2025 Race Recap
What an unforgettable day in Michigan’s Thumb. The weather delivered one of those perfect fall mornings—crisp air, blue skies, and miles of shoreline glowing under the sun. Residents from Port Austin to Caseville lined the course with signs, cheers, and incredible energy, showcasing the kind of hospitality that makes this region so special.
To every runner, walker, volunteer, police officer, firefighter, local official, and supportive resident: Thank you. You brought this inaugural race to life in a way we’ll never forget. We’re already counting down the days until we return.
Overall Winners
Marathon
Male
🥇 Tommy Donohoe (Chicago, IL)
🥈 Austin Fullerton (Louisville, KY)
🥉 Stewart Haadsma (Sterling Heights, MI)
Female
🥇 Emily Kim (Ann Arbor, MI)
🥈 Julia Armstrong (Gaylord, MI)
🥉 Samantha Swenson (Fargo, ND)
Half Marathon
Male
🥇 Joe Robinson (Detroit, MI)
🥈 Parker Austin (Davison, MI)
🥉 Garrett Jurges (Ubly, MI)
Female
🥇 Amber Dermyre (Farmington, MI)
🥈 Emily Allison-Siep (Howell, MI)
🥉 Erin Simone (Kitchener, OH)
Non-Binary
🥇 Ruth Butters (Kalamazoo, MI)
5K
Male
🥇 Nicholas Ochal (White Lake, MI)
🥈 Lucas Halicki (New Baltimore, MI)
🥉 Liam Murphy (Grosse Pointe Woods, MI)
Female
🥇 Lily Vuckich (Royal Oak, MI)
🥈 Brystal Klinkman (Cass City, MI)
🥉 Olivia Crawford (Fort Gratiot, MI)
Event by the Numbers
Marathon Finishers: 204
Half Marathon Finishers: 379
5K Finishers: 152
Virtual Participants: 23
Volunteers: 61
Represented: 24 states · 12 Canadians · 2 athletes from Hungary
Club Competition Highlights
A total of 157 runners and volunteers represented 18 clubs, each earning valuable points in the Trivium Michigan Club Competition.
🥇 Oxford She Runs This Town – 619.5 points
SRTT packed the start lines with impressive participation and volunteered in big numbers—helping them make a major leap up the season standings.
🥈 Romano Racing Company – 508 points
Romano continued their streak of strong showings, with solid participation and consistency that helped reinforce their overall points lead.
🥉 New Baltimore Running Club – 377.5 points
NBRC brought another strong turnout, securing a podium spot for this event and climbing into third on the season-long leaderboard.
Supporting the Rock CF Foundation
At the heart of this event is the mission of the Rock CF Foundation, which empowers people living with Cystic Fibrosis to move, run, and thrive. Through their partnership with RUNdetroit, they ship running shoes free of charge to anyone with CF who wants to get active. Anyone living with CF also runs the Thumb Marathon—or Rock CF Rivers Half Marathon & 5K in March—for free.
Their Bowman Brothers Education Grants help adults living with CF pursue education and rewrite what’s possible for their future:
“CF was once your full-time job, but now you have a chance to reshape your future, reach new milestones, and thrive.”
The Rock CF mission gives this race its heart—and your participation helps fuel that impact.
Thank you to every participant, volunteer, sponsor, and supporter who showed up—not just for the race, but for the mission behind it. Your involvement directly fuels the work Rock CF does year-round and helps amplify the stories of people who don’t just survive, but thrive, with CF. Thank you for making year one unforgettable. We’ll see you back on the Thumb Coast in 2026.
