It's Almost Time for the Third Annual Grand Explorers' Trail Race!
2025 Race Update #2
Race day is almost here and we can’t wait to see you! Below you will find some additional details and last minute reminders.
Packet Pickup Details
Packet pickup is available on Friday, June 20, from 4:30 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. and race morning, June 21, from 7:15 a.m. until 8:00 a.m at Grand River County Park Lodge. When you pick up your packet, either on Friday evening or on race day, you will be given a race bib and a shirt, socks, or bandanna (whichever one you chose at registration). The timing chip is on the back of your race bib, so don’t fold it. Safety pins will be available if you need them.
We can’t guarantee shirts if you registered after midnight on June 8. We did order some extras and if we run out of shirts you might be able to get the socks or bandana instead.
Race Day Registration
There will be race day registration from 7:15 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. No shirts are guaranteed but we may have socks and bandanas available.
We may have some extra shirts, socks, or bandanas available for a suggested donation of $20 for shirts and socks and $10 for bandanas. If you are interested in this option, you will be able to pay with cash, Venmo, PayPal, or a credit card through the Parks Foundation website.
Friends of Ottawa County Parks will have an area to stash your stuff by the lodge.
Getting to the Park
This is a reminder that the start/finish line for the race is at Grand River County Park. Do not go to Grand Ravines Park! The kids’ race starts at 8:00 a.m. and the 5K/10K start at 8:30 a.m. If you arrive at 8:00 a.m. or shortly after you may have to wait a few minutes to park as the kids’ race runs down the main park driveway before turning into the woods.
Parking will be on the paved spaces in the park, in the grassy areas along the driveway, and along the road down to the river. If you have to park along the road it will be a walk of a few minutes to get to the start/finish area.
Course Markings
The course will be well-marked with ribbons, arrows, and flags. There will not be volunteers at every turn, but we will have flags and ribbons to indicate the course direction. There will be volunteers at potentially confusing turns where the two races diverge. The 10K course will be marked in orange and the 5K course will be marked in yellow. There will be ribbons around trees or posts periodically to let you know you are on the trail, and at turns, there will be ribbons/flags immediately after the turn to let you know you made the correct turn. Take a look at the maps before race day. It is your responsibility to follow the course as marked! The 10K has more turns than the 5K so it is extra important that you have your head up.
Race Details
The kids’ race will start at 8:00 a.m. from the parking lot near the finish line. The kids’ race is stroller-friendly. The 5K & 10K race starts at 8:30 a.m. In the event there are still any kids on the course at 8:30 a.m. we may hold them back from finishing briefly to get the 5K/10K runners/walkers started. We will use a mass start this year: all 5K and 10K runners will start at the same time. The trail narrows once it enters the woods so please be careful and considerate at the start. If you have a dog, please keep it on a shorter leash until the course opens up and you are responsible for picking up after it. No strollers are allowed for the 5K/10K races.
We will have some pre-race instructions before the races start so be at the starting line at 8:20 am.
Weather
It is looking to be a hot morning on Saturday. Most of the course is in the shade but there are some open spots, especially for the 10K. You are welcome to carry your own hydration if you want to, especially if you are walking and will take longer between aid stations. On hot days it is advisable to slow your pace down a little to keep your heart rate down. If you are running with a dog, please make sure the heat isn’t too hard on them.
If you didn’t see race update #1 yet, you can find it here.
2025 Race Update #1
We are now a week out from the Grand Explorers’ Trail Race and we wanted to give you some preliminary information to let you know about the plans for race day. We are excited about running the race in these two beautiful parks and hope you will let your friends know about this great opportunity to enjoy the amazing Ottawa County park system. The parks have dried out from the spring rains and everything has greened up nicely.
