WhistleStop Marathon
The Lowdown
The WhistleStop Marathon is a USATF-certified, Boston Marathon-qualifying point-to-point race run every October along Wisconsin's Tri-County Corridor, a converted rail-trail on crushed limestone. The full marathon starts about two miles east of Iron River and finishes in downtown Ashland on the shore of Chequamegon Bay on Lake Superior, with a gradual net downhill through the Chequamegon National Forest, past lakes, wetlands, and historic rail trestles during peak fall color. Founded in 1998 and presented in recent years by title sponsor Tamarack Health, it is one of the fastest and most consistent Boston-qualifying courses in Wisconsin, drawing runners from across the country. Race weekend also includes a half marathon, 10K, and 5K, all starting and finishing along the same corridor.
Race Day
Weather Forecast
Elevation
Terrain Profile
Relatively flat course
Participants
Field Size
Intimate field
Crowd Rating
Spectator Support
Quiet course sections
Boston Qualifier
This race is a certified Boston Marathon qualifying event. Achieve your qualifying standard here on a verified course.
Start line, two miles east of Iron River, WI
Chequamegon National Forest trail corridor
Historic rail trestles along the Tri-County Corridor
Finish at Bay Area Civic Center, Ashland, WI on Chequamegon Bay
Other distances available during the event weekend:
Two miles east of Iron River, WI to Bay Area Civic Center, 320 4th Ave West, Ashland, WI
US
Average rate for 3-star accommodations near the start line
Eligibility
- No confirmed minimum age published on the official site; participants should consult event organizers for youth entries
Required Documents
- Photo ID for packet pickup
Entry Methods
- Online registration via RaceRoster; mail-in paper form or in-person at the Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce office
Cancellation & Refund Policy
Not confirmed on official pages reviewed; verify directly with organizers before assuming refund terms
Full official name is 'Tamarack Health WhistleStop Marathon'; canonical name kept sponsor-neutral (matching the race's own domain, whistlestopmarathon.com) for slug stability and because title sponsorship has changed over the race's history, with current sponsor history noted here.
Course runs on a crushed-limestone surface along the Tri-County Corridor, a converted rail bed; consistent gradual downhill grade makes it one of the fastest and most Boston-qualifying-friendly courses in Wisconsin.
2025 finisher count of roughly 200 for the full marathon; per third-party marathon databases (findmymarathon.com) it ranked among the largest marathons in Wisconsin and among the fastest-scoring courses in the US.
Founded in 1998; the 2026 edition is the 28th annual running.
Elevation and finisher figures sourced from a third-party marathon statistics aggregator (findmymarathon.com), not the official race site; treat as directional.
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Community
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