water receptacle was a great idea. The wooden medal unique but kinda thin and made from plywood. The U.P. deserves a cedar or oak medal. My main complaint was the large ferry that brought us was replaced by a tiny cruiser for the return trip. Thus we stood and waited 35-40 minutes to get off of the island. With a little tinkering this race could hit all notes but while overall good it could be improved.

Thanks for fixing the too small shirts! Unfortunately the same medals given the past 4 years continue. No dates, just the same ones given the last 4 years. As usual, food after was terrible. This year a new problem-long waits to leave the island. Instead of a large ferry boat, there was a small one. One worker said it was not worth using the large boat to return us from the island. Instead we had to wait in line an hour. Just what you feel like after running a tough 26.2 mile hilly trail marathon.

I have heard mixed reviews of this marathon over the years, but I ran with a guy from Ohio during the Porcupine Mountain Marathon in 2013, and he had run this event 3 times and encouraged me to run it. There is no race-day registration or check-in, so we had to arrive Friday. That caused me some discontent because it was close enough to drive race-day morning, and instead, I had to spend the night in Munising. Check-in was a breeze, and the ferry dock is close to the host hotel. Being approved for an early start, we needed to be at the dock by 5:20. An enormous two-deck ship gave us a ride to the Island - which was only about 5 minutes away (that ship was absent for the return to the mainland). We arrived at about 5:40 am; the early start did not begin until almost 6:15 am. The race started out on the road, right from the ferry dock. We started out heading north. After passing a couple of homes (there is about 40 acres of private property on the Island) we transitioned into the woods; we were in the woods for most of the course. The course meandered over tot he east side of the Island for an out and back of 2 to 3 miles. Then we went down to the beach and ran on the beach for about one mile. The lake was so calm and very pretty. Running on the shore was difficult because we were running on a slope with the left leg much higher than the right leg. It was still very scenic. Then re-joined the trail we had run on earlier, but only briefly. Then, a right turn off that trail had us heading north again. Now, it seemed, we ran along the lake-shore for a long time - gaining and losing elevation along the way. Very beautiful. About one-third of the way through the course, a tour bus had brought a group of cheering fans out (don't know who they were or how they got there). These were the only fans to speak of, except volunteers and folks near the finish-line. Although there were a few campers out along the way too. The course seemed to continue north, then looped around and headed down the west side of the Island. By probably 10 am there were streams of sunlight coming in through the trees. Perhaps a hour later, we were running in a thunderstorm. Significant rainfall got through the canopy of trees and we got wet. The two-track we were running on soon had puddled water in both tracks and we were running on the high ground in the middle of the road, trying to keep our feet dry, and stay out of the mud. By noon, the rain had stopped and the road had dried out some. The finish-line was co-located with the start-line. There were cheering fans at the finish-line. Right in front of those fans, about 50 feet from the finish-line, I caught my left toe on a small stone partially embedded in the road, and went down. I recovered quickly and completed the course. The food was not spectacular. Bananas (good), pretzels (okay)), and some kind of energy food that resembled granola, with cherry juice and water. The aid stations were pretty spread out (typical for this organizations marathons) but they were adequate. We had to carry our own fluid bottles, and they had Hammer gel at all stations. The medal was a wood medallion; unique, but cheap - with twine instead of a ribbon. It is just the way these guys do business. For the return trip to the mainland, they were only running the pontoon ferry boats, so it was a rather long wait to get a ride back. But it all worked out. This was a scenic marathon and though muddy near the end, it was worthwhile, and reasonably well supported, for as remote as the Island is.

I ran the 1/2 marathon for the first time. Extremely well organized and enjoyable race. Could use a few more porta johns at the start but nothing unusual about that. This is not a 'technical' race - no single track. I'll be back.

