Registration for the 2023 WhistleStop Marathon/Half-Marathon/5K/10K is now OPEN!
Welcome to the 25th Anniversary of the Memorial Medical Center WhistleStop Marathon and Half- Marathon!!
We’re looking forward to your participation in this smaller, runner-friendly event. Our course is flat, easy on the knees, and the one on which you can set your PR or qualify for Boston. Throw in spectacular fall colors, friendly aid stations and the best in pre-and post-race blues music and it’s easy to see why the Memorial Medical Center WhistleStop is the Upper Midwest’s fall classic.
But don’t take our word for it.
Here’s what past participants have said:
I loved the course even better doing the full. I loved running in the woods and having the quite and solitude. It was unlike any other race I’ve ran before. G Peterson
- Love the nature setting, running on the dirt trail through the woods
- Far enough away to make it a weekend trip
- Perfect size event where it feels special, without having overly complicated logistics getting to the race start, etc.
- Love the entertainment, etc. (missed the blues and brews, but enjoyed the music/beer/heated tent.)
- Always have great shirts, swag (the bags were great, too)
- Wonderful volunteers
- Great photos!
- Bought merchandise – LOVE the prices!!
- Listened to music and enjoyed a beer in the heated tent after the race. Awards ceremony (not for me, lol) K Dierking
My wife loved the spectator spots marked with signs on the course! It worked really well!
While my time was a little diappointing the race was far from it. WhistleStop is a gorgeous race on a wooded trail. The trees were dusted in snow with the fall’s reds and yellow peaking through. we event has perfect temps for the day, but the snow… Still a highly recommended (trail)marathon, especially if you kike to lose yourself in nature while running. It’s also small, so there’s a lot of comradery among participants. Blake H
As always the race was amazing and put together very well. I’ve done it or someone from my family has done it every year since 2009 as it is our favorite running event of the year! Thank you, N Elling
First off thank you for all the hard work you do to put on the whistle stop marathon. It was my first full marathon ever and my first time on the whistle stop course. While the start was a little bit questionable with the weather, it turned out to be perfect running weather and got better as the morning went on. The volunteers were fantastic and encouraging and the eight stations were just right. It was a wonderful first experience for me! N Norland
We loved how the entire community really backed the weekend. The experience felt so welcoming to us! Plus the course was beyond beautiful and the water stations were like no other I have experienced!! T Hagen
I’m a first time Whistlestop runner. Loved the experience yesterday! You have incredible volunteers…. the water stations were lively and encouraging! T Henning
What to change?…Nothing…it’s perfect! ♥️So fun, well organized, beautiful I loved every moment. Thank you everyone! ♥️ D Ross
Beautiful course. Great volunteers. Everything is nicely organized. Really nice shirts and medals. Love this year’s bottle opener! It’s tough to improve! This is the best race we do and we have done it for 22 years. Thank you to all the workers. We can’t run without you!! For the same reasons we go back every year. Beautiful course. Great volunteers. Really organized in every aspect. B Oehrlein
The half-marathon I was scheduled to run in my hometown was canceled (about a month before the event). Because I had done the training, I still wanted to complete a half marathon on the same weekend. I found WhistleStop when looking for events that would occur the same day. Beautiful course, amazing race shirt, very VERY well-organized. I am beyond happy that I chose to participate in this race! While running, around mile 6, I decided that this was going to be the half-marathon I needed to do every year. My boyfriend came to watch. After the race was over, the first thing he said to me was not “great work!” or “wow, good job” – it was “You’re doing this half-marathon next year.” The area and the race course were beautiful, and the event were so well-organized. The cost of hotel, race registration, and the 5 hour drive – everything was worth it for this run. Thank you! I am so excited for this October! Kristin M.,
I really enjoyed my time in the lovely and incredibly friendly town of Ashland! The staff at the American Inn, Black Cat Coffeehouse, Tap Roots Coffee Shop, Von Holzen Chevrolet (took my vehicle there for an oil change since I had time and it really needed one), food co-op, baking company, Sixth Street Market, Gabriele’s, Deep Water Grill, El Dorado, and Ashland Floral were absolutely wonderful. Thank you!! Lastly, the murals are just amazing and the spring water a real treat. Oh, one more thing, since I came alone, I truly appreciate how safe I felt in Ashland. J Stevermer-Bakken
The race is a professional and very well ran race that retains its small town flavor. The addition of the Blues & Brews helps make for a great weekend vacation! M Wondra
Amazing course! Scenery is the best. Aid station enthusiasm is great as well. Weather turned out great this year! K Gordon
It’s a small but fantastic race. Always cool weather, which is the best in my opinion. Volunteers are great. Trail is perfect. Water stations food/drink can’t get much better!! K Ferguson
It’s a great and beautiful course with lots of other fun and friendly people. It’s a great experience that makes you want to come back year after year. Corey, Oshkosh
The course is scenic and fast. I have always had a good finisher time here. The finisher items are usually very good and not just a t-shirt. Volunteers are friendly. Decent post race food. I like the announcing of finisher names at the end and the video clip is a nice touch. M Laughlin
Previous comments:
I can’t think of much that would make it better. It was my first full marathon but I have done 11 half marathons and dozens of other races and this was, by far, one of the best organized events. Low cost of entry, fantastic course, well supplied water stops (water, sports drink, and porta potties), great gear, after party (even though I didn’t stay), massage, medal engraving, small number of runners. L Gulso
“Course EXCELLENT, Volunteers EXCELLENT, Jackets and Medals EXCELLENT, an EXCELLENT weekend! Loved the course!!! Did I mention excellent! I’ve done many races, this course is my most favorite and in the 25 years I’ve been running, one of the most low key, nice races to run.”
“Fun people great course and the best finisher shirt ever!”
K.O., River Falls, WI
“The people, services and the communication regarding everything in this event was great! Every mile of the 26.2 was wonderful…the stations, the cheering, the organizations….it was really, really tremendous!!”
R.S., Madison, WI
“Great hospitality!!! Everyone from the packet pick-up volunteers, bus drivers, water stop volunteers, waitress in town, spectators, etc. were very welcoming and friendly!”
L.D., Plymouth, MN
“Best experience ever! Great area! Great trail! Very organized!”
A.D., Spooner, WI
“…from the packet pick-up to the finish line, you did a superb job. The fall colors on the course were beautiful; I felt like I was running through a fall calendar page.”
B.O., Willmar, MN
“Congratulations and thank you for putting on such a great event! I ran (and won!) the half-marathon. The course was beautiful, miles well marked and all the aid stations were well staffed with friendly volunteers. The food at the pasta feed was so good; your event’s pasta dinner was the best I’ve ever been to.”
M.G., Eden Prairie, MN
“I just wanted to take a moment to commend you on a fantastic WhistleStop Festival. Being my first marathon, I naturally had many questions on what to do and where to go. Your staff, both on and off the course, were nothing short of fantastic.”
M.H., Stevens Point, WI
I hope you join us this fall for our 25th Annual of the Memorial Medical Center WhistleStop Marathon/Half-Marathon/5K/10K!
Mary McPhetridge, Race Director and Executive Director of the Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce