The Great Race Triathlon

The 4rd annual Lake City Running Festival will take place on May 23, 2026 at the Plattsburgh City Beach. The race will feature a half marathon with a 10k and 5k. The course will start and end at the Plattsburgh City Beach (behind the Crete Center). There will be no kids race this year

Join us at the after-party for live music, food, beer/wine, cornhole, raffles, and more! Open to the public with a suggested $5 donation for non-athletes to enter

ATHLETE GUIDE - Posted 1 month before the race

PLEASE NOTE* We cannot accommodate strollers, baby joggers, or pets. Those with these items at the start line will not be permitted to start the race

Course

5K on paved surface and flat out (south) and back (north) on South Street (certified:VT19003JK)

Registration

Pre-registration is encouraged. Online registration will remain open until 8:15 am on race day.

In-person race day registration 7:15 am - 8:15 am at Folsom School in South Hero, Vermont. Come early!

Restrictions

Open to runners of ALL ages

Packet Pickup

• Pre-race Pickup: Skirack July 3 from noon - 6 PM

• Race Day Pickup - July 4 from 7:15-8:15 am at the Folsom School.

Entry Fee

$25 Pre-registration/ $30 race day (GMAA members subtract $5).

Prizes

Top three overall male, female, & non-binary, and top finisher in each age-group category as well as random drawing.

Benefit

South Hero Rescue Squad

Kid's Race

A free 1/4-mile kids' race will be held in the schoolyard before the 5K at 8:05 am.

Information

Kim Lord at demar@gmaa.run

NOTE: GMAA/Insurance rules prohibit running with a baby jogger or dog. For safety reasons and as a courtesy to fellow runners, GMAA strongly discourages the use of headphones.

There are no refunds, deferrals, or transfers.

The Fairfax Egg Run is a family-friendly community event hosted by the

Fairfax Parks and Recreation Department.

Join us for a 5K Run, 10K Run or 5K Fun Walk. We also offer a Kids Fun Run for those 12 years old and under. Our beautiful course includes gentle, rolling hills and offers views of the Lamoille River. After the race, enjoy a made-to-order omelet featuring locally sourced ingredients and other post-race refreshments in our food tent. To commemorate your participation, you can order a Race T-shirt when you register for the race!

Proceeds from the race benefit the Fairfax Community Center Restoration Project. With new and exciting updates already started, we are looking to the future of our town. This building currently serves as the meeting place for several weekly yoga classes, karate classes, fencing clubs, Girl and Boy Scout meetings, dog training classes and so much more. With the continued work on this building, we will be able to accommodate the growth of our town and continue to bring excellent opportunities to Fairfax.

We will award prizes to the three top finishers in the 5K Run and the 10K Run. We will also have awards for top three performers in each age group. As always, your race registration automatically enters you into our great post-race raffle.

Timing services will again be provided by 802 Timing. This is a chip-timed race, and we will be using "chip time" for awards (as opposed to "gun time"). This COULD mean that someone who finishes physically ahead of a competitor might have a longer time than one who starts at the back of the pack and cruises a fast time.

Register by June 1 to take advantage of early-bird pricing!

We look forward to seeing you at the Start line!

Franklin County Triple Crown!

In 2026, the Fairfax Parks and Recreation Department is again teaming up with the organizers of the Vermont Maple Festival Sap Run in St. Albans and the Vermont Dairy Festival Milk Run in Enosburg Falls to present the Franklin County Triple Crown!

The goal of the Franklin County Triple Crown is to recognize the importance of agriculture to the region while promoting a healthy lifestyle for those who lives here. Participants who complete all three races will receive a commemorative item and will be entered into a drawing for some fabulous prizes.

The Sap Run is on Sunday, April 26, 2026. Click here to register.

The Milk Run is on Sunday, June 7, 2026. Click here to register.

And it should go without saying...The Egg Run is the final race of the Triple Crown, so the Triple Crown awards and raffle prizes will be distributed at the Egg Run (AFTER we eat omelets).

Race Date, Time and Location for 2026 Events

DATE: Sunday, October 18, 2026

TIME: 8:30 AM

LOCATION: Folsom Elementary School, 75 South St, South Hero, VT 05486

The Full and Half Marathon will both start at 8:30 AM directly in front of the Folsom Elementary School.

Course

The marathon and half-marathon begin and end near the house where Clarence H. DeMar, seven-time Boston Marathon Winner, once lived. The half-marathon course is out and back on the west shore of South Hero and Grand Isle; a land of farms, apple orchards, and summer cottages. The terrain is flat to rolling.

USATF Certification (VT24002JK)

The entire course is paved. The full marathon course is two out-and-backs of the half-marathon course.

The time cut off for the marathon is 6 hours. The time cut off for the half-marathon is 4 hours.

Aid Stations

There will be an aid station approximately every 2 miles starting at mile 2 and stopping at mile 24 for a total of 12 aid stations (2-3 porta-potties on course). Water and electrolyte drink will be supplied at all aid stations. Additional assistance will be available to runners in the form of sweep vehicles.

