Inside the Sleeping Bear Marathon with the Founder of Race Day Events
By Amy Orzel
Ryan Griessmeyer
The Sleeping Bear Marathon is more than a race — it’s a one-of-a-kind adventure that stays with participants long after they cross the finish line.
The course covers miles of scenic trails through towering dunes and forests bursting with fall color, offering beautiful views of Lake Michigan with the Manitou Islands beyond.
Leslie Maclin at the 2025 Sleeping Bear Marathon
“The Sleeping Bear Marathon 5K is always a highlight of my fall running calendar. I relish climbing the Wilco Road hill up to the Empire Bluffs Trailhead, then having a joyful fly back down, and finally finishing right in front of Empire beach. Add a refreshing post-race swim, unbeatable vistas, unique “Sleeping Bear” and wooden medals, cheering on folks in the other events, and a group of great running friends from the Traverse City Track Club, and it makes for my idea of a perfect autumn morning in our National Lakeshore,” says Leslie Maclin, an Empire resident and Masters Runner.
The incredible location and natural beauty of Sleeping Bear Dunes are why Ryan Griessmeyer finds this race so special, too. He is the founder of Race Day Events, which produces and manages the event and other races around the country.
For Griessmeyer and his team, the Sleeping Bear Marathon is about much more than putting on a great race. It’s an opportunity to create an experience that brings participants, families and visitors to the area while supporting the community and celebrating the unique setting.
“This event is a perfect scenario for living up to our motto, We Make Weekends Awesome,” Griessmeyer says. “It occurs in a beautiful area, connected to the national park, and it lets us give back to the community that allows us to run in it.”
That commitment to the region is also reflected in the Race Day Events team. The event has become a favorite among staff members who travel around the country producing races.
“We really support the area; our team travels all over, and they all want to work this event,” Griessmeyer says.
The partnership with Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes adds another meaningful layer to the race. For Griessmeyer, participants can feel a deeper sense of accomplishment knowing their months of training and race-day experience also support a cause they care about.
The impact of that support is tangible, too. Griessmeyer looks forward to seeing how Friends invests donations in improvements that benefit everyone who enjoys Sleeping Bear Dunes.
“I always look forward to seeing how Friends invests in the Park, whether through new signage or trail improvements,” he says. “I get excited that my company and team help make that happen.”
For Griessmeyer, that is what makes the partnership especially rewarding: participants get an unforgettable race experience while helping support the trails and the place that makes it all possible. It’s a partnership built on a shared love of Sleeping Bear Dunes, and the belief that a great race can leave a lasting legacy.