The Race before The Game
The Race before The Game logo

The Race before The Game

Sandusky, Ohio, United States View on map
Nov 28, 2026 (America/New_York local time)
Running

About this race

Go Bucks and Go Blue during this 10th annual event in downtown Sandusky. There isn’t a better way to start the morning of the Ohio State/Michigan game day than “Dotting the i” or “Blocking the M.” And you can do both in this one-of-a-kind event. There is no other city with a unique street grid like Sandusky's to complete this kind of course.

The “Dot the i” course is approximately 5 miles and the “Block the M” course is approximately 4 miles. 
(Note: The "Dot the i" finish line will close at 10:30 a.m. Any participants unable to finish the course within that time are recommended to complete the Big O course instead)

The OH-IO Two-person relay. Split the Script Ohio course with one other person and each of you complete about 2.5 miles of the course. 

The Big O, a one-mile walk option to complete just the O in Ohio.

Registered Participants (By November 12, 2026) receive long-sleeved shirts and are to use sidewalks and obey all traffic laws during the event.

PLACE: Monroe Street at Cameo Pizza and Central Park

COURSE: Ohio State fans will start at Cameo Pizza and run/walk the sidewalks of Sandusky completing Script Ohio (approx. 5 miles) and “Dot the i” at the finish. Michigan fans will start and finish at Cameo Pizza and run/walk the sidewalks of Sandusky completing the Block M (approx. 4 miles). 

DATE: Saturday, November 28, 2026 (Date subject to change if The Game is scheduled for a different weekend than tradition)

TIME: Race Day starting at 8 a.m., Pre-Race Day Packet Pick-Up: TBD

ENTRY FEE:  EARLY SIGN-UP SPECIAL THROUGH 2/28- $25.00!
$35.00 pre-registration (received no later than November 12, 2026) Race-day registration limited to availability of shirts. 

Pick your distance

Running

Dot the i

For Buckeye Fans. Participants will be given "Dot-to-Dot the i" instructions and signs will point participants through the course. Please note: Finish Line will close at 10:30 a.m. If you are unable to walk/run 5+ miles in 90 minutes, please sign up for Big O mile option.

Nov 28, 2026 8K 9:00 AM
$35.00
Open

The Big O 1-mile walk/run

Finish after completing the Big O in Ohio. (Approx. 1 mile)

Nov 28, 2026 1.9K 9:00 AM
$35.00
Open

The OH-IO Two-person Relay

BACK FOR 2025! Two-person relay (2.5 miles each) to complete the Dot the i course.

Nov 28, 2026 8K 9:00 AM
$35.00
Open

Block the M

For Wolverine Fans. Approx. 4 miles

Nov 28, 2026 6.4K 9:00 AM
$35.00
Open

Typical race-day weather

Based on 8 years of Open-Meteo archive data for this event's race dates in Sandusky, plus the 3 days either side.

Temp (°C)
Minimum temperature (race-week average) -0.7° / Maximum temperature (race-week average) 5.1°
Feels Like (°C)
Minimum feels like — heat index / wind chill (race-week average) -6.8° / Maximum feels like — heat index / wind chill (race-week average) 1.2°
Peak wind (km/h)
Strongest wind of the day (race-week average)
25.8
Precip (mm)
Precipitation over the day (race-week average)
2.2mm
Humidity
Mean relative humidity (race-week average)
73.8%
Sunrise
Sunrise at the start line on November 28, 2026 (EST)
Sunset
Sunset at the start line on November 28, 2026 (EST)
Daylight
Hours between sunrise and sunset on race day
9h 28m

The sun rises at 7:34 AM and sets at 5:03 PM local time (EST) in Sandusky on November 28, 2026 — 9h 28m of daylight.

Course

No course map published yet.

The organizer hasn't released a route for this event, and we don't publish guesses. If you're the organizer, send us a GPX file and we'll draw the profile.

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Where this page comes from. Race details were last updated on . We re-check listings regularly and again in the week before race day.

  • Entries, prices, waves and inclusions — the event's official registration page
  • Temperature and humidity — Copernicus ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0)
  • Elevation and terrain relief — Copernicus DEM GLO-90, ESA (CC BY 4.0)
  • Comparisons and counts — Race Discovery calendar, 14 Sandusky events

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