Pere Marquette Endurance Trail Run

Pere Marquette Endurance Trail Run is held on December 12, 2026 in Grafton, Illinois. The single event is a 7.8-mile trail run (12.6 km) starting at 9:30 a.m., an unusual distance that sits between the 10K and the half marathon and is run off-road rather than on pavement.

Trail racing at this length is about footing and effort rather than splits, so plan on running a minute or two per mile slower than your road pace and take the descents under control. If most of your training happens on the road, adding one weekly run on uneven ground for six weeks will do most of the work. Shoes with real grip are worth more here than any last-minute fitness.