We’ve all heard of Punxsutawney Phil, the little furry guy in Pennsylvania who comes out, sees his shadow, and declares six more weeks of winter. Then there’s Augustus T. Groundhog, better known as Grand Rapids Gus. He’s Phil’s much more interesting cousin. Unlike Phil, who it seems can only see shadows, Gus has much better eyesight and can look at a calendar on February 2 and know that spring doesn’t start for six weeks. Gus suggested that instead of lamenting over six more weeks of winter, we should EMBRACE the cold and snow and do something fun. And so, the Groundhog Day Marathon was born. The modified course for 2024 was pretty popular. We've certified the new course, so we'll be starting behind the pavilion this year again. Looking forward to seeing you in 2027! EARLY START --If you're planning to be running more than about 6 hours, please start at the 7:00 am early start. The normal start is at 8:00 am The Basics It’s a winter running event, outside Grand Rapids Michigan. YES! TH
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Race Travel Insurance
Don't forget travel insurance for February 5.
You've trained for months and booked a trip to Walker, MI.
A pre-race injury, a delayed flight, or a family emergency can derail the whole thing.
Travel insurance can help cover your race entry fee, hotel, and flights if you can't make it,
and may cover medical costs if something goes wrong on the course. Plans typically only run
5-7% of your total trip cost — and running events are covered under standard plans with no
additional coverage needed.
Trip cancellation up to 100% of prepaid costs
Running events covered under standard plans — no add-ons needed
Trip interruption up to 150% of non-refundable costs