Course Notes
Both courses are a little longer than the advertised 5K and 10K distances. This isn’t unusual for trail races but we wanted to let you know that you probably won’t get a personal record on these courses. Both courses are about 30% grass/dirt and 70% pavement so your times will naturally be a little slower than on a course that is 100% pavement. Enjoy the beauty of running on the unpaved trails amidst the forest. The footing can be uneven and there are some roots on the trails so keep your eyes open and run at the pace where you feel comfortable.
The course flow has been changed from last year due to runner feedback. The 5K and 10K start at the same time and both groups of runners will head straight down the paved path to start instead of making a left turn shortly after the start. This means that the grassy loop in Grand River park will be at the end of the race instead of the beginning. 5K and 10K runners will be running together until the Grand Ravines’ Lodge where they will split. This does mean that the 10K will finish with two hills in Grand River so save a little energy for the end.
Starting Line Notes
Due to some changes that were made in the parking lot we will be starting and finishing the race in the grassy area beside the parking lot. We do want you to line up by race pace so faster runners should start at the front and slower runners and walkers should start near the back. Runners with dogs should keep them on a short leash at the start. Age group awards are determined by chip time, not gun time. Your time doesn’t start until you cross the starting mats. For overall awards, your placement is determined by gun time so you will want to start near the front if you think you will be in the running for overall or masters overall awards.
Friends of Ottawa County Parks will have an area near the course starting line to stash any items that you don’t want to run with. Just have them in a bag with your name or something easily recognizable.
Walkers
We have received numerous questions from people wondering if they can walk the course. Yes, the 5K should not be a problem. The timing company will be set up until 10:30 am. That allows two hours for race completion. For the 10K, it can also be walked in that amount of time but it will require a quick walking pace to do it. You are welcome to walk the 10K course but it is possible that you will finish after the clock has been put away. You can still participate in all of the festivities for the day. You may want to print out a map of the course and take it with you if you think you will be on the course for longer than two hours. We will be cleaning up the park by 11:30 am.
Packet Pick-Up and Late Registration
We will have packet pick-up and late registration available on Friday, June 20, from 4:30 to 7:00 pm and on Saturday, June 21, from 7:15 to 8:00 am at the Grand River Park Lodge.
Arrival Time on Race Day
On Race Day, the Kids’ Fun Run starts at 8:00 am and the course does utilize the driveway into the park. It is preferable that you arrive before 8:00 so be aware that if you arrive after 8:00 you may have to wait a few minutes for the kids to clear the driveway before parking. We will have volunteers directing traffic that morning.
Aid Stations and Bathrooms
Our aid stations will have water and ice. Aid Station #1 is located near the Grand Ravines Lodge, at 1.3 miles for both the 5K and 10K. Bathrooms are available in the Lodge and are most easily accessed after the 5K turnaround when you run past the lodge. Aid Station #2 is for the 10K only and is located at the Grand Ravines dog park at around 2.7 miles. Bathrooms are available right beside this aid station. 10K runners will hit Aid Station #1 a second time at around 3.5 miles.
Race Finish
A finisher’s medal will be given to you after you finish. There will be food and drinks available next to the finishing area. A few of our sponsors will be there to provide information and some giveaways. The park has some picnic tables available and a lot of grassy area so that you can hang out while waiting for others to finish. You are welcome to bring your own lawn chairs if you want. As soon as all age group winners are in, we will start the awards ceremony.
Awards
One of the things that people loved about this race the first two years was the awards that were offered. We let people choose their own awards from a large variety of handmade items and other items that were donated by our generous sponsors. We hope to keep the awards ceremony moving more quickly this year so stick around if you think that you have won something. We will have awards available for the top three runners in each age group as well as overall, masters, and grand masters runners. The overall, masters, and grand masters winners will be based on gun time, not chip time. All other awards will be based on chip time. For age group awards, you must be present at the awards ceremony in order to pick up your award.
Directions to the Park
Please be aware that the start/finish area is at Grand River County Park. Google Maps will give you the correct routing to get there. Do not go to Grand Ravines North or South! These parks are nearly adjacent to each other and are similarly named, which does cause confusion at times.