Whistlestop Marathon
Whistlestop Marathon race day weather
Warm afternoon, adjust for wind
Runners will face a temperature rise from 58°F at the start to 75°F by race's end, with a max wind of 17 mph from the SSE. The first three miles will involve a headwind, making pacing adjustments essential, while a tailwind will assist from mile 14 onward. With humidity at 54%, runners should start conservatively and plan for hydration, especially during the warmer late race segment.
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Whistlestop Marathon route and elevation
The Whistlestop Marathon course has about 236 ft (72 m) of climbing and 653 ft (199 m) of descent, a net drop of about 417 ft (127 m). It drops more than it climbs, and its terrain is faster than 93% of the marathon courses racecast.io has mapped, measured by what the hills cost in time. The hardest mile is mile 1, with 54 ft (16 m) of climbing.
Biggest climbs
- Miles 0.6 to 1.3: climbs about 65 ft (19 m).
- Miles 23 to 26: climbs about 50 ft (15 m).
What the hills cost
- 3:30 on a flat course is about 3:29 here (1 minute faster).
- 4:00 on a flat course is about 3:59 here (1 minute faster).
- 4:30 on a flat course is about 4:29 here (1 minute faster).
Hills only, priced mile by mile on the course map. The pace calculator above adds the race-day weather.
Even-effort splits for a 3:30, 4:00 or 4:30 finish
| Mile | Climb | Descent | 3:30 | 4:00 | 4:30 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 54 ft | 11 ft | 8:24 | 9:37 | 10:49 |
| 2 | 20 ft | 31 ft | 8:01 | 9:09 | 10:17 |
| 3 | 21 ft | 0 ft | 8:14 | 9:24 | 10:35 |
| 4 | 13 ft | 30 ft | 7:59 | 9:07 | 10:16 |
| 5 | 13 ft | 23 ft | 8:00 | 9:10 | 10:18 |
| 6 | 11 ft | 5 ft | 8:07 | 9:15 | 10:25 |
| 7 | 11 ft | 17 ft | 8:01 | 9:11 | 10:20 |
| 8 | 16 ft | 13 ft | 8:05 | 9:14 | 10:23 |
| 9 | 13 ft | 36 ft | 7:58 | 9:06 | 10:14 |
| 10 | 0 ft | 30 ft | 7:56 | 9:04 | 10:12 |
| 11 | 0 ft | 44 ft | 7:53 | 9:00 | 10:08 |
| 12 | 0 ft | 41 ft | 7:53 | 9:02 | 10:09 |
| 13 | 0 ft | 51 ft | 7:51 | 8:58 | 10:06 |
| 14 | 0 ft | 48 ft | 7:52 | 8:59 | 10:07 |
| 15 | 0 ft | 39 ft | 7:54 | 9:02 | 10:09 |
| 16 | 10 ft | 10 ft | 8:03 | 9:12 | 10:21 |
| 17 | 15 ft | 10 ft | 8:06 | 9:15 | 10:25 |
| 18 | 2 ft | 38 ft | 7:55 | 9:03 | 10:10 |
| 19 | 0 ft | 54 ft | 7:50 | 8:58 | 10:05 |
| 20 | 0 ft | 49 ft | 7:52 | 8:59 | 10:06 |
| 21 | 0 ft | 51 ft | 7:51 | 8:58 | 10:06 |
| 22 | 5 ft | 27 ft | 7:58 | 9:06 | 10:14 |
| 23 | 8 ft | 16 ft | 8:01 | 9:10 | 10:19 |
| 24 | 38 ft | 2 ft | 8:21 | 9:33 | 10:44 |
| 25 | 12 ft | 13 ft | 8:03 | 9:11 | 10:21 |
| 26 | 15 ft | 8 ft | 8:07 | 9:17 | 10:26 |
| Last 0.2 | 0 ft | 10 ft | 1:45 | 2:00 | 2:15 |
Explore the Whistlestop Marathon course with the weather and your pace along the route, or compare it with other races.
About the Whistlestop Marathon
The WhistleStop Marathon has run through northern Wisconsin's Chequamegon National Forest since 1998, organized by the Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce. The point-to-point course follows the crushed-limestone Tri-County Corridor rail-trail from near Iron River to Ashland on Lake Superior's south shore, with a gentle net downhill grade. The event includes a half marathon, 10K, and 5K alongside the full marathon, held annually each October during peak fall foliage. The full marathon is USATF-certified and a Boston Marathon qualifier. Source
