Marquette Trail 50 Mile / 50 Kilometer & RELAY

Date: Saturday, August 17, 2013 (Relay is Friday)
Time: Start time 6:30AM, Finish time 7:30 PM
Events: 50 mile and 50 kilometer trail runs
Fee: 1/1/13 to 7/1: $75, 7-2 to 8/16: $85 / RELAY: 1/1 to 7/1: $100, after 7-2: $120

+++ 2013 solo events on Saturday, August 17th are FULL!!! We have instituted the wait list option via ultrasignup.com, you may sign up [credit card not charged until you are in] and wait to see if folks drop as the date gets closer...50K Team Relay is 25% FULL!

+++Welcome, our new major sponsor, HAMMER NUTRITION! [We will have energy gels, HEED sports drink, and electrolyte caps. ] ROCK ON, eh?!

I'm a BIG fan of Hammer Nutrition, and I encourage you to try their products before race day...

+++NEW for 2013, the Marquette Trail 50 Ultramarathon 50K RELAY!!! Make a team and conquer the trails North of Marquette.... Details to come. SAVE THE DATE: Friday, August 16th {relay} //// Saturday, August 17th {solo race}

+++EVERYONE MUST USE ULTRA SIGNUP [click here] .

+++Follow us on Facebook: [click here]

+++PLEASE CHECK THIS WEBSITE PERIODICALLY FOR UPDATES.

+Andrew Grosvenor, Race Director

***Note: I apologize for a few quirks with the layout of the website. I cannot change these without the web-designer. Let me know if you have major problems...[contact information below]

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Description

Join us in 2013 for the fifth-annual Marquette Trail 50 Ultramarathon. The course consists of a 50 kilometer and 50 mile event. Also, new this year the course will include a loop from the new start-finish area (NTN - Forestville Trailhead) towards Tourist Park (the old start-finish area) on new single-track. The course is mostly single-track, climbing the 4 peaks: Sugarloaf, Top-of-the-World, Bareback, and Hogsback outcrops. All the peaks have view of Lake Superior and some of the trail runs along the largest lake in the world! Most of the trail is easy to moderate running with a few significant climbs and technical areas. Unless it is raining, there in no place where you will need to get your shoes wet.

ALSO, NEW THIS YEAR IS THE ULTRAMARATHON RELAY = form a team and run the trails FRIDAY before the solo event on Saturday, more details to come....

50K Relay begins: staggered starts between 1 and 5pm, Friday, August 16th 2013,

Solo 50M and 50K Events begin at: 6:30am, Saturday, August 17th 2013

This is an ultramarathon. Please show up well-trained and prepared to run the distance!

Planning Ahead?: The 6th annual MQT TRAIL 50 will be August 15th & 16th 2014!

Location

Noquemanon Trail Network (NTN) - Forestville Trailhead [on trails North of Marquette, MI --- NTN Website = http://www.noquetrails.org ]:

Follow Wright Street North [RIGHT] off of US-41 [when heading West] for approximately one mile to Forestville Road. Turn LEFT on FORESTVILLE ROAD... Continue 1.6 miles on rough pavement. Turn RIGHT across an active railroad grade {went too far if you end up at Dead River Falls – a great hike;o}.. follow rough dirt road to left.. LEFT onto better gravel road briefly. LEFT towards Forestville Trailhead Sign...RIGHT in Forestville Trailhead that includes a parking area and polebarn (0.7miles from pavement). START-FINISH AREA at polebarn.

Noquemanon Trail Network Trail Map of Forestville: [CLICK HERE]

Google maps location via GPS coordinates: [CLICK HERE]

Cut-Offs

50 mile runners who are not at the Forestville Aid Station by 2PM (at 31 miles = 14:30 min/mile pace) will be asked to switch and take a 50k finish. 50 milers MUST leave the Sugarloaf Aid Station inbound by 12 hours (6:30 PM = ~15:39 min/mile pace) and finish the race to be a confirmed finisher.

I expect 50K runners to be able to finish in 9 hours. Aid Stations will have volunteers tracking runners and their progress.

Registration and Bag Pick-up

Registration is ONLINE ONLY {CLICK HERE} at ultrasignup.com. The events will be capped at 160 racers for solo event and 100 racers for relay event = 260 total Register early: we are 100% full {solo events} & 25% full {relay} for 2013, as of 6-17-13!

Planning Ahead?: The 6th annual MQT TRAIL 50 will be August 15th & 16th 2014!

Fees:

Ultramarathon 50K Relay Event, August, 16th 2013, : (choose your team size 2-4 runners)

Regular fee: 1-1-13 ---> 7-1-13: $100

Late fee: 7-2-13 ---> 8-16-13: $120

50K or 50M Trail Race - Solo Event, August, 17th 2013:

Regular fee: 1-1-13 ---> 7-1-13: $75

Late fee: 7-2-13 ---> 8-16-13: $85

Bib and Packet Pick-Up will be on Friday, August 16 at NTN Forestville Trailhead [see directions above], 4PM - 8PM. This event is not chip timed, so it is mandatory to display your bib number in clear view.

Unfortunately, I have to announce there can be NO refunds or transfers of registration, so plan carefully when registering. To secure your spot, please sign up early. After July 1st, 2013, the price goes from $75 to $85 (Relay $100 to $120).

Rules

Runners must travel the complete course. Bib numbers must be displayed in clear view. No pacers allowed, either on foot or any other means. No dogs on any part of the course.

Aid Stations

Four aid stations will serve the 50K and 50M racers. 50 mile racers will pass these locations twice (again on the second loop). Please see the course description for more information. Please come prepared to carry enough water/food for the long legs! The longest leg is about 7.1 miles. Some sections are very technical and may require extra time between aid. Our aid stations will be stocked with water, energy drink, fruits and other nutrition. We expect ultrarunners to be self-sufficient and able to run up to two hours without additional aid. Please do not leave energy gel wrappers or other garbage on the course! All aid stations are accessible by car.

Bag Drops

Bags must be turned in by 6:00 AM race day. Please have them organized, secured and well marked. We are not responsible for lost or taken items. I expect 50K runners to not need drop bags, but they are welcome to have drop bags as well. Runners can have drop bags at 17M/38M (Harlow Lake Aid Station #3) and 27/45M (Forestville Aid Station #1). Drop bags may not be returned to Forestville Trailhead until as late as 8:00 PM. I cannot mail drop bags to you if you can't get them at the end of the race.

Awards

FINSIHER AWARDS are in the works... Dinner/cookout following the race will be provided. Overall Awards to 1st place in 50K and 50M, male and female. Age Group Awards will be for the first three finishers male and female age 39 and under [Open], and racers age 40 and over [Masters] in both the 50K and 50M races. No double awards. No ties. Commemorative shirts will be given to all racers who are registered. Shirts and awards will be ordered on July 20th, so sign up soon to guarantee your size of shirt and goodies!!!

Volunteers will also receive a commemorative shirt or hat, as we are all in this adventure together. Racers, please thank all those who make these events possible.

A SPECIAL THANK YOU to Down Wind Sports, Econo Foods, Johnson's Superior Shoes, Marquette Food Co-op, Sports Rack Ltd. for donations of (out)door prizes and food for the race. If you are in the area, then please thank these fine businesses for supporting the Marquette Trail 50!

Our Philosophy

This is a race put on by by myself and other athletes for ultrarunners. My goal is to have a challenging well-marked course with basic aid stations. Have fun and enjoy the course! Any proceeds will be donated to the Noquemanon Trail Network, North Country Trail Association, and other local charities.