The Paavo Nurmi Marathon | Half - Race Reviews

I have run this race 15 times but missed last year due to a move to California. No way I could miss the 50th running of the marathon. The support from the community is awesome. I highly recommend running this race and plan to be back again next year.

You won't find nicer running people anywhere! Hurley really loves their runners and this is felt throughout the race, from registration all through awards and after! Definitely a challenging course but that's what we come for! I ran a very slow time, in part due to the hot weather, but so happy I ran! Ricky Kelly and crew do such an awesome job with absolutely everything! It's awesome to see how passionate they are about this event, and we runners feel that! Thank you Ricky and everyone involved in this most special marathon! God Bless Your Kind Hearts!

This was my third Paavo run. The first two times were in 1974 and 1975. I decided to run it again this year, 2016, to re-experience the course and the memories. The race itself was enjoyable in almost everyway, especially the runners who return year after year, and the historic course on which it is run. There was a time when this was literally the only marathon in Wisconsin, and it remains in some sense a unique marathon. The number of full marathoners has become fewer in recent years for reason I do not understand. It can be warm in August, and humid, and always hilly, so maybe newer marathoners prefer flatter, cooler courses. I certainly would recommend this marathon to those seeking a good experience.

I really just want to improve the previous comment. He or she complained that the nearest international airport is Duluth. That is correct, but there are non-stop direct flights from Chicago O'Hare to Ironwood, MI, just over the border with Hurley. I ran this marathon in 2004 and 2005. I loved it, and have committed to returning in 2017. I'm sad to see that participation has dropped steadily for the last few years.

I ran yesterday in very good conditions for this time of year, 63 degrees at the start and low 70's at the finish, although you have to bear in mind that I was fifth, finishing in 3:11. It was hilly as advertised, although I train on hills in the Nashville area, so it wasn't too onerous. There was a short, very steep hill just past the halfway point and again in the 25th mile. My wheels were starting to come off in the last mile, and I'm not sure whether it was that hill or not. My Garmin heart rate monitor went bonkers about halfway through, so I was running blind in terms of heart rate, although I still managed to run negative splits by a few seconds. The course was rural, with mostly long grades, both up and down through the first part of the race, although it seemed like a continuous grade from mile 5 to 9 or so. Scenery was pretty nice, mostly running along asphalt roads with tall evergreens lining both sides. We ran through several small towns, some of which were more picturesque than others due to lakeside views. There was also a stretch of wetlands where there seemed to be a rather persistent headwind. Spectators were few but enthusiastic. In addition to numerous cowbells, there was one town in which volunteers tolled a rather significant bell as each runner went by, which was pretty impressive. Aid stations were generally every 3 miles until mile 18, when they were set up at each mile. There were also aid stations at the relay points at 5 and 10 miles, and a few random spots where spectators handed out water or, in one case, beer, though I did not partake. Volunteers at aid stations were the best I have ever encountered in a race: not one dropped an exchange of a single drink on me or had me whiff in trying to grab the cup. Gatorade and water were available, as were sponges and ice. Late in the race, one aid station had numerous food items, which I again bypassed. The finisher medal was nothing to get excited about, and the tee shirt was cheap, coarse cotton. However, the age group medal was substantial and elegant in its simplicity. Post race food was Finnish beef stew; it wasn't my favorite, but the welcoming and enthusiastic attitude of the volunteers made it impossible for me to resist, although one cup was plenty. I ate two meals at the Iron Nugget. I had pretty decent pasta the night before (bearing in mind that I am a New York City raised Italian American who can be pretty brutally critical), and the pizza the next day was not (same caveats apply). Both were cheap meals, and filling. As for the negatives, there were a few. It was an ordeal to get there. I had to fly into Duluth and drive 2 hours. It was impossible to fly out the same day after the race. I was pushing the time limit for registration, but there was no expo or line, so I was in and out. I stayed in the Day's Inn in Hurley and took the shuttle from the hotel at 6:00 a.m. to Upson. We arrived with sufficient time to hit the Port-o-lets, and it was rural enough that the guys could use the woods just before race time. It is not a chip-timed event; it is a chip finish event. There is no mat at the start. The field is relatively small, even with the marathon relay runners, so this wasn't a huge consideration, and I was able to start on the front line, so gun time was my time. Most probably will not select this race as a Boston qualifier, so it probably matters little. It would have been nice to know that there was no shuttle back to the hotel though, instead it was a walk of about 1.5 miles on broken sidewalks, which my blisters did not accommodate to very well. It took an act of Congress to get an extra hour for check out though, which seemed pretty lame for a host hotel.

