Anyone run this? How was the course and support?
Thinking about doing this one next year.

I have not run (maybe next year) but I watched some of the race two years ago and drove down the Echo Trail. There are some hills on the Echo Trail but it's mostly down hill heading toward Ely. Once off the Echo Trail the course is relatively flat. Plenty of water stations but fan support is sparse, especially along the Echo Trail. There are bigger crowds as you get closer to the end. Certainly not the fan support you'd see at Grandma's.

One wouldn't think it, but the route is actually more uphill? I rode it everyday on my bike for 7 years. The event people do a nice job.

I think the beginning of the course is somewhat up hill, but all the big hills are downhill. Or maybe my memory is lapsing.

I've never run it, but the website has an elevation chart. Looks like the starting and finishing elevation are pretty close to the same, so net/net a flat course, but looks like a lot of rolling hills. Of course the scale on the chart may exaggerate that somewhat.

Looks interesting. I'd probably do the half.

I haven't ran a marathon since 2006.

I'm considering running in the full portage division. We'll see how Grandma's and my summer trips go first though.

AmarilloJim: "Anyone run this? How was the course and support?
Thinking about doing this one next year."

Haven’t run it, but it looks interesting. It’s the week before the Birkie trail marathon. I think for me it would be ambitious to do both.

Looks like we could all do the marathon/portage/relay. You can have 2-6 players, so if 6 of us did it, we'd only have to go 4.37 miles.

Ha

Not sure I could portage a canoe that long though...

Who has a super super ultra light canoe?

This is the Saturday we will be finishing the Kruger/Voyageurs challenge. I might have a car at Grand Portage and be able to make it back to Ely for the race: I'd be interested in joining a relay team if anyone wants to seriously give it a go. I have a 28lb Magic with carbon yoke. My half-marathon pace is usually between 8:00 and 8:30/mi. I have never tried to run with a canoe, but think it would be fun to see how fast we could relay a marathon portage. Email me if you want to put together a team.

What are your thoughts on the yolk fitting on all of us? I'd consider a 6 man team... I'm 5' tall, so I'm sure the yolk pads aren't set up for me. Are they easily adjustable? On a good day I'm a 9-10minute miler. So not sure how I'd do portaging a canoe. LOL.

Perhaps its time to throw some weights in a ruck sack and fire up the treadmill! Or better yet, position my treadmill where I can hold our canoe for training... hmmm...

I'd consider participating. If I did, I'd be good for any number of legs; I'm still considering just portaging the full marathon.

MN_Lindsey: "
What are your thoughts on the yolk fitting on all of us? I'd consider a 6 man team... I'm 5' tall, so I'm sure the yolk pads aren't set up for me. Are they easily adjustable? "

I don't think the yolks will hold up for a full marathon even if hard boiled.

Banksiana: "

MN_Lindsey: "
What are your thoughts on the yolk fitting on all of us? I'd consider a 6 man team... I'm 5' tall, so I'm sure the yolk pads aren't set up for me. Are they easily adjustable? "

I don't think the yolks will hold up for a full marathon even if hard boiled."

Smarty!

... dangit.

Turns out I'll be the 3:55 pacer at this year's Ely Marathon, so I won't be available for a relay team. But if any of y'all want to be sure to cross the finish line in 3:55, come and run with me. I'll be the goofy guy holding the 3:55 sign.

TominMpls: "Turns out I'll be the 3:55 pacer at this year's Ely Marathon, so I won't be available for a relay team. But if any of y'all want to be sure to cross the finish line in 3:55, come and run with me. I'll be the goofy guy holding the 3:55 sign."

Always a goofy guy in the bunch... Haha.

I about die running to the outhouse... But I can spectate, if the Voyageur challenge is complete by then. Spectate there too. Haha.

TominMpls: "Turns out I'll be the 3:55 pacer at this year's Ely Marathon, so I won't be available for a relay team. But if any of y'all want to be sure to cross the finish line in 3:55, come and run with me. I'll be the goofy guy holding the 3:55 sign."

Tom it looks like you will be right at my goal pace! Will have to see how the training goes this month. I haven't done a full since my ACL/MCL/cartilage repair a few years ago but the knee does feel good.

AmarilloJim: "Tom it looks like you will be right at my goal pace! Will have to see how the training goes this month. I haven't done a full since my ACL/MCL/cartilage repair a few years ago but the knee does feel good."

Awesome! Hope to run with you for the first 20, then see you run away from me in the final 10k!

How much of this course is on gravel? How packed is it? I just ran 13.5 miles in training(half of which was on gravel roads) and my legs are very sore today!

I haven't run it before but they have a video of the course on their website. It looks like just about 3-4 miles of gravel total: a mile or so at the start, another couple miles around 15 or so, and then a few brief stretches closer to town. I'd be surprised if the gravel poses any real issues for the runners, especially in late September when things *should* be fairly dry.