Sleeping Bear Marathon returns to Empire
From staff reports
Drink and run! The third-annual Sleeping Bear Marathon and Half Marathon, held by Endurance Evolution, will take place on Sunday, Oct. 5 at 7:30 a.m. in Empire. That’s the day after Empire’s inaugural Hops Festival.
Take part in, or watch, this scenic marathon and half marathon in the heart of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The out-and-back marathon course, starts in Empire and will take runners past the Dune Climb, Little Glen Lake, and through the village of Glen Arbor with breathtaking views of the Manitou Islands and Sleeping Bear Dunes along the way. The half marathon will follow the same course as the marathon, but turn around at the 6.55-mile mark. At the peak of fall color season, the tree-lined course will be one that both runners and spectators won’t soon forget.
“Every year we aim to make this the fall destination race of Michigan,” said co-race director Joel Gaff, Jr. “It’s the most beautiful time to visit our area, and the community always shows up to support local runners and visitors alike.”
A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Empire Lions Club. The races are USATF-certified, and the marathon is a Boston Marathon qualifier. Every participant gets a festive custom medal a gender-specific tech-fabric shirt, and more swag. For more information and to register, visit EnduranceEvolution.com.
Endurance Evolution is a Traverse City-based event management company specializing in triathlons and running races. Each race is designed according to the four core service philosophies: to create a complete race experience, use courses that are meant for racing, deliver unparalleled customer service, and provide service that goes beyond the day of the race.