This race was a gem for the price. The cost of 65 dollars was appealing, the rolling hills were challenging, the townspeople, volunteers, and neighbors were phenomenal! If you are more concerned about running a PR, this may not be your race. If you want to say you participated in Wisconsin's longest running marathon filled with history and tradition, this one is for you. This years weather was great for early August. Nice medal, t-shirt, and finish line were awesome. A great place to make a weekend family trip. Just be mentally prepared for running on highways for approximately 7 and 3 miles (10 total). Also, be prepared to carry your own water/hydration if you need more hydration in early miles. The water stops were filled wonderfully with water, ice, sponges, cookies, gatorade, etc.. These are the best stocked aid stations I have witnessed for a marathon. Great job to the entire community.

Check-in at the school, on Friday, was a breeze. There was a spaghetti dinner there too. This was a point-to-point marathon, with the finish-line was downtown, so that is where we parked our cars. Then we got bussed to the start-line in Upson, a town to the southwest on Highway 77. The race started in town there and went to the north and east. The first 5 miles or so were in the woods, and it was cool and very pleasant for running. As the sun rose higher, there was less shade. Later in the morning it got pretty hot, and there was no shade - except from the clouds rolling across the sky. Eventually we returned to Highway 77, and passed through the little communities along the way returning to Hurley. As we entered town, the course turned right and we ran south a few miles, then joined Highway 51 and headed back into downtown. Running on the left side of the road for that stretch, we came to Silver Street, and then turned left and proceeded to the finish line. Aid stations were adequately spaced and closer together near the end. The volunteers were friendly and cordial. At mile post 18, the volunteers brought their John Deere tractor to the aid station, and had a banquet of food out there for us! It was incredible. The aid station near mile post 23 was 'Hawaiian'. The gal was wearing a grass skirt, and they served us pineapple and watermelon. These people were awesome and seemed to be enjoying the moment too. They only had medals for the first 200 runners, and well over 200 signed up (but only 157 completed the marathon). Also, they only ordered T-shirts for those registered by the end of July. Late registrants - like me - were able to order T-shirts. But with all the no-shows, the staff made no effort to get those extra T-shirts to finishers  and it was a finishers T-shirt. The other thing is that medals, finisher T-shirts, and drop bags were being handed out inside the Iron Nugget (a restaurant) and it was not clear to me that we were supposed to go there - until I asked around at the finish-line. Minor details, as they say. Overall, this was a great little community race and was very worthwhile - even with the hills - that weren't really as bad as some folks hyped them up to be.

This race was absolutely SUPER!! Gorgeous course but very challenging. Very hilly so train for it. Definitely a destination race! Loved the small town of Hurley and everyone is so friendly. Great volunteers and aid stations are every 3 miles instead of your typical 2.

Came all the way from South Africa to run this wonderful race. Beautiful route and so well organized. Unfortunately I ran with a terrible injury only to find out when I returned home the cause was an antibiotic I had taken in June which ruptured the fascia of my right thigh!

This was only my 2nd full marathon, but I'd had experience with other races in half's and this race was well organized to be so small. The spectator support while sometimes sparse was encouraging. Course is beautiful. The water/aid stations were simply outstanding with an array of drinks, carbs, and fruits. I was blown away by how well stocked they were. Surpassed anything I've seen at races planned for 1000's of runners. Even an 'unsanctioned' stop of some nice people at the end of their driveway with water and meds, bengay, anything you might need. A guy playing his banjo on his front porch and singing was fun, too. The volunteers were spectacular. I can't say enough great things about this fun race. Organization only got 4 stars because you had to go find your medal at the end of the race and that was not well marked.

