10K, Half
09/20/20 9:00 am Sunday Runners arrive on Grand Island in the Fall after the tourists have left. The deep blue and aqua green of Lake Superior frames the brilliant red and yellow of the island's abundant maple and beach forests. Half marathoners take the classic tour up past Murray Bay and into the dense Hemlock forest near Duck Lake. The course then heads into the Tombolo and then out onto Trout Bay to a 1 mile wide beach, framed by amber sandstone cliffs, facing north to an infinite horizon. A steady climb up into the heavily forested island interior is then rewarded with a 2 mile gradual descent on dirt roads to Mather Beach on the island's west coast. The last four miles hug the cliffs and shoreline of Lake Superior, before heading east to the finish at Williams Landing. The 10K follows a new route, similar to the half, but without the Tombolo and Trout Bay Beach loop. The 10K course splits from the half marathon traverse of the islands highlands and follows a dirt road down the spine of the island past the fabled wildflower fields and on to the finish at Williams Landing.
Munising, MI Type: Trail
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Website: Great Lakes Endurance
More Info: The half marathon course is a scenic loop that takes runners northeast up along Murray Bay and Duck Lake and then heads eastward into the tombolo. At four miles runners head back westward on the Trout Bay Beach. Runners then ascend inland to the heavily forested highlands of the island's interior. When runners reach Echo Lake they head toward the western coastal trail and rejoin the marathon course. The remainder of the course follows the west coast of the island on a gradual downhill back to William’s Landing and the finish. The 10K course heads northeast along the coastline of Murray Bay and then turns inland and ascends to the island interior highlands before reaching Duck Lake. At 4.5 miles runners begin a long, fast gradual descent to the finish line, passing the fabled wildflower fields along the way.
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Location: Grand Island National Recreation Area
Grand Island National Recreation Area
Munising, MI 49862
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