Deadwood Mickelson Trail Marathon: Pacing & Race-Day Strategy
A crushed-limestone rail-trail through the Black Hills — one early climb, then a long, gentle descent.
- Where:
- Deadwood, South Dakota
- When:
- June
- Course:
- Gentle net downhill · rail-trail
- Best run as:
- Even pace
Course & elevation
Run almost entirely on the crushed-limestone George S. Mickelson Trail, this is an old railroad grade through the Black Hills, so the slopes stay gentle by design — railroads never built anything steep. The course climbs modestly for the first few miles to the high point near Dumont, then settles into a long, gradual descent toward the Deadwood finish. The soft, smooth trail surface and forgiving grades make it fast but easy on the legs.
- Start → Finish
- 5,900 → 4,960 ft
- Net
- −940 ft
- Total gain
- ≈ 940 ft
Key moments
- Mile 1–5A gentle rail-grade climb to the high point near Dumont — ease up and don’t force it.
- Mile 6–18The long, gradual descent begins through the Black Hills pines — settle into smooth, even effort.
- Mile 23–26.2The final gentle downgrade into historic Deadwood — close out a controlled, even race.
Pacing strategy
Don’t spend yourself on the early climb to Dumont — ease it by effort, knowing a long downhill follows. The crushed-limestone surface is slightly softer and slower than pavement, so run by feel rather than chasing road splits, and let the gentle descent carry an even, strong second half.
Plan your mile splits
Enter your goal time to get a mile-by-mile pacing band for Deadwood Mickelson Trail Marathon. The even pace option is pre-selected to suit this course.
| Mile | Pace | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9:09/mi | 9:09 |
| 2 | 9:09/mi | 18:18 |
| 3 | 9:09/mi | 27:28 |
| 4 | 9:09/mi | 36:37 |
| 5 | 9:09/mi | 45:46 |
| 6 | 9:09/mi | 54:55 |
| 7 | 9:09/mi | 1:04:05 |
| 8 | 9:09/mi | 1:13:14 |
| 9 | 9:09/mi | 1:22:23 |
| 10 | 9:09/mi | 1:31:32 |
| 11 | 9:09/mi | 1:40:41 |
| 12 | 9:09/mi | 1:49:51 |
| 13 | 9:09/mi | 1:59:00 |
| 14 | 9:09/mi | 2:08:09 |
| 15 | 9:09/mi | 2:17:18 |
| 16 | 9:09/mi | 2:26:28 |
| 17 | 9:09/mi | 2:35:37 |
| 18 | 9:09/mi | 2:44:46 |
| 19 | 9:09/mi | 2:53:55 |
| 20 | 9:09/mi | 3:03:05 |
| 21 | 9:09/mi | 3:12:14 |
| 22 | 9:09/mi | 3:21:23 |
| 23 | 9:09/mi | 3:30:32 |
| 24 | 9:09/mi | 3:39:41 |
| 25 | 9:09/mi | 3:48:51 |
| 26 | 9:09/mi | 3:58:00 |
| 26.22 | 9:09/mi | 4:00:00 |
Fueling & hydration
Aid stations are spaced along the trail with water and sports drink, but the remote rail-trail setting means longer gaps than a city race — carry your own gels and don’t rely on finding fuel between stations. Drink on schedule in the dry Black Hills air.
Weather
Early-June in the Black Hills brings a cool, often crisp morning at elevation (frequently 40s–50s°F at the start) warming under mountain sun, with the pine canopy offering welcome shade along much of the trail.
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