A trio of participants from a previous Marji Gesick 100 Mountain Bike Race and Run are pictured. (Journal file photo)

ISHPEMING — The Marji Gesick 100 Mountain Bike Race and Run, hosted by the 906 Adventure Team, will be taking place beginning Friday.

Named after Ojibwe chief Mar-ji Ge-sick, who’s cited as Matji-gigig (Bad Day) or Man-je-ki-jik (Moving Day) in Anishinaabemowin, the race has been dubbed by professional mountain bike racer Jeremiah Bishop as, “The hardest single-day mountain bike race in America,” taking participants through the wooded trails and vast natural wilderness of Marquette County.

“We’re feeling great about the race, the weather is supposed to be better than expected,” said Todd Poquette, Director of Adventure with the 906 Adventure Team. “… A race like this pushes people to try their hardest.”

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the 906 Adventure Team works with both adult and youth programming to fund adventure teams in 15 communities across the Midwest. They run three major events during the year — the Marji Gesick, the Polar Roll, and the Crusher — to help fund these adventure teams in addition to trail maintenance in the Marquette County area.

“We started off with one coach and five kids and now we’re up to 500 coaches with around 1,200 kids,” said Poquette. The team has also donated over $300,000 in trail maintenance funds since 2015.

Registered racers have chosen to test their skills in either the Out-and-Back 200 mile run or bike, a 100 mile run or bike, a 50 mile run or bike, the Worst of Both Worlds duathlon, or the mini-Marji for kids.

A GPS is mandatory for all racers except kids competing in the mini-Marji.

The start times and locations for each event are as follows:

≤ Out-and-Back 200 mile run: 8 a.m. on Sept. 18, West End Ski & Trail, Ishpeming

≤ Out-and-Back 200 mile bike: 8 a.m. on Sept. 20, West End Ski & Trail, Ishpeming

≤ 100-mile run: 8 a.m. on Sept. 20, Forestville Trailhead, County Road HT, Marquette

≤ 100-mile bike and Worst of Both Worlds duathlon: 7:30 a.m. on Sep. 21, Forestville Trailhead, County Road HT, Marquette

≤ 50-mile run: 7 a.m. on Sept. 21, Lower Harbor Ore Dock, City Multi-Use Path, Marquette

≤ 50-mile bike: 8 a.m. on Sept. 21, Lower Harbor Ore Dock City Multi-Use Path, Marquette

≤ Mini-Marji: 10 a.m. on Sept. 21, Jackson Miners Park, Negaunee at the West End of Main Street

Every race except for the Mini-Marji will begin with a Le-Mans or Le-Bike start, where bikers will run 0.5 miles to their bikes or runners will bike 0.5 miles to their starting points.

Race cutoff times will be at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 22.

906 Adventure Team recommends that racers bring bikes that they are confident riding and are comfortable, with tires that have side-wall protection and tread. The list of recommended items include backup batteries and charging cables for phones/GPS, bar or handlebar mount lights, tools (multi-tools, chain breakers, master links, tire levers, tubes, patches,) hydration packs, food and water, a change of clothes, rain shells, emergency blankets, and cash or debit cards.

Marquette Mountain will be hosting a Quitter’s/Support Crew Party from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sept. 21 with food, drinks and live music.

An official athlete aid station along with 1 UP will also be available for athletes.

For more information or additional race questions, please contact the 906 Adventure Team at 906-748-0034 or Todd@906AdventureTeam.com.

Abby LaForest can ve reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 548. Her email address is alaforest@miningjournal.net.