Scenic rolling course, plenty of shade, lots of aid. Super friendly locals, lots of pabst blue ribbon at pseudo aid stations. Very fun race over easy terrain

Scenic, rural Wisconsin. Great race support- busses to the start, well stocked water stations, nice finish line party. We camped a few days ahead in the Porcupine mountains which are so beautiful! We also recommend checking out the Copper Falls state park just a few miles way.

Very fun hilly race. Spectators were excellent and all volunteers were friendly. First half everyone is very talkative and friendly. Second half the hills start getting bigger. Fans in Hurley at the Finnish line were great. Plus the 'Finnish' stew made by the locals was delicious. I will for sure run this race again and recommend it to anyone looking for a scenic friendly race.

This marathon was an absolute pleasure as marathons go. The course is beautiful but mildly hilly, the temperature and weather couldn't have been better. The organization appeared to be very good to me. The medal is good and the shirt has an excellent design and quality but is much too small for the listed size. This marathon is definitely worth doing- I highly recommend it!

This is a perennial northwoods runner favorite. I've heard great things about participants having a quite the time off the course as well as on it. The course is hilly, with an up-hill near the finish. It was a hot one - I suspect it usually is. No question about it - ice helps. There are only a few marathons besides this one that I would consider running more than once; the running community in northern WI (including the UP and MN) is friendly, inviting and supportive. And some really like to race. This was my 6th marathon.

Arrived in Hurley in time for registration and the pasta meal. At registration they did not have my pre-registration on their spreadsheet, but they did have a hard copy in their master paper file, so all was good. The pasta meal was very good with plenty of pasta and sauce. The runners' packet was full of useful information about the weekend events, not just the marathon. Saturday, I arrived early for the ride to the start. It was a short, 15-minute ride. Once at the start, I took a tour of Upson - a nice, small village - to keep from being bored, and on the move from the mosquitos. The course was fairly hilly, but not exceptionally challenging. Still, few PR's would be set on it, I believe. The race was well supported by some of the friendliest volunteers I have found anywhere. At the start of the race the temperature was comfortable (in the mid-60's); by 10 a.m. it was in the upper 70's; and it was over 80 by noon. The support stations after mile 13 all had bags of ice, which was super! One criticism is when the race came off of County Road E onto Rt. 77 at about mile 7, the runners' lane was on the right side of the road. There was a fair amount of traffic on Rt .77, and I was very uncomfortable having them approach from my back. This leg was about 6 miles long and it was the only leg that had this unfortunate condition. Once the race turned onto County Road C, runners ran on the left for the remainder of the race. The finish area was excellent, and the food and post-race stuff was great. Nice finisher's medal and shirt. I met several runners who run this event every year. If it were closer to where I live, I would as well. Great destination race if you have never been to the northwoods area.

It was a hot and muggy day in Hurley. The aid station crews were very attentive and right there with the ice, sponges, and drinks - even after waiting for over five hours for us late-comers to plod on through. The after-race award ceremony was fun; they had a good announcer. There's a nice mall-town ambience and atmosphere. Small venue - my kind of race. Spectators are sparse, but those in attendance along the route were very supportive. Rolling hills throughout the route. They ran out of shirts for us stragglers, and the medals had the wrong event year - 40th instead of 41st - but I think that the race director and chamber people plan to fix both of those issues.

I thought the course was very challenging and the hills would never end. The aid stations and spectators along the route were excellent and made the day. I was extremely impressed with the people at the aid stations, starting line and finishing line. They all wanted to do everything possible to make your day and long, slow run go well. The only drawback was the new starting point, but since it was only for this year, there's no sense in discussing it.

Let me say first off that the porta-janes on the course were relatively clean and spaced out nicely throughout the race. I should know because I used every single one of them (plus going twice in the woods). I'm still not sure why this happened to me, but it might have something to do with the 2.5 Creamy Dark Leinenkugels I had the night before. Take my advice: save the Leinies for AFTER the race. I loved the spectators at this race! I have never had so many folks thank ME for running. The people of Hurley truly love this race. I thought the course was relaxing and scenic. Despite my running problems, I have fabulous memories from this race.

People went out of their way to make us welcome and to make sure that we had fluids all day, even the last finishers. Great organization. Disappointed they dropped us slower finishers (20+) from the finishers' list.

