The Paavo Nurmi Marathon
Always double-check with the organizer's website! This page may contain affiliate links.
The Paavo Nurmi Marathon
The Paavo Nurmi Marathon is a point-to-point marathon held in Northern Iron County, Wisconsin. The 2026 event takes place in Hurley, WI on Friday August 7 and Saturday August 8. The marathon course is verified but is not a Boston qualifier for this year.
The course for 2026 was changed for safety due to increased traffic on Route 77 from a State Highway 2 reroute and a bridge outage on Route 122. The revised route runs along roads that are not normally open to the public, passes the only standing mine headframe in Wisconsin, and moves through shady groves of pines.
Event distances and formats include:
- The Paavo Marathon
- The Paavo Virtual Marathon
- The Paavo Half Marathon
- The Paavo Marathon Relay
- The Paavo Handcycle Marathon
- Paavo Twilight 5K Run/Walk
- Paavo Twilight 5K Youth 12 and under
The Paavo Nurmi Marathon is the longest running marathon in Wisconsin; 2025 marked its 55th year. Marathon, half marathon, and relay finishers receive custom wooden finisher medals made from local wood by local artisans. The weekend program includes an expo and a family friendly Twilight 5K on Friday evening and concludes with a finish in downtown Hurley, Wisconsin. Food and music are part of the weekend activities. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