This was my 30th marathon and 8th or 9th trail marathon. My wife and I drove 9 hours from Illinois and weren't disappointed. It was well organized with a beautiful course and who needs more than that? The race shirt was a perfect fit. The ferry got us to the island just before start time but the director kindly waiting until we were all ready to go. The course was well marked and the aid stations were fully stocked and the volunteers were friendly and helpful. The course is not very technical for a trail marathon and the hills, while noticeable, are not overwhelming. We had cloudy weather with a little rain but the trail would be mostly shady even on the sunniest of days. The wooden finishers medal was a nice touch and preferred over some of the ridiculously gaudy medals I've seen from other marathons. I soaked my legs in the cold, clear water of Lake Superior. There was a line to get on the ferry but a kind person transported us back over in his 6 person pontoon. I don't know if the line was due to the weather which delayed the ferry or if there was some other hang up but other runners said in pervious years they were able to walk right on to the ferry whenever they were ready to leave the island. The staff at the host hotel were very friendly and accommodating. The day before my wife and I enjoyed a Pictured Rocks boat cruise which was very relaxing and the scenery was amazing.

We went for the scenery and weren't disappointed! It is a challenging trail marathon on an island/park a half mile offshore. It has 3 hills which beg walking. It was run well with adequate fluid fuel stops run by friendly and enthusiastic volunteers. I like the medal because it is wood and different from all the others I have. There weren't many spectators so if you need lots of attention and encouragement a larger race might be a better choice. Hint: get your hotel room months ahead of time as the area fills up.

My first trail marathon. Scenic, serene, mostly through woods, fun along beach, some tough, long hills, variety of terrain (single track, double track, road, mud!, rocks, leaves/pine needles). Would have been good to have shuttle information for Early Starters on website. Sunset Motel on the water is great place to stay.

Even with all the complaints, the race director doesn't seem to care about the identical medals and the too small shirts every year. Must because the race sells out each year so he doesn't have to. This year things were the same, except the shirts were only one size too small instead of two. The course was muddy and challenging, but beautiful. Fix the medal and shirt problem and it will be a gem!

Wow! What a beautiful race. By far my slowest, but I had to stop a few times and look over the cliffs! I thought it ran smoothly, expo was a breeze, getting across to the island was easy, race started well. Trails were nice, technical, but not crazy. Some easy two track parts, but most was fun. Volunteers/staff were friendly and the water stops were sufficient.

This is my 3rd Grand Island Marathon. It is a hilly course, but beautiful. For the 2nd straight year the shirts were at least 2 sizes too small. I advised them about this last year too. The medal was exactly the same as last year's except with 2012 on them. Is this what repeat runners deserve? You can bring your own food and drinks to correct that problem, but you can't fix the shirt and medal problem. That is up to the race director.

This was my 25th Marathon and my third trail marathon and as far as the course goes, it is at the top of my list. There were comments about it being flat, not true see course link http://connect.garmin.com/course/1781717#.UBprSfcnPrs.email . My advice would be to take your time and enjoy the view. That being said i still have some comments about a couple things.. Shuttle to the boat dock and transport to the island (A) went very smooth Course (A+) (even with the hills) Shirt (F) ~ I know it's made from recycled bottles but if it does not fit, it's worthless (unless I wear it as a half shirt) Aid stations (A) ~ Bring your own bottle they fill them up with pitures and the process is pretty fast, Hammer Gels at every stop Finish Line (D+) they print you off a slip that you have to take to get your medal.. no one standing there to hand them out Medal (C-) ~ although unique its pretty cheap Finish Line food (D) Green Bananas and some nasty energy bar stuff This race is very eco friendly so there is very little impact to the island.. carry in carry out

We planned our summer vacation around this race. The race course was beautiful. We started out running the course backwards...how this happened is beyond anything I can explain. How does an organization let a large group of runners start out running the race course backwards? Then once they figured it out they told us just to turn around at mile 5 and it will equal out to 26.2 miles. Very unorganized. This was after the race started 9 minutes late to let some runners use the bathroom one last time! The food at the end of this course was horrible with very unfriendly volunteers working the food tent. The medal was the most cheap medal I have ever received! Paying $100 for a race you should get a decent medal and some good food. Love the course, but everything else gets low rating.

