Join more than a thousand or so fellow trail runners along the winding single-track trails inside Michigan’s Pinckney State Recreation Area at The Trail Marathon, Half Marathon, 50K & Road Ends 5-Mile Race, which run through the wilderness area known to locals as the “Protto” and to the rest of us as Potowatami Trail.
Used year-round for hiking, mountain biking and even cross-country skiing in the winter, the Potowatami Trail is considered a relatively forgiving trail for runners — it has a handful of hilly stretches — and also crosses roadways three times, which helps make the Running Fit Trail Race events particularly spectator-friendly.
The course for the half marathon portion of the race starts at Silver Lake in the Pinckney Recreation Area, on Silver Hill Road, and follows a 13.1-mile loop route through the wooded forest lands of lower Michigan, and past a number of lakes and streams.
The trail is a dirt trail but it’s also very well-groomed, with aid stations set out about every three miles, and wide enough to allow runners who wish to pass to be on their way at their own speed.
At the finish line for the race, there’s a big lake that runners can jump in and wash themselves off, which can be an especially nice treat if there’s any sort of wet or muddy weather — and the weather can be unpredictable. In past years, the event has seen conditions ranging from sunny and mild to sleet and snow and everything in between, so come prepared for inclement weather.
Organizers limit the number of participants in the trail half and full marathons to 1,000 runners — and it’s open to runners only — so be sure to apply online or get your application in well ahead of the deadline.
Also — note that the race also offers the “No Wimps” challenge, allowing you to run the half marathon on Saturday and either the full marathon or the 50K on Sunday.
