Metro Health Grand Rapids Marathon

Looking to qualify for Boston Marathon or set a new PR for yourself? Then the Metro Health Grand Rapids Marathon is the way to go! Last year, nearly 20 percent of all marathon runners qualified for the Boston Marathon. This is a flat, fast course and is an important qualifying opportunity for dedicated runners. The full marathon will give runners a tour of downtown Grand Rapids and then head out of the city and into the beautiful trails of Millennium Park to show just how great Michigan is in the fall. The Metro Health Grand Rapids Marathon is a group of races designed by runners for runners.Founded in 2004, the GRM delivers a fun, highly personal, authentic race experience, particularly for runners who value a well-organized, personal experience over the chaotic, crowded fields of “big city” races through “concrete canyons”. To that end, the race continues to grow year-over-year and receives accolades from beginner and experienced runners while supporting like-minded charities with a strong local presence. We are a race that supports every runner — no one is a stranger on our course — celebrates every individual accomplishment and embodies the spirit of friendship and community that is so unique to running.

Starting at the first light pole just south of the intersection of Winter and Blumrich, go south to Fulton, west to Seward, north to Leonard, east to Broadway, south to Sixth Street, east to Monroe, south to Fulton, west to Winter, south to Watson, east to Front, south to Wealthy, west to entrance to Butterworth Park (the one just east of the radio station driveway), south and all the way around the park to Butterworth. Left on Butterworth to Maynard.  South to the driveway of the brown house on Maynard just north of the overpass bridge.  Right into the driveway then immediately right again onto the bike path.  Follow the path all the way around the park, back past the park entrance to the end of the overpass bridge.  Sharp right and cross the bridge.  At the first intersection, turn right and go between the lakes.  At the next intersection, veer right and follow it to the stop sign at the corner of Vets Memorial and Maynard.  Loop around the stop sign (a hard left turn) and head east on the Vets Memorial bike path.  Right at the bike bridge, right on Indian Mounds road. Veer right before the end of Indian Mounds Road toward the Riverboat and go around the tree island at the end of the Riverboat parking area. Return to the bike bridge and turn left, cross the bridge, and turn right onto bike path. At Butterworth Park, turn right and go back around the park, turn right onto the bike path along Wealthy Street, turn north onto Front Street, west on Watson, north on Winter, to FINISH LINE (same place as the start).

The full marathon will give runners a tour of downtown Grand Rapids and then head out of the city and into the beautiful trails of Millennium Park to show just how great Michigan is in the fall. Here’s what’s going on for 2012 – A few changes between mile 9 and mile 22! Our downtown loop crosses the historic Sixth Street Bridge for a beautiful view of downtown Grand Rapids along the river. We’ll run past the convention center, the Amway Grand Plaza, and within only a couple hundred yards of the final resting place of Gerald R. Ford. After our brief downtown tour, we’ll head out of town toward Millennium Park for a West Michigan color tour. In Millennium, we’ll take advantage of some more of the newly built paved paths.  Through the “Enchanted Forest” and between some beautiful lakes, you’ll love the new stuff.  Then, we’ve eliminated the little extra mile of out and back on your way back to the bike bridge.