Schedule of Events The Course Course Map (211K PDF) General Information (Solo & Teams)

Solo 50K & 100K Information 105K Team Relay Information 2007 Frequently Asked Questions

The Course

The 100K road course is beautiful. The race starts just outside and east of Finland Minnesota on Minnesota Highway 1, west of the Highway 4 intersection. The upper 65K of the course is through the rolling backcountry of the North Shore of Lake Superior. The course weaves its way through the Saw Tooth Mountain range. This mountain range is the oldest in North America. The scenery is spectacular. The road running surface of the upper 65K is a mixture of asphalt and gravel. The roads are narrow and access to the course is very limited. The course is open to traffic, which on the upper 65K is largely logging trucks, hunters, and residents who do not see this many people in one year. Share the road and be safe. The race leaves the narrow backcountry roads just north of Two Harbors Minnesota on State Highway 2. After passing through Two Harbors, the course joins the Scenic Highway 61 for the final 30K along Lake Superior to the finish line at Brighton Beach at Gitchi Gummi Park. This section is also famous for the Grandmas Marathon. The Ed Fitz leaves the Grandmas Marathon course at about the 17-mile mark of the marathon.

The Finish is the most beautiful in all of road racing. The final leg is a gateway that is gently winding, down hill, tree line, to the Finish line on the shore of Lake Superior.

The teams and solo runners run on the same course except for a team relay point, which is located in Beaver Bay. Teams leave the solo course and run into Beaver Bay to exchange with their next relay runner. After relaying, teams rejoin the course with the solo runners and run the same course to the finish. The solo runners do not go into Beaver Bay, but continue on the USATF certified 100K course.

The Racecourse will be closed at 1:30 pm at the 65K mark and at 6:30 pm at the finish line. Make sure solos take advantage of the early start times if you are not sure you can get to these points at the prescribed time. Anyone who has not cleared the 65K point by 1:30 or the finish line by 6:30 will no longer be considered in the event.