This year was the 40th running of the Paavo Nurmi Marathon. Hurley put on a great show. The pasta dinner was delicious. The torch-lighting ceremony was inspiring. The course was scenic, through rural northern Wisconsin. It was hilly. Don't expect a PR. Just expect great fun.

This was my 41st marathon, and first Paavo Nurmi. Things to like about this race: check off Wisconsin in your 50 states marathon journey, easy parking/bus to the start, sponges and ICE at the water stations, the firemen with hoses at several points on the course, some cloud cover this year for a good part of the race, and post-race showers available at the K-12 school nearby. Things to be aware of: the Days Inn (sponsor hotel) allows NO late checkouts and is pretty expensive for being in the middle of "nowhere" ($119 plus taxes); you get your ankle (Velcro) timing chip at the starting location, the course is mostly tree-lined on two-lane roads that are not closed to traffic (expect 26.2 miles of the same thing while dodging traffic); you get a 2'x3' "coupon" at the finish line that must be taken to the Chamber of Commerce to exchange for a finisher's medal and shirt (kind of awkward); the closest airport that I could find is Duluth, which is a 2-hour-and-15-minute drive away from Hurley. Suggestions for improvement: start the race at 6:00 or 6:30 (to help with the heat and lack of late hotel checkout), give the finisher's medal at the finish line, and have the volunteers at the finish help to take the ankle timing chips off (versus a "do-it-yourself" process for the runners to bend down and do this). Overall, this isn't a bad race, but I have no desire to do it again. There are just so many races (small and large) that don't have these drawbacks (travel logistics, no late checkout, anti-climatic "coupon" at the finish, boring course, etc.).

The Paavo was my first marathon relay race and my first full marathon (2007) and the best thing about the Paavo is that you don't have to be a marathoner to run it. I started with a 5-man relay, and it was great because everyone on my team liked to run but didn't want to do a whole marathon or even half a marathon. We were good with the 5-mile sections of the relay and it worked great for us. And most people I talked to who were from out of the area had been coming to the Paavo for years and a lot tried to bring people with them who had never done it before. The volunteers who work the race are awesome - esp. the water stand at mile 18 has some great homemade treats! And everyone is just so encouraging, it's like a parade; people from all the small towns along the way set up chairs on their lawns along the course to cheer you on, and they stay there till the last person goes to by and they are there year after year encouraging hundreds of strangers they've never met, but it doesn't matter 'cause when you are running the Paavo, you are one of us.

This was my second Paavo and 7th marathon, and it is my favorite marathon of all. You are not crowded on the run and you run through beautiful country. The spectators and aid people are wonderful! I am a Bessemer native, and love coming back to the area to run this race.

I plan my vacation around this race every year. It has become my favorite race of all time. The volunteers and community do a great job. My only suggestion is to have a few port-o-potties away from the relay points of the race as there is always a long line of relay runners using the toilets.

This was my 10th marathon and my first Paavo. I chose to run a marathon about every 8 weeks this years and Paavo filled out the August date. I was warned about the hills, so they were expected and I assumed it would be hot, and it was. But what really impressed me was the participation of the community, the terrific events - the torch lighting was very cool. I was greeted by name along the way, both by spectators and by water station volunteers, as the participant list is printed in the local newspaper and included in our race packets. It created a unique and very interactive event for me. I did well despite the heat and hills and experienced a division award for the first time, so the post-race event became very personal for me, but would have been enjoyable regardless. Next year my wife would like to participate in the two-person relay, which allows me to run the full as both a marathon and relay participant and for her, a half marathon. We look forward to next year and expect another wonderful experience despite those hills and the potential for heat.

The race was just as perfectly organized as the previous year - in my opinion better than the huge event in Chicago. All the volunteers were extremely friendly. Clearly it was hot, but that is not the race organizers' fault. I will definitely be back. Before the race we visited Apostle Islands, one of the most beautiful placed in the Midwest, and less than two hours' drive from Hurley.

