For almost 50 years, Mackinac Island has welcomed runners and walkers to celebrate fitness, camaraderie and the serene beauty of the Island. This year, the public health risk brought on by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has put our events, and others around the country, in jeopardy. We understand the lingering questions you have and appreciate your patience as we've worked through our decision making process. We are reaching out now to provide the following update on the status of the Fall RunMackinac events.
MACKINAC ISLAND EIGHT MILE IS CANCELED.
It is with a heavy heart we announce the cancellation of the 2020 Mackinac Island Eight Mile Run and Walk scheduled for September 12, 2020.
This decision comes after a thorough evaluation of possibilities to responsibly host our event in consideration of current state mandated event size limitations, social distancing requirements and other factors unique to our race. We spent the last few months discussing options, with the safety of our participants, staff and volunteers at the forefront, and kept coming back to the same conclusion. Celebrating the 50
th
Running of the Mackinac Island Eight Mile in a way that honors our athletes and the occasion is simply not possible this year.
We hope you join us next year on September 11, 2021 to celebrate the 50th Running and the 50th Anniversary of the Mackinac Island Eight Mile!
FORT2FORT 5 MILE WILL BE VIRTUAL
We are excited to announce the Fort2Fort 5 Mile, postponed from last Spring to October 3, 2020 will now be held as a virtual race! This race benefits the Mackinac State Historic Parks for the preservation and upkeep of the Mackinac Forts and Island trails.
This year marks the 125th celebration of Mackinac State Historic Parks and we encourage you to register and run or walk 5 Miles on the Island trails or in your neighborhood! Shirts, medals, fort admission and special amenities for all registrants! (If you are already registered for the Fort2Fort, look for an email soon).
GREAT TURTLE 5.7 MILE AND HALF MARATHON STATUS PENDING
At this time, we are unable to say definitively whether or not the Great Turtle will proceed and we want you to know we are preparing for both outcomes.
We’re looking at options for holding the event with the goal of providing a safe race weekend experience. If we are able to safely and responsibly hold the race. it may not look or feel exactly the same as other years, but will at least offer an event option for those who feel comfortable participating. We know that external factors could mean we cannot safely hold the race, so we’re also working to ensure that, in the event of a cancellation, we are able to provide you with satisfactory options.
It is our commitment to share our decision with you before the end of summer and if you're not already registered, we suggest you put off registrations until that time. There will be no increases in entry fees until September 5, 2020 to ensure you will have time to make a decision without pressure to save money. You may still want to make your hotel reservations to be sure you have a room..
Mission Point Resort
, our host hotel, still has limited rooms available.
W
e understand the difficulty planning amid so much uncertainty and appreciate your patience as we work through this unprecedented time.
We look forward to the future when we can celebrate our sport and the bonds we share with one another. For now, we encourage you to stay safe, stay motivated and stay fit! We hope to see you on Mackinac Island soon!
