Think of it as a 205-mile party with 12 best friends. Teams of 12 will run along the world-famous Mississippi River as they rock out to live bands, enjoy the wacky participant costumes, and make life-long friends with teammates and competitors. The party follows the Great River Road starting in La Crosse, Wisconsin and ends in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Running three legs during a 24-hour relay race is much easier than you think. Each team member runs three legs, ranging between 3 and 8 miles. This relay race is physically demanding, but legs vary in difficulty, and participants can choose which legs they run. This unique relay format makes the Great River an accessible race for beginners yet challenging enough for the most competitive.

How do you get from one exchange to the next? Each team is allowed two support vehicles. The first vehicle will drop off the first runner, drive ahead a few miles, cheer the runner on, and provide them with water, snacks, and plenty of love. That vehicle will then drive ahead to the first exchange point to drop off the second runner, and pick up the first runner when that leg is complete. They will repeat this pattern for six legs until they hand off to their second vehicle. This leapfrogging pattern will continue all the way to the finish line.