Groundhog Day Marathon

🏃‍♂️ Event Overview

• New Course: The modified course for 2024 was pretty popular. We've certified the new course, so we'll be starting behind the pavilion this year again. Looking forward to seeing you in 2025!
• Origin Story: We’ve all heard of Punxsutawney Phil, the little furry guy in Pennsylvania who comes out, sees his shadow, and declares six more weeks of winter. Then there’s Augustus T. Groundhog, better known as Grand Rapids Gus.
• Fun Fact: Gus suggested that instead of lamenting over six more weeks of winter, we should EMBRACE the cold and snow and do something fun. And so, the Groundhog Day Marathon was born.
• Date: The event takes place on February 7-8, 2025.

⏰ Early Start

• Start Time: If you're planning to be running more than about 6 hours, please start at the 7:00 am early start. The normal start is at 8:00 am.

❄️ The Basics

• Weather Warning: It’s a winter running event, outside Grand Rapids Michigan. YES! THERE WILL PROBABLY BE LOTS OF SNOW ON THE COURSE.
• More Fun: It’s more fun than you should have with your clothes on. (And we DEFINITELY suggest you keep your clothes on!)

🏅 Our Events

• Marathon: A beautiful, snowy (we hope), approximately 2.2 mile course. Splits every 1/12th of a marathon. 8:00 a.m. Saturday. 500 Runner limit combined for full and half marathons.
• Half Marathon: For those of you who couldn’t stay awake through the whole movie. Only six times around.
• Moonlight 1/6 Marathon: WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 1/6 MARATHON! Two loops of the course. 6:30 p.m. Friday. 300 Runner limit.

🛤️ Course Details

• Loops: A total of 12 loops of approximately 2.18 miles on a CERTIFIED course (Yes! You can qualify for Boston!) will have you feeling just a little case of deja vu.
• Snow Expectation: Don’t plan on the course being free of snow. It’s paved, which means no underlying rocks and roots, but that’s about all we’re promising.
• Aid Stations: Aid stations at 1 mile plus the finish line area.

🎁 Swag

• Participant Gifts: Every participant will get an awesome hoodie, finisher medal. Whole and Half-Hog get a stocking cap as well.

🤝 Training Partner

• RunGR: RunGR is our largest local running club and has multiple coaches, who provide training programs for all of our races.
• Community Benefit: The club provides a great opportunity to not only get a coaching plan, but also do your training with a large group of local athletes.
• Special Program: RunGR will be offering a training plan, specific to Groundhog distances, as well as a prorated membership, known as their FAST program.
• More Info: Visit RunGR for details.

🏨 Hotels & Travel

• Transportation: Our airport is GRR.
• Find Hotels: Look for hotels HERE.

⚠️ Important Information

• Weather Caution: This is a middle of the freakin' winter thing. Weather could suck. (Usually does.) You do know we’re in Michigan, right?
• Registration Risk: So register at your own risk. There are no refunds, no deferrals, no transfers.
• Snow Date: If there’s a snowstorm of Biblical proportions, we’ll have a snow date the next Saturday.
• Credits: If it’s still not possible to hold the event, we’ll give people registered a 50% credit on next year’s event.

📞 Contacts

• Race Director: Don Kern donkern1@gmail.com 616 293 3145
• Associate Race Director: TJ Suchocki info@fastbooth.com 616 406 9772
• Volunteer Coordinator: Stephanie Cornwell, happy.steph.1976@gmail.com
• Mailing Address: 1170 Oakburn Ave SE Grand Rapids, MI 49546

🌐 Additional Information

• Race URL: For more information, visit the race page: Groundhog Day Marathon.