July 26, 2025 – Grayling, Michigan
As dusk settles over Grayling on Marathon night, it is the start of the race. An electric hush falls across the crowd lining Peninsular Avenue—it’s an incredible silence before the rush. At exactly 9:00 PM, the cannon fires and dozens of paddlers with their C‑2 canoes explode into motion. Paddlers race four blocks through town, lungs burning, canoe in tow—an adrenaline-fueled sprint straight into the AuSable River. It is an incredible thing to watch. Whether it's seeing them run with their canoes, some on their shoulders or rounding the corner by the Old AuSable Fly Shop and plunging into the water, it is absolutely exhilarating.
Then comes the night.
The paddlers stroke on through pitch blackness, their only guides the glow of headlamps, the reflection of the moon on the water and the dim lights of scattered checkpoints. The 120-mile journey from Grayling to Oscoda winds through dense forests, past hydroelectric dams and along quiet stretches of river where the only sounds are the splash of paddles, the calling of loons, and the rhythmic breath of teams pushing themselves to the limit.
Fatigue creeps in quickly. Hands blister. Shoulders cramp. The cold seeps through their gear as night deepens and fog settles on the water. Teams must stay mentally sharp while navigating the river, with its turns and low-hanging branches in near-total darkness. Sleep deprivation plays tricks—you can lose track of time entirely. It’s not just physical endurance they battle, but the strain of keeping in sync with a partner stroke after stroke, hour after hour.
Each team must also portage around hydroelectric dams, lifting their canoes and running over land in the dark—feet pounding, adrenaline surging. Support crews hustle between access points to offer food, hydration and words of encouragement as spectators, wrapped in blankets, cheer from riverbanks and bridges in the middle of the night.
As twilight returns on Sunday morning, the lead boats finally approach Oscoda. Their muscles are screaming, their minds exhausted, but they dig deep for the final stretch. With every paddle stroke, cheers grow louder from the shoreline. The finish line isn’t just an end—it’s a triumph of willpower, teamwork, and the human spirit.
For more information check out the Au Sable Canoe Marathon website, AuSable RIver Festival and for a schedule of events during Festival week, go to our Grayling Visitor Bureau Events page.
Image by: Monica McGirven
