The Micro: Breaking 4 – Walker, MI 2026

A Race Series Designed by Runners, for Runners In 2021 we created the McKirdy Micro Marathon series to help athletes run a personal best and qualify for the Boston Marathon or beyond. At the time, we were just coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic where opportunities to run fast times were limited and motivation to continue training was difficult with no races on the calendar. In 2023, we took the same concept and applied it at an elite level, hosting a race for athletes targeting the USATF Olympic Trials Qualifying Standard (OTQ) or the Olympic Standard. Many “on the cusp” athletes find they have limited options for races that are both fast and will provide the support they need to run their best. Athletes from all over the world came to participate in a small localized race with the potential for massive impact. When the day was done: 48 athletes ran under the 2:18:00/2:37:00 OTQ Standard More OTQs came from our race than any other race in 2023 Our race produced 2 Olympians 69% of the