MARQUETTE, Mich. (WZMQ) – This weekend should be a good one for fans of getting some exercise outdoors.
The Marquette Trails Fest kicked off on Friday with the first official races, and there’s a variety of them. “Trail running, mountain biking events, some road running events, and we have some youth events as well,” said Nick Dobbs, race director. “We really try to focus on the next generation and getting them out here having fun. We keep the registration prices very inexpensive too for parents to register their kiddos.”
This is the ninth year Trails Fest has been held, and it’s been growing every time. “We’ve seen another big growth year this year,” said Dobbs. “We’ve seen growth years for many years in the past now. We’ll see over 1,000 racers and then with spectators, friends, family, and everyone coming out. [We’ll have] easily over 2,000 people over the next two days.
Some rain on Friday threatened to dampen some spirits, but as long as it doesn’t get too serious, the races will continue. “As long as we don’t see any thunder or lightning this weekend, we’ll be in pretty good shape,” Dobbs said. “We will run things in the rain. We’ve dealt with this in the past, and it just makes for a little more slippery and spicy terrain out there.”
Wisconsin Native Armando De La Torre isn’t letting the rain get him down. He’s been coming to Trails Fest for years. “It makes it a little bit harder sometimes to ride in these conditions, but it’s also a little bit challenging which adds to the adventure,” he said. “It makes things more fun. So everything’s not the same.”
You can find a full schedule of events and where to register for the Marquette Trails Fest by clicking the link here.