This was my 7th marathon, and my worst to date. I felt horrible from the beginning and the heat didn't help. I ran 5 1/2 hours and ended up in the hospital to get fluids. That being said, I'll be back to run this race again. I can't say enough about the people involved with the race (especially those at the nurse's station), and the people of Hurley and surrounding areas (especially the health care staff at the hospital in Bessemer). If you expect this race to be Chicago, you will be greatly disappointed. However, if you make a trip to the north woods, expecting a nice weekend running through nice little towns, with a bunch of nice people, you will be extremely satisfied. In addition, the scenery in the area is amazing. As for the aid stations, I thought they were all well staffed and well supplied. Perhaps a few more in the first 18 miles would be nice, but there are only so many people in Hurley to man stations. I have run marathons with far fewer aid stations. Basically, if you are looking to run in a beautiful area in a race run and supported by some genuinely nice people this race is for you.

This was my 5th Paavo Nurmi and the hot weather made it very difficult, compared to past years. I did not see much of a difference in terms of the organization of the race. More aid stations with water and Gatorade would have been good, but I also understand the logistics involved in planning such an event. I have run in each of the marathons in Wisconsin and Paavo Nurmi remains one of the better ones. The course is quite challenging. The only real difference that I saw in the 2007 Paavo Nurmi was the heat and there is obviously no way to control that.

This was my 3rd running of the Paavo. It was my first ever marathon 3 years ago. I love the course; I love the volunteers and think they do an excellent job; and the spectators are awesome too - they make the marathon worth running. Ricky rocks!! I disagree with the comment made about the slow runners and there not being enough Gatorade or ice. It took me almost 5 hours this year and all aid stations were very well stocked and I didn't see anyone taking down mile markers of any type. In fact I was on Silver Street when the last person came through at over 6 hours and the clock was still running and there were people at the finish line. I will continue to run this race. I LOVE IT.

Course has rolling hills with traffic. Water stations had good stock. No mile split timing. They had chip timing but had no chip mat at the start?? Not sure how accurate the time could be. Good post party with great band.

At age 54 I decided to try to do a marathon for the first time ever. It had to be in Wisconsin, and I couldn't pick a better one to do than the Paavo! It was the hardest thing I've ever done, but I had a blast! The people of Hurley were fantastic, and they seem keenly aware that this event is a historic treasure, being the oldest marathon event in Wisconsin. If any of you are doing a marathon in each of the 50 states, make sure you make this the one for Wisconsin - you won't regret it.

Besides the terrible service we got from the staff at Whitecap Mountain Lodging - they did not hold our reservation and we were forced to stay in a very uncomfortable place - and the hamstring I pulled on mile 12 during the race (still finished though), I can't say enough great things about the course, the volunteers, or my best friend who came from Kentucky to run and finish our 1st marathon together.

I have run this marathon 25 times, and this year 2007 was my last. I am a slower runner and am tired of the lack of organization and and effort made to make sure they have enough Gatorade and ice for "all" runners. Without us 50% of runners that run slower than 4:30, there would be no race at all, so I am done with the PAAVO. In the past this was a great race, but the race did not starting on time, and the mile markers were in the wrong spot - they could be up to 1/8 of a mile off. The worst offense and insult was when they started taking down the mile markers along HWY 51 before we even passed them, when there were still at least 30-40 runners behing us. To the people of Hurley, Pence, Iron Belt, Montreal, Gile and Ironwood, "YOU ALL ROCK AND ARE THE BEST," but you need a new race director... sorry.

It was a superbly organized small race. I really loved the scenery. Also we had spent a week in the area hiking in the forest preserves, had a look at a dozen or so spectacular waterfalls nearby, and loved that too.

This was my first marathon ever, and believe it or not, I hadn't trained for it and just decided to run it with my mother over a bet on a free beer at the end. So I just ran it, and now, since I did it without even training, I've decided to run it every year from now on. Thanks, Hurley, for a great time.

This was my first Paavo and I will likely be back. The majority of the course is very scenic and much of it is shaded. I managed a BQ on this course, so it's hilly but not impossible. The first few miles have a lot of declines, shade and scenery, and so you feel like you're flying. Sadly the last ~3 miles are on open county highways that are not as pretty and are hot, hot, hot. Spectators were plentiful and encouraging. Most runners are actually involved in relay teams, which can be discouraging as there are constantly fresh-faced persons flying by you. You just have to look at the bib color and try not to speed up too much. Organization was absolutely wonderful.