14 running events in Marquette, Michigan

What: A coach-led 9 week training program designed for those wishing to get into the wonderful world of running. The goal of the program is to build confidence and safely build experience with the goal of running a 5K race!

Who: Whether you are brand new to running, used to run and want to get back into it, or just looking for a community of like-minded individuals to share your running journey with, Let's Get Running is for you!

When: Mondays at 5:45 PM. Starting March 9th through Monday May 4th.

The program will meet once a week for 9 weeks with an experienced coach leading the way. Groups workouts will take place Mondays starting at 5:45 PM on March 9th and will continue through Monday May 4th, with our goal race on Saturday May 9th. Plan to spend two additional days per week to complete your running homework on your own.

Where: Ellwood A Matson Lower Harbor Park. Meet in the large parking lot, we'll be warming up together and running on the multi-use path.

Goal Race: All participants will receive complimentary registration into the Dead Carp 5K on May 9th.

Additional Perks: All participants will receive exclusive discounts at Queen City Running Company during the duration of the program.

Join us on Thursday March 26th, at 6pm for the 5th annual Shamrock Sprint presented by Queen City Running Company! This 1 mile race will be on a point to point course down Pine street starting at the top of Ridge, so for those who are familiar with our typical route, it has been changed in a fun way!

Each participant will receive a free drink at the brewery for the after party! There will also be awards/prizes for our overall winners. We were so impressed with the costumes last year, it was a fast and furious sea of green flying down that bike path.... that being said, we are also going to award "the best mile attire" to our best dressed participant!

-Top 3 Male and Female Finishers will be awarded a prize!

-Top 3 Boys and Girls will also be awarded a prize in the youth division

*No age group awards will be presented

This race will be timed and is open to ALL ages. Please refer to our Facebook, Instagram, and THIS page for updates on the race as we get closer. We are looking forward to shamrockin' with you all!

Run for your life & help us restore the roar with a quick family friendly fun-run before the annual spring awakening, Festival of the Angry Bear! Join Ore Dock Brewing Company in conjunction with Queen City Running Company for our fourth annual Angry Bear 5K fundraiser for Special Olympics Area 36. WATCH FOR BEARS! Costumes are not required, but HIGHLY ENCOURAGED!

New this year:

• All registrants will receive a festival wristband (value of $10)

• Baby Bear's may exchange their wristband for a Baby Bear cup, since no cubs under the age of 21 are allowed on festival grounds

• There will be no awards ceremony- this is a fun-run fundraiser and is not timed

• 5 winners with the best costumes will be chosen by race staff, so don't skimp on the fur!

• Prizes will be a combined ODB x QCRC goodie bag

• Best dressed winners will pick up their prizes at the finish line (weather permitting) or inside at Queen City Running Company

Donations & a portion of proceeds from the race will go to Special Olympics of Michigan Area 36 (somi.org)

Registration will be open until 12:30pm on race day with bib pickup during the following times:

• 5pm-7pm Thursday, 4/9 @ Ore Dock

• 4pm-8pm Friday, 4/10 @ Ore Dock

• 10am-12:30pm Saturday, 4/11 @ Queen City

All bibs must be picked up by 12:30pm the day of the run, runners meet on the bike path at Spring Street and Lake Shore at 12:45pm. This is an out-and-back race, so the race will start and finish on the bike path at the intersection of Spring Street and Lake Shore (just south of the Bell Tower), then it will follow the bike path along Marquette's shoreline to picnic rocks and back.*

Are you ready to run for your life?! Sign up and let's roar!

The Dead Carp has changed the long run from a 20K to a 10 Mile to celebrate Queen City Running Company's 10 years of being in business. We want to celebrate the longevity that only comes with a community such as ours that believes in us, so come run with us!

The Dead Carp 10 Mile Run and 5K Run/Walk offers a beautiful course with springtime temperatures ideal for running, and combines small-race feel with big-race perks. The course is an out and back and back and will pass over both the Dead and Carp Rivers, giving you the full scenic experience of Marquette's lakeshore. Start your day with one of the flattest, fastest courses around.