Grand Island Marathon is an excellent trail run. They put on a very well organized and enjoyable race. The shuttle from a local hotel, to the ferry, to the return back to the hotel was flawless. Running on the beach at mile 4 was a challenge though. You will enjoy the weather, the people who run the water stops, and the race shirt. The course was a little flatter than I initially thought. I look forward to running this race again.

This is my third year running Grand Island. It's a very scenic but challenging course with aid stations well placed for runners carrying their own hydration, HOWEVER, 1. The shirts are getting cheaper - no more North Face or Mountain Hardware. 2. Post race nutrition was non-existent for a 4+ hour finisher. 3. The spectator bus to the north end of the island did not make it back to the start/finish area in time to see 4 hour finishers! After paying an extra $10 to get there! 4. That said, aid station volunteers were great - very cheerful and supportive. Not sure if I'll run again...

What a beautiful place!! We thankfully arrived Thursday night, affording us time to hike to several waterfalls & a lighthouse. We also went on a boat tour of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. I highly recommend spending time here when running this race. The set-up was fantastic...easy packet-pickup which was well-organized, love the shirts!!! Pasta dinner at a local eatery which was excellent for $12/person. We stayed at the Econolodge. A shuttle took us to the ferry, the ferry took us to the island. Easy!! There was time to use porta-pottys after being transported. The course was beautiful and mostly flat. Great first trail marathon for someone. There were hills at 4 (decent climb), 8.5 (easier climb), 15.5 (hard, but short) and some around 17-18. The sand at 7.5ish was difficult to run on. The last 10K, you could fly. I managed to run fairly even splits and lead the whole way :) I had a great run and won a free pair of shoes :) Gorgeous age group blown glass finishers medals or wood medallion if you didn't win age group. Awesome! Took a dip in Lake Superior after the race :)

My review of the 1/2 marathon. The Good: The beach mile was the most beautiful mile of my life. Everything seemed to go smoothly in terms of organization, shuttles, and ferries. Munising is a nice place to see, especially the Pictured Rocks and the waterfalls. The Bad: The organizers seem more like the Gestapo sometimes than organizers. I watched the race director literally screaming with a bull horn at people for throwing a water bottle in the bin marked compost and disqualify 2 runners and 'publicly shame them by listing their names as disqualified on the internet'. This fits with what I have read from prior years. I understand the importance of being clean and environmentally friendly, but this is supposed to be a fun event; chill the hell out. Also, I thought the trails were unimpressive. I like to run on single track and the majority of the half was 2 track, sandy, fire roads. Minimal views on the half since you are running through the middle of the island. One final gripe, the shirts for the half marathon sucked and were this 'organic cotton' urine yellow faded cotton look; compared to the cool Mountain Hardware marathon shirts. They didn't have 'any' XL's. Definitely something I don't plan on wearing out in public. Overall, a fun and unique race in a cool place to check out. Will I return, probably not.

The organization of the race is very good. I can imagine the logistics of getting everything on an island for a marathon, including PORTA-JOHNS! We brought food for a picnic and ate on the beach, it was a great way to wind down after a race. The finisher medals were a nice touch and I like that they were made by a local artist. Finally, I am glad the race directors DQ'd the guy who did not register for the race and picked up someone else's packet to have a race number and shirt. I think the race directors need to start requesting photo ID's at packet pick up. Don't we all have to pay for dishonest people?

Beware, road runners, this is a TRAIL marathon. Be ready for steep inclines on rocky trails. The area is beautiful. Unfortunately, most of the run is covered by trees, which block out the fantastic views around the island. Overall, the race is very challenging and the scenery is beautiful! Medals were very disappointing... no writing on them??? Post-race food was terrible. Bring your own food and drinks and you will be good to go!

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!