Marquette Marathon
Paved Road
Bgcolourdarkgreen
DateSaturday of Labor Day weekend
LocationIshpeming, Michigan to Marquette, Michigan
Distance26.2 miles (42.2 km)
SponsorNorthern Michigan University and others
Est1977
Homepagewww.marquettemarathon.com
Participants500+[1]

The Marquette Marathon is an annual marathon in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, United States. The course runs point-to-point, starting at Cliffs Shaft Mine Museum in Ishpeming, follows the Iron Ore Heritage Trail and ends at the Superior Dome in Marquette.[2][3] It is held annually on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend.[4] The race is one of the fastest Boston Marathon qualifiers in the USA, with a descent of almost 800 feet (240 m) in the first 5 miles (8.0 km).[5] The section along the Iron Ore Heritage Trail is on a gravel-covered path through the forest, but the later part of the course features views of Lake Superior.[6]

As of 1990, the Marquette Marathon was the only marathon in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.[7] As such, it may have been the first marathon in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

The Marquette Marathon brings nearly $500,000 to the Marquette community according to the Marquette Marathon committee, which is consistent with studies of the economic impact of smaller marathon events.[8][9][10]

Race history

The Marquette Marathon was first run in 1977 with 49 finishers.[11] Since then, it has gone by several names and used different course routes. The first iteration of the Marquette Marathon was run from 1977 until 1982; the renamed Northern Shufflers Marathon was between 1984 and 1996.[12][13][14] The race director in 1979 may have been Pat Nardini.[15] The 1983 version of the race was known as the Marquette National Bank and Trust Marathon and featured a course from Negaunee, Michigan to Marquette that was described as "hilly from start to finish."[16] The 1988 Northern Shufflers Marathon ran from the Wawonowin Golf Club in Ishpeming, Michigan and ended at Northern Michigan University.[17]

In 1992, an organizer of the Northern Shufflers Marathon in Michigan organized the "Northern Shufflers Delaware Marathon" so that interested runners could complete a marathon in every US state as Delaware did not then have a marathon.[18][19][20] The race started and finished at the University of Delaware fieldhouse.[21] A total of 62 runners from 37 states took part in the one-time event.[22]

The Marquette Marathon was restarted in 2010, and the current course, finishing at the Superior Dome, has been run since 2021. Before this change, the race finished on North Third Street near Blackrocks Brewery.[23]

In 2020, the race was canceled due to COVID-19. However, nine runners ran the course in an unofficial virtual race.[24]

The Marquette Marathon was part of the Great Lakes Marathon Series, a circuit of 25 marathon races near the Great Lakes, from 2013 until 2019.[25][26][27]

Race weekend

The race expo is held on Friday of Labor Day weekend at the Superior Dome. There is a one-mile kids' race called the Pebble Run on the same day.[citation needed]

On Saturday, the Marquette Marathon starts at 7:30 am; the Marquette Half Marathon starts in Negaunee, Michigan at 9:00 am; and the Wildcat 5 km race starts (at 9:00 am) and finishes at the Superior Dome.[citation needed]