For those with longer distance ambitions, this “almost” half marathon is a great way to peak your spring training, or to prepare for a summer marathon. Use it as a race, training run, fun run, whatever you desire! For those interested in a shorter distance to tackle, there is also a 5K run/walk option.

Coming back will be the Little Carp 1 Mile Race! This race will be available to kids 12 and under.

Post race shindig to be held at TBD!! Award ceremony, swag for all participants... a great event to kick off your summer racing

10 Mile Run: Winner in each age bracket (15-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+)

5K Run: Winner in each age bracket (10 and under, 11-14, 15-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+)

Packet Pick- Up: No packet pickup for Little Carp 1 Mile. For 5K/10 mile,

Packet pickup will be Thursday 5/7 at QCRC from 12-8pm

Friday 5/8 at QCRC from 12-8pm.

Proceeds from this event will be donated to CampUPeninsulin which is a summer Youth Camp for kids from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan with Type 1 Diabetes.

What is the Big Bay Relay?

Teams come together to go further than they ever have on a course that stretches from Marquette, MI to Big Bay, MI with friends and a community of runners by their side.

Your relay experience is as competitive as you make it. Rally your team and challenge the other teams in your division for the top ranking, or simply make it your goal to cross the finish line together! The Big Bay Relay is about coming together as a team and going further than you could as an individual. From an elite runner to the novice runner, Big Bay Relay is the perfect race for anyone.

When Is It?

The 48th Annual Race will be held on Saturday May 16th, 2026

Starts @ 8:00am at the Kaufman Sports Complex

Finishes @ Perkins Park, Big Bay

How It Works

Teams are composed of five runners for adults and up to seven for youth teams. Teams cover 26-ish miles, starting in Marquette, MI and ending in Big Bay, MI. Runners run approximately 1 mile each before handing the baton to a teammate and resting until it is their turn again. While one person is running, the rest of your teammates are on support duty in your race vehicle. As each runner begins, the crew in the vehicle drives ahead and meets them at the exchange point to pick them up and drop off the next runner.

Race History

In spring of 1972, Marquette held its first Big Bay Relay coordinated by Race Director Karen Kunkle and her husband Jack. The first race brought only ten relay teams and has grown to include over fifty teams in the past several years. A note in the Upper Peninsula Road Runners Club named the Big Bay Relay the 1990 Race of the Year.

Some relay teams have been racing for more than 20 years and hold a special place as part of the annual race’s history. If you are an elite runner who wants to compete, or a group of friends that want to try something adventurous, this picturesque relay is for you. For 47 years the Big Bay Relay has been uniting community members, families and friends, and we want you to be a part of this year’s race!

A community member describes the race- “That is what it is about: having fun with your friends and family while doing something healthy”.

Registration fees are $170+fee per team until April 12th. $195+fee April 13th until May 8th. $215+fee May 9th until May 13th. Registration divisions include five person all-female, all-male, or mixed teams and seven person junior division teams. All team members will get race swag. Shirts are available for purchase. This year all proceeds benefit the walk/hike/bike/ski trails in Powell Township. If you are interested in volunteering or have any questions please contact Marcia Gonstead @ 906-345-0149, or by e-mail at [email protected].

The IncredibleBank - Hope Starts Here Challenge benefits the Upper Michigan Brain Tumor Center (UMBTC), which is dedicated to supporting patients and families affected by brain cancer through treatment, research, education, and advocacy.

SAME LOCATION! What can we say? It's been a hit since 2022 so once again, we'll be back at the Superior Dome with a fully outdoor event on the Northeast side of the building near Lake Superior. This will be where all races start and end, and also where we'll have our awards ceremony and lunch.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR! This year, Hope Starts Here will take place on Saturday, June 13th.

PRE-EVENT EXPO! Stop by IncredibleBank's Third Street location (1101 N. Third Street, Marquette) on Friday, June 12th anytime between 12:00 PM and 5:00 PM to say hi to our crew and pick up your t-shirt and bib. (Pickup will also be available at the main event on Saturday morning). While we do our best to make sure everyone gets their desired t-shirt size, please keep in mind that these are distributed as first come, first serve at the expo and on race day.

VIRTUAL OPTION: Unable to participate with us in person this year? No problem. Check out our virtual event option. Please share this option with your long distance friends. We love seeing photos of virtual HSH participants across the country! Virtual participants will receive an event t-shirt in the mail 2-4 weeks after the event.

