New Trail Races In Michigan

Great Lakes Endurance is adding a brand new event in Gaylord, MI this year; the Treetops Trifecta!

From RD Jeff Crumbaugh, “Working in collaboration with Treetops Resort in Gaylord, Michigan we have developed a new event titled the Treetops Trifecta.  It is a micro stage event with three races over two days.  The weekend begins with a 5K on Saturday morning on newly crafted single track through forests and fields on the resort’s Main Campus.  This is followed on Saturday afternoon by a 1K Hill Climb at the Treetops’ Alpine Ski Hill.  The hill climb is spectator friendly with a finish near the Legends on the Hill Restaurant.  The weekend concludes with a Half Marathon that starts on the resort’s North Campus and travels through a remarkable landscape that includes the Headwaters Conservancy lands and Treetops’ Project Nature.  The half marathon course features spectactular vistas of the Sturgeon River Valley.”

Gaylord is located in north central Lower Michigan.

For the Yoopers, there will also be a new addition to one of my all time favorite races. Grand Island will now include a 50K to it’s flagship Marathon race, as well as a half marathon! Here are a couple of shots that I took with a little point and shoot during the marathon several years ago. Yes, you run right past scenery like this all course long 🙂

Grand Island

Hidden Beach, Grand Island

The new 50K will feature all of the marathon course with the addition of a new 5 mile section inland to Echo Lake. This is a truly beautiful course that includes two beach runs as it circumnavigates the island. Nestled right next to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, this is a bucket list, destination race peeps!

Twelve Mile Beach, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Miner’s Castle, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Great Lakes Endurance puts on high quality environmentally friendly events, so sign up before they fill! All of their 2016 races are now open for registration.