Winners

DateMen's winnerTime
(h:m:s)		Women's winnerTime
(h:m:s)
2025-08-30Jesse Greenhagen2:34:59.2Grace Hayward2:55:45.4
2024-08-31[28]Adam Martin Caldwell2:19:27.9Courtney Rouse2:59:54.8
2023-09-02Noah Jacobs2:34:26.8Violet Butts2:59:45.8
2022-09-03Chris Scott2:33:51.6Elizabeth Dollas2:54:48.1
2021-09-04Alex Dennis2:39:05.9Liza Breznau2:59:15.8
2019-08-31Samuel Parlette2:35:47.2Tiffany Kari3:05:11.8
2018-09-01Joe Ketarkus2:59:58.3Mandy Dye3:10:17.7
2017-09-02Alex Prasad2:43:03.6Sarah Kasabian-Larson2:57:17.8
2016-09-03Brad Vincent2:49:51.2Janet Becker3:06:01.5
2015-09-05Nate Hoffman2:36:41.1Elizabeth Whiting3:00:49.4
2014-08-30Vince Bechard2:35:51.7Christina Carradine3:15:03.3
2013-08-31Jon Rock2:29:04.6Elizabeth Jones3:06:56.5
2012-09-01Matthew Paullin2:44:17.2Christina Mishica3:13:28.9
2011-09-03Luis Cruz2:45:05.4Elizabeth Jones3:13:38.5
2010-09-04Ricky Alvarez2:37:57.8Elizabeth Jones3:01:52.7
1996-09-14[29]unknownunknownunknownunknown
1995[30]unknownunknownunknownunknown
1994unknownunknownGay Keskeyunknown[31]
1993-09-18[32][33]unknownunknownunknownunknown
1992-09-19[34]unknownunknownunknownunknown
1990-09-15Judd Johnson2:43:59[35]Wanda Cousineau3:08:10[36]
1989[37]unknownunknownunknownunknkown
1988-09-24[38]unknownunknownunknownunknown
1986-09-20[39]unknownunknownunknownunknown
1984-09-22Chris Danielson2:42:11Rhonda Henderson3:58:31
1983-09-10[40][41][42]unknownunknownunknownunknown
1982-09-18Chris Danielson2:38:10Laurie Hallifax3:23:18
1981-09-12Doug Kurtis2:15:31[43]Sally Sakalos3:15:16[44]
1980-09-06Doug Riske2:32:16Sheila Joosten3:12:24
1979-09-08Chris Danielson2:32:46[45]Eunice Carlson2:50:53[46]
1978-09-09Chris Glowacki2:39:17Eunice Carlson3:00:31
1977-09-10Scott Lachniet2:35:14Denise Green3:39:45

Past half marathon winners

DateMen's winnerTime
(h:m:s)		Women's WinnerTime
(h:m:s)
2024-08-31Ian Torchia1:09:57.8Maggie Priebe1:19:50.7
2023-09-02Alex Dennis1:09:22.7Kathy Vandehy1:14:11.8
2022-09-03Charles Smogoleski1:06:05.8Natalie Anderson1:21:44.9
2021-09-04Richard Swor1:06:20.1Katie Lakin1:22:11.3
2019-08-31Alexander Dennis1:17:23.7Callie Bartel1:27:11.4
2018-09-01Samuel Parlette1:11:45.2Kameron Burmeister1:19:04.8
2017-09-02Jeffrey Quednow1:14:41.4Callie Bartel1:25:16.0
2016-09-03Nathaniel Langlie1:15:32.2Victoria Phillippi1:28:10.1
2015-09-05Daniel Dehlin1:13:46.5Melissa Burkart1:19:17.8
2014-08-30Tracy Lokken1:14:45.1Melanie Bicigo1:28:51.1
2013-08-31Tracy Lokken1:10:07.3Alison Goss1:28:43.8
2012-09-01Tracy Lokken1:12:36.0Alison Goss1:33:17.7
2011-09-03Tracy Lokken1:09:12.4Alison Goss1:32:20.8
2010-09-04Tracy Lokken1:12:53.4Valerie Kelso1:34:49.2

Past Wildcat 5 km winners

DateMen's winnerTime
(m:s)		Women's winnerTime
(m:s)
2024-08-31Qwynn Darnell17:16.5Emma Ziegler23:06.1
2023-09-02Qwynn Darnell17:27.2Chessie Sergey21:20.2
2022-09-03Anthony Plana18:25.7Chessie Sergey22:00.5
2021-09-04Scott Carhoun18:16.1Roman Menhart21:59.2
2019-08-31Jeffrey Quednow17:53.1Amber Huebner22:06.8
2018-09-01Lucas Cavalieri18:46.2Laurie Tardiff21:05.3
2017-09-02Brent Skaw18:01.1Deedra Irwin19:05.8
2016-09-03Richard Sandlin17:16.5Rebecca Kraemer23:09.1

