MARQUETTE — Racers are gearing up for the annual Marji Gesick event.

906 Adventure Team Director Todd Poquette said racers can expect mind games, mis-information, great trails, questionable weather and an “overwhelming sense of accomplishment if they finish” at this year’s event.

“No two years are ever the same, that’s part of the challenge,” Poquette said in an email. “We strive to keep people guessing. If you like easy and predictable go somewhere else.”

Despite the challenge and high percentage of racers not finishing, Poquette said there are several reasons racers return. Some reasons include racers quitting in the previous year, the chaos of the event as a whole, the challenge and community.

“Some return because the event has become part of their life and being here feels like being home,” Poquette said. “We want people to have the experience they need. We challenge people to find their limits and finish what they start. This is what sets Marji apart. It’s not cookie cutter.”

On the 906 Adventure Team website, in 2017 the Marji Gesick had a 70% do not finish rate. On average, Poquette said 60% of bikers do not finish and 80% of runners do not finish.

“The world is full of easy, and it’s making us weaker, and more unhappy,” Poquette said. “Hard stuff brings people together and makes us stronger. If people don’t like it, cool. They can find something else.”

But the difficulty of the race is one of Poquette’s favorite aspects of the event.

“I like how deep people have to dig to finish. I love that people have to come back two times, three times, maybe more, to finish and they keep coming back to finish what they started,” Poquette said. “There’s no immediate gratification at Marji and it tells you a lot about who shows up and who does not.”

He said he also loves seeing kids cross the finish line.

“I am always curious to see how people respond after they text #quitter. Do they come back? Or disappear,” Poquette said. “I love the support crews, celebrations and emotion. I take the good with the bad, and I love it all.”

This year’s races are as followed:

≤ The Marji Gesick 100-mile run will begin at the Forestville Trailhead on County Road HT in Marquette at 8 a.m. today.

≤ The Marji Gesick 50-mile run will begin at the Lower Harbor Ore Dock at the city multi-use path in Marquette at 7 a.m. on Saturday.

≤ The Marji Gesick 100-mile bike race will begin at the Forestville Trailhead on County Road HT in Marquette at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday.

≤ The Marji Gesick 50-mile bike race will begin at the Lower Harbor Ore Dock at the city multi-use path in Marquette at 8 a.m. on Saturday.

≤ The Mini-Marji race will begin at Jackson Miners Park in Negaunee at 10 a.m. on Saturday.

All races end at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday.

To find out more information on the Marji Gesick and other events put on through the 906 Adventure Team, go to 906adventureteam.com.