Prepare for a race recap from one of the crucial festive races I’ve ever run, celebrating a vacation we Illinoisians maintain close to and pricey. Groundhog Day! When the film, Groundhog Day got here out in 1993, Woodstock, Illinois, turned a key level to go to each February. Crowds would anticipate Woodstock Willie to foretell our climate destiny and practically all the time know we had been destined to have snow nicely into Might.
Little did I do know that the operating neighborhood in Grand Rapids, Michigan was celebrating this vacation a lot otherwise.
In its thirteenth yr, the Grand Rapids Groundhog Day Marathon attracts tons of of runners to run in loops and loops, mimicking the fateful day depicted by Invoice Murray within the notorious movie. As a vacation junkie, I needed to give it a attempt.
I traveled to Grand Rapids on Friday, February seventh and stayed on the Embassy Suites by Hilton in downtown Grand Rapids. This lodge was beautiful and extremely welcoming. Included in our keep was a night reception with two complimentary drinks per grownup, and a snack structure full with pretzels, hummus, and path combine. There was a pool and an indoor-outdoor scorching tub, in addition to a pristine health middle with a Peloton bike. By far one of the best a part of the lodge was the free breakfast which included an omelet station, a buffet providing of heat breakfast meals, and a powerful fruit and yogurt choice. As a household of 4, a free breakfast is all the time one thing I search for when touring.
I awoke shiny and early on Saturday, February eighth and headed over to the race headquarters. This occasion features a 1/6 marathon which takes place on Friday night, in addition to a half and full marathon on Saturday morning. The race begins and ends at a park pavilion, with a big, heated tent beneath. The course is a 2.2 mile loop round Lake Leota on a largely flat, paved path.
The web site describes the course as this:
Ever see the film? The course gives you the chance to relive the identical day a number of occasions. A complete of 12 loops of roughly 2.18 miles on a CERTIFIED course (Sure! You may qualify for Boston!) can have you feeling just a bit case of deja vu. Support stations at 1 mile plus the end line space. Don’t plan on the course being freed from snow. It’s paved, which implies no underlying rocks and roots, however that’s about all we’re promising.
Race Director, Don Kern has loads of humor which he shared with runners main as much as the occasion. I appreciated the weekly e-newsletters which contained updates on the course and upcoming climate. He additionally hosted a “fireplace chat”, which was a reside Fb occasion co-hosted with Affiliate Race Director, TJ Suchocki. The duo answered a mess of questions and reviewed all the race day data for runners. As a primary timer, and a non-local, I actually appreciated the sense of neighborhood this fostered across the occasion.
However don’t let the humor idiot you, RD Don definitely is aware of what he’s doing. He and his crew placed on a stellar occasion. The course started with a lining of ice on the path, which we had all been forewarned about. We then turned onto the Fred Meijer Millenium Path, and started our circle round Lake Leota. There was one assist station positioned roughly one mile in, and one assist station on the loop flip round, permitting runners to hit assist stations 24 occasions for the complete and 12 occasions for the half. There was additionally a fireball assist station, full with pickle juice and excessive fives from mates of the race.
Runners had been in a position to depart drop luggage close to the loop turnaround or within the tent for simple retrieval at every loop. Though there have been a couple of hundred runners on the course, it by no means felt cramped. Though we noticed it many occasions, the surroundings was completely beautiful, because the lake and sky each held a winter magnificence that you would be able to solely discover within the Midwest. The solar stayed tucked behind the winter clouds, however the temps hovered within the excessive 20’s so operating was fairly nice.
All runners obtained a hoody designed by one of many runners and a mess of meals and beer choices on the end. If I didn’t have to move again to Chicago I might’ve stayed, because the social gathering was rocking once I crossed the end line. Total winners obtained a hand carved groundhog and age group winners took house a espresso mug.
I’m hooked and may’t wait to return to this race in 2026. It’s a straightforward 3-hour drive and escape to a wintery wonderland for runners. Be sure to maintain this one in your watch listing for subsequent yr and catch registration when it opens. You may observe the updates on the Groundhog Day Fb web page all yr lengthy. Due to the race workers and volunteers, and to my fellow runners, for creating a brand new vacation custom for this runner!
