Great Turtle Half Marathon and 5.7 Run/Walk

Keeping fit, challenging yourself, and testing your endurance is what the Great Turtle Half Marathon and 5.7 Run/Walk is all about.  That, and the fantastic scenery of Mackinac Island in the last hazes of the tourist season.  The trails and hills of the 1,800-acre Mackinac Island State Park are the setting for this event.

An out-and-back trail run takes competitors around most of the entire four square miles of the island.  Previous events have had more than 1,600 runners and walkers cross the finish line in all races combined.  The race is unique for both its scenery and its insular location -- so there is never auto traffic to contend with.

Mackinac Island is located just off the coast of the northernmost tip of Lower Michigan.  It is 50 miles from the border with Canada, and the race is open to international participants.  The nearly 4-square-mile Mackinac Island typically sees cool to cold weather conditions in the early fall and occasional wet weather.   In October, average temperatures range between 54°F and 42°F and rainfall amounts average around 2.89 inches for the month.  In other words, prepare for a little bit of wet during this half marathon.

At the starting point at Mission Point Resort on the southern tip of the island right by the ferry docks.  The race course then takes runners up Lake Shore Road on the eastern side of the island near the shoreline and heads inland at the intersections with Shore Road and Scott's Road.  From there, runners then begin a long counter-clockwise loop around the island.

There is a relatively late start to the race (11:30 a.m.) to allow runners and walkers who aren't staying overnight on the island to catch the ferry over before the start.  After the race, there’s a pasta dinner for all finishers, supporters, and race volunteers.

Mackinac Island was officially designated as a national park in 1875.  It is the country’s second national park ever, after Yellowstone.  Mackinac Island was subsequently handed over to the state of Michigan, becoming its first state park.  The most popular natural attraction on the island is the Arch Rock, the natural geologic formation on the island's eastern shore.

For further race registration information and details, check http://www.mackinacparks.com
 

« Back To Articles