References

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  2. ^ Huff, Matthew (July 9, 2024). "Make a Splash and Maybe Clock a PR With These Best Beach Town Races". Runner's World. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  3. ^ Kwapisz, Nathan (September 1, 2022). "NMU students prepare for Marquette Marathon". University Wire
  4. ^ Kwapisz, Nathan (September 1, 2022). "NMU students prepare for Marquette Marathon". The North Wind
  5. ^ Nothaft, Patrick (May 19, 2019). "Off the Beaten Path: Several Unique and Challenging Road Races Show Case Michigan's Unique Summer Appeal". Ann Arbor News
  6. ^ D'Addona, Dan (September 7, 2018). "Oren qualifies for Boston Marathon: Hamilton graduate will compete in nation's biggest race". The Holland Sentinel
  7. ^ Dwight, Jim (13 July 1990). "Take a run on the state's wild side: The UP". Detroit Free Press
  8. ^ Hunter, Cali (March 30, 2017). "Sharing Third Street". The North Wind
  9. ^ Burge, Bruce (September 18, 2013). "U.P. communities good model for rest of state". The North Wind
  10. ^ Wicker, Pamela; Hallman, Kirstin; Zhang, James (November 30, 2012). "What is influencing consumer expenditure and intention to revisit? An investigation of marathon events". Journal of Sport and Tourism. Vol. 17, no. 3. pp. 165–182. doi:10.1080/14775085.2012.734058
  11. ^ "Race Profile". Association of Road Racing Statisticians. September 10, 1977. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  12. ^ "Evans 'shuffles' to third-place finish". The Sault Star. 22 September 1986.
  13. ^ Hanlon, Stephen (April 16, 1994). "Running Down a Dream". The Times
  14. ^ Williams, Katherine (May 21, 1996). "Madison Runner Enjoys Fast Track". The Capital Times
  15. ^ "Local Briefs". The Sault Star. 15 June 1979.
  16. ^ "State Races: From Scenic to Fun". Detroit Free Press. 2 October 1982.
  17. ^ "Running". Green Bay Press-Gazette. 21 August 1988.
  18. ^ Driscoll, Rob (30 June 1992). "American brakeman pads marathon stats". Whitehorse Daily Star
  19. ^ Sandstrom, Eric (4 July 1992). "Delaware Marathon completes puzzle". The Akron Beacon Journal
  20. ^ Demby, Mary F. (24 July 1992). "Marathon". The News Journal (Wilmington, Delaware)
  21. ^ "Webb wins marathon". The News Journal (Wilmington, Delaware). 26 July 1992.
  22. ^ "55 Hours of Sports". The News Journal (Wilmington, Delaware). 24 July 1992.
  23. ^ Rifenburgh, Adam (August 31, 2017). "Runners Fill The Streets This Weekend for the Marquette Half & Full Marathon Plus the Blackrocks 5k!". Fox Sports Marquette. Marquette, Michigan: WFXD-FM. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  24. ^ Markle, Tyler (September 12, 2020). "Runners participate in 'virtual' Marquette Marathon". Upper Michigan Source. Negaunee, Michigan: WLUC-TV. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  25. ^ Nelson, Kyle (April 2, 2013). "25 events combine to form Great Lakes Marathon Series". Grand Rapids Herald-Review
  26. ^ Copper, Mike (September 14, 2013). "Marathon set for Sunday at Presque Isle". Erie Times-News
  27. ^ "Important Notice". Race Roster. December 5, 2019. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  28. ^ "2024 Marquette Marathon Recap". Northern Michigan University. 2024-08-31. Retrieved 2025-02-28.
  29. ^ "Recreation Notes". The Capital Times. 21 May 1996.
  30. ^ "Sports Briefs". The Daily Globe (Ironwood, Michigan). 20 June 1995.
  31. ^ Trethewey, Ron (9 August 1995). "Clemens family comes a long way in marathon running". The Daily Globe (Ironwood, Michigan)
  32. ^ Hanlon, Stephen (16 April 1994). "Running Down a Dream". The Times (Hammond, Indiana)
  33. ^ "Running". Detroit Free Press. 16 April 1993.
  34. ^ "Running". Detroit Free Press. 18 September 1992.
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  36. ^ "Cousineau leads the pack". The Sault Star. 17 September 1990.
  37. ^ Walton, Scott (14 April 1990). "Teacher realizes long-running goal". Detroit Free Press
  38. ^ "Running". Green Bay Press-Gazette. 21 August 1988.
  39. ^ "Local Digest". The Sault Star. 22 September 1986.
  40. ^ "Running". Green Bay Press-Gazette. 28 August 1983.
  41. ^ "Sports Briefs". Petoskey News-Review. 1 September 1983.
  42. ^ Partridge, Rick (1 September 1983). "September's a busy month". The Sault Star
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  44. ^ "Novi runner breaks record in Marquette marathon". Detroit Free Press. 13 September 1981.
  45. ^ "Chuck Pankrantz Finishes in Top Ten". Green Bay Press-Gazette. 16 September 1979.
  46. ^ "Chuck Pankrantz Finishes in Top Ten". Green Bay Press-Gazette. 16 September 1979.