Ready for a running adventure you won’t forget?
The Two Hearted Trail Run is an iconic race set deep within a remote and stunning area of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Imagine yourself surrounded by pristine wilderness, old-growth forest, and serene lake views.
Embrace the wild, and discover why I think this is one of Michigan’s most unforgettable half marathons.
The Course
The Two Hearted Trail Half Marathon follows a “lollipop” course, starting and finishing at the Upper Falls in Tahquamenon Falls State Park. This race also includes a 50K and a marathon distance. They are bussed to a different start location but also finish here.
One of the things that I love most about this race is that it is almost entirely on trail. From the very start, we disappeared into the towering trees.
This year Mother Nature added an extra layer of challenge: an incoming thunderstorm. With the dense canopy blocking out the light, I wished I a headlamp. The darkness made navigating the roots and mud a slow yet fun endeavor.
At some point during the first six miles, the light did pierce the canopy and I could finally see enough to get into a decent rhythm. Those miles were amazing. The single-track trail weaved through old-growth forest and contained rolling hills, plenty of roots, and some very wet mud puddles. I soaked in every moment of it.
Around mile 6.7, I reached the half marathon’s only aid station. The aid station had only the basics, true to Great Lakes Endurance races. They offered Gnarly (my preferred liquid fuel of choice) and water.
After the aid station, the trail smoothed out. Roots and mud disappeared, giving way to slightly more challenging and frequent hills. The rain was pouring down so hard that the trails were transformed into rivers as the water flowed down the hills.
Soon after, I was able to get a glimpse of Clark Lake. The race director said this section is a popular location for turtles to lay their eggs in the spring. I was lucky enough to come across a big snapping turtle.
Unfortunately, due to the rain and fog, I was unable to get a good view of Clark Lake but from what I could see, it looked like a pretty lake that should have a moose or two nearby.
By mile 8.5, the trail entered a wetland, and with wetlands comes mud. For the next mile, the trail alternated between runnable surface and deep mud “bogs”. At one point, I was literally knee deep in mud. Thankfully, these muddy sections were short and infrequent. Enough to keep things interesting without completely ruining the running experience.
After navigating the wetland, the half marathon course enters forest again an merges with the marathon and 50K routes for about the last 3 miles on the way back to the finish line.
The course was well-marked, well-organized, offered just enough of a challenge to keep things interesting, and showcased some of the most beautiful and wild places in Michigan.
Great Lakes Endurance
I have said it before and I will say it again. Great Lakes Endurance is a fantastic organization that focuses on the essence of trail running – getting people to connect with nature.
I have never walked away from one of their events thinking I never want to do it again. The races are beautiful, well-organized, and truly make you remember why you love trail running.
I cannot recommend the Great Lakes Endurance races enough.
Overall
In 2021, the Two Heated Trail 50K became my first ultra. This year, I returned to experience the half-marathon. Both distances have left me feeling fulfilled and given me that sort of inner peace you only get when you spend days in the middle of the woods, with no people, just your thoughts.
It is a spectacular race that has wonderful, kind people participating and organizing it. I can’t wait to come back and do it all over again.
For more information, visit Great Lakes Endurance.
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