As the U.P. slips into autumn attire and frost nips at the edges of the day, runners and organizers in Marquette are preparing for the annual XTERRA Lake Superior Shore Run, a scenic trail half marathon and 5 km at Little Presque Isle on Saturday, Sept. 21.
The race benefits the Superiorland Ski Club, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting youth skiing programs. The shore run has been its biggest fundraiser since 1994.Jenifer Kilpela, in her second year as director of the Superiorland Ski Club, said the half marathon is 13.1 miles of rugged trail running.
“It leaves Little Presque Isle along the Songbird Trail, goes around Harlow Lake, over Top of the World then over to Bareback Mountain, down to Wetmore Landing and along Lake Superior to the finish back at Little Presque Isle,” Kilpela said.
The race drew 333 runners last year, Kilpela said. Registration is currently open at www.superiorlandskiclub.com and is also available the morning of the event.
The half marathon is $55, the 5 km is $35 generally and $23 for students and the races kicks off at 10 a.m., according to the brochure.
There is a free 1-km kid’s race at noon as well as a half marathon relay race for groups of three who want to tackle the half marathon course as a team.
Runners are also warned by the brochure that some sections of the half marathon are extreme.
By contrast, the 5 km and the free kids’ 1 km are mostly flat and much easier to negotiate, Kilpela said.
Kilpela also said prizes for the half marathon include new shoes from Johnson Sports and a one year membership to CrossFit 906, There will also be age category prizes and door prizes from local businesses like Switchback in downtown Marquette.
First, second and third place winners will receive a jar of homemade jam from Keweenaw Kitchen out of Baraga, Mich.
The race started 19 years ago as a race against tobacco, she said, and it has evolved since then with support now from NMU and a number of local and national businesses.
Superiorland Ski Club is excited about their partnership with XTERRA this year, Kilpela said, which expands the XTERRA running series into the upper Michigan region and garners national exposure to the beautiful trails at Little Presque and the Marquette area.
Based out of Hawaii, XTERRA is a trail run series with regional, national and world championships, as well as a foundation dedicated to providing support to the underprivileged and physically challenged, according to their website.
Kilpela said she got involved in the Superiorland Ski Club because because of the educational value for children.
“I want all kids to have the chance to learn a life-long healthy sport, and cross country skiing is something you can do into your ’80s,” Kilpela said.
Four aid stations will be spaced evenly on the course, according to Superiorland’s website, and some sections, it advises, “will take your breath away in more ways than one.”