Registration

Pre-registration is now open. This event has sold out in recent years. Register early for guaranteed entry and best pricing.

• GMAA members subtract $10 for Full Marathon, $5 for Half Marathon.

• Race day registration is from 7am to 7:45am.

• Maximum total number of runners is 500.

• There is no race refund if you cannot participate.

• There are no deferrals.

• There is no wait list.

• There are no bib transfers.

You may change the race distance. There is a $10 charge for switching from the full marathon to the half-marathon (no refund will be given for the difference in price). There is a $10 charge for changing from the half-marathon to the full marathon plus the difference in price. To transfer event follow these instructions:

1. Log into your Runsignup account at this link: https://runsignup.com/Profile#tab-upcoming-races

2. Find the Champlain Islands Marathon & Half Marathon section under "Upcoming Events" and Click on "Manage Registration"

3. Click on "Transfer Event" at the top.

4. Follow the prompts to continue the process.

Please confirm that you are registering for the correct event: Half-Marathon or Full Marathon before your complete your transaction. Thank you!

Shirts

All participants will receive a race shirt.

Restrictions

Runners must be age 16 or older.

Packet Pickup

Other runners may pick up a friend or family member's race packet.

• Friday, Oct. 16th - 12-6 pm at SkiRack

• Saturday, Oct. 17th - 12-6 pm at SkiRack

• Sunday, Oct. 18th - 7-8 am at Folsom School

SkiRack is located at 85 Main Street, in Burlington, VT.

Awards

Awards will be given to the top overall male, female & non-binary finishers, the top masters, as well as the top finisher in each age-group. Please see the race director if you need leave before the awards ceremony.

Medals to all marathon and half-marathon finishers.

Lodging

Island Lodging on the race course (primarily small inns and B&Bs):

• Crescent Farm Bay Farm B&B 1-802-324-5563 (mile 2-3)

• Ferry Watch Inn 1-802-777-2530 (mile 8-9)

• link to full list of island lodging (maintained by the Islands Chamber of Commerce)

Lodging at exit 16 off Route 89 (Colchester/Winooski)

• Residence Inn 1-802-655-3100

• Hampton Inn 1-802-655-6177

Lodging at exit 14 off Route 89 (Burlington/South Burlington)

• Best Western 1-800-780-7234

• Holiday Inn 1-800-863-6363

Attractions

If you can picture the Lake Champlain Islands in mid-October, then you have reason to join us. If you have never seen Vermont or the 'Islands' in October, then you have even more reason to join us with your entire family.

• Lake Champlain Islands Chamber of Commerce (800) 262-5226

• Burlington Things-To-Do

• Lake Champlain Ferries (802) 864-9804

Past Runner Testimonials

Follow this link to hear what other runners have had to say about the our event.

The GMAA Champlain Islands Marathon is held for runners by runners. Our goal is to offer a quality marathon at an affordable price in a relaxed setting. Come join us!

Volunteers

As with any event, it takes volunteers to make things happen. If you or anyone you know would like to volunteer at our race, we would greatly appreciate it. We need volunteers in the following areas: Water Stops/Aid Stations, Crossing Guards/Course Marshals, Packet pick-up, Finish Line, Traffic/Parking, and Runner Food Preparation.

Please sign up on our Volunteer Registration Page

Information

Please see "Race Day Instructions" sheet for all latest logistics. If you can't find the answers you need, please email Race Directors, Nik Ponzio and Heather Feldman at: cim@gmaa.run

Course Features

• Certified Marathon with miles 1-13 marked

• Can be used to qualify for the Boston Marathon

• Start and finish at 190' elevation

• Max elevation: 210' (miles 1 and 25)

• Min elevation: 100' (several locations)

• Lake Champlain elevation: 95'

NOTE: GMAA/Insurance rules prohibit running with a baby jogger or dog. For safety reasons and as a courtesy to fellow runners, GMAA strongly discourages the use of headphones.

There are no refunds, deferrals, or transfers.

Course

The race takes place at Arrowhead Golf Course in Milton VT on the Laura’s Tears trail.

Registration

Pre-registration is online and will close on Saturday, Oct. 26 at midnight. Registration day of the race will be open from 8:00-9:15 AM.

Restrictions

Open to all runners 12 and older. For runners under the age of 12, the runner must be accompanied by a parent or guardian throughout the race.

Entry Fee

$15 Pre-registration (GMAA Members subtract $5)

Food & Water

Post-race refreshments will be provided.

Facilities

There will be two porta-potties and handwashing stations set up for your convenience.

Awards

Prizes will be awarded to the top male, female, and non-binary finishers overall. Other prizes will be distributed by raffle.

Parking

Please be aware of other runners and spectators as you enter and exit the race area.

Information

This race, previously known as “The Hills Are Alive,” now has a fun Halloween theme. Wear your best running costume! Questions to race director, Laura Ryan at hillsarealive@gmaa.run

NOTE: GMAA/Insurance rules prohibit running with a baby jogger or dog. For safety reasons and as a courtesy to fellow runners, GMAA strongly discourages the use of headphones.