ADDITIONAL INFO: Timed by our friends at Superior Timing. Participants are divided into divisions by gender and age, and awards are given to the top finisher in each division. All kids are winners in Molly's Mile and will receive a medal, with extra-special recognition for the top boy and girl finisher in each Molly's Mile age division! Each race registration includes an event t-shirt and lunch (the virtual option does not include lunch and is not timed or eligible for awards).

A BIG THANK YOU TO LAST YEAR'S SPONSORS!

Title Sponsor: IncredibleBank

Golden Sprocket Sponsors: Northern Michigan University; UP Health System - Marquette; TV6; Homeward

Silver Running Shoe Sponsors: UP Rehab Services; Upper Peninsula Health Plan; Subway; Craig Coccia, MD; Sonia Geschwindt, MD; Yooper Shirts; Peninsula Fiber Network; Media Brew; Advanced Center for Orthopedics & Plastic Surgery

Bronze Handle Bar Sponsors: Closner Construction; Norway Springs; Tadych's Marketplace Foods; Superior Timing; UP Rehab Medicine Associates; Double Trouble Entertainment; UP Home Health & Hospice; Carson Wealth; Body Pnch; Integra; Elizabeth Hogan, MD

Copper Challenge Sponsors: Great Northern Title & Abstract, Inc.; Just Believe; Vango's Pizza; Queen City Running Co.; Peninsula Pharmacy; Select Realty; Marquette County Title; Haleyrae.creative; OBGYN Associates of Marquette

Description

Meeting 2 days per week for 5 weeks (Monday's and Wednesday's) a team of coaches led by Queen City Striders Program Coordinator, Elliot Prusi, will be providing a positive atmosphere where youth athletes can be inspired and motivated through the discipline of running. Additionally our youth will learn the principles of leadership, respect, and teamwork as well as portraying healthy habits to last a lifetime. We will break down the fundamental skills of running to meet the needs of all those participating. Our techniques will be taught through specific stretching, drills, bodyweight strength exercises, and of course RUNNING! Included in our program is 10 1-hour sessions, post practice snacks, program T-Shirt, and discounted entries into the races listed below.

Located at Marquette High School our camp will feature drills and activities located on the track, turf, and grassy area surrounding the High School. Parents are welcomed spectate their kids participating in the camp activities, however we do ask that parents remain off the track! Any general questions regarding the program are encouraged to be asked! Please reach out to the program director, Elliot Prusi, at [email protected] for any questions! All participants will receive complimentary entries into selected local races taking place in the summer and fall months. The program coordinator will be in contact in the weeks prior to the race to verify additional details. If the race falls outside of the Queen City Striders program, they will still receive a complimentary entry.

Little and Big Striders (5-8 years old): 5:00-6:00pm

Dashers and Pacers (9-12 years old): 5:00-6:00pm

First day of Camp: June 22nd

Last day of Camp: July 22nd

Complimentary Races to for sure plan on:

-MQT Trail 50 Kids 1 Mile and Kids 5K: Friday, August 14th. The 5K race starts at 7pm, and the 1 mile starts at 7:05pm. Kids in the program will have the option to choose one of the races. This race will be held at the Forestville Trailhead in Marquette.

-Kids Pebble Beach 1 Mile Race: Friday, September 4th Time: TBD! Friday night's Kids Fun Run, held in conjunction with the Marquette Marathon race expo, gives kids a chance to lace up their shoes and show their parents how its done before the main event on Saturday. This race will be located on the northeast corner of the Superior Dome.

** Discount Codes will be provided for the Breakwater 5K on July 25th, the Trick or Trot 5K and/or Monster Mile on 10/24 to all 2026 Kids Camp Participants **

-Breakwater 5K: Saturday, July 25th. Time: 8:00am. Cost: $5 following discount code

-Monster Mile: Saturday, October 24th. Time: 11:00am. Cost: $5 following discount code

-Trick or Trot 5K: Saturday, October 24th. Time: 10:00am. Cost: $20 following discount code

Please read descriptions for our group levels prior to signing up which can be found under "Event Info" *