Millennium Meadows Marathon
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Event Overview
The Millennium Meadows Marathon takes place in Secchia Meadows within Millennium Park, located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This event utilizes the paved paths of the Kent County Parks system, featuring a course that crosses a footbridge, follows the Grand River, and passes through meadow areas. The running surface is a wide, paved path that is heavily shaded for most of the distance.
The event offers several race distances:
- Full Marathon: 26.2 miles consisting of six loops
- Half Marathon: 13.35 miles consisting of three loops with a certified 13.1 mile split
- 10K: 1 loop utilizing an extended version of the main course
- Marathon relay: 26.2 miles completed in segments of approximately 4 miles
The marathon course is USATF certified and serves as a Boston Marathon qualifier. For the relay event, a "relay row" is established where participating teams can set up tents.
Course Logistics
The loop-based course includes two aid stations per loop. These stations provide water and Gatorade, which volunteers place on tables to maintain spacing. There is no food provided directly on the course. Participants intending to take more than six hours for the full marathon may utilize an early start option, though course marshals are not present at intersections until later in the morning.
Facilities and Awards
Ample parking is available at the race site. After the event, a post-race area provides prepackaged snacks, water, Gatorade, and beverages from Archival Brewing. There is a grassy area at Secchia Meadows for recovery. Awards are presented to the first place male and female finishers in each distance. Age group awards are also provided for first through third place in various categories starting from ages 0-19 up to 60 and older. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
