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Marathon Details - Dances With Dirt Gnaw Bone

North America Marathons > USA > IN > Nashville > Dances With Dirt Gnaw Bone

Dances With Dirt Gnaw Bone

Dances With Dirt Gnaw Bone & 50M, 50K, Relay, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K

Nashville, IN USA

May 17, 2025

http://www.dwdgnawbone.com

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2024 2023 2022 2021 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 Top 3 Finishers

Race Details

For those of you unfamiliar with Brown County, Indiana, the terrain will bring you shock and awe! Vicious 600' ridges, breathtaking natural beauty and wicked trails abound. Gnaw Bone is about one mile out of Nashville, IN, an artisan community with over 200 galleries. A picture postcard of a town and definitely worth a visit, just 3 miles from the race start.

Contact Information

Name:	Randy Step
Address:	5700 Jackson Road Ann Arbor, MI 48103
Phone Number:	734-929-9027
Email:	Email the organizers

More Information

These details were last updated by the race director on 1/20/24 and may be out of date.
Number of Runners:	900
Number of Spectators:	500
Fees & Deadlines:	See website for details
Start Time:	6:15
Course Highlights:	Home of the the world's most difficult 10K. Expect double your road time and triple the effort! Note: The other race distances, 5K, 13.1M, 26.2M, 50K, and 50M are & We might say, 'challenging', so as not to scare you off, but then, we'd be lying! Come join us at the bone and see what you're made of.
Course Refreshments:	See website
Race Day Registration:	YES
Online Registration:	http://www.dwdgnawbone.com
Packet Pickup Info:	See website for details
Marathon Ratings:	Course Scenery/Beauty/Interest: Good for First Timers: Crowd Support: Course Speed:

Runner Reviews (5)

Course 4.6

Organization 3.4

Spectators 3.6

Write a review

Number of comments: 5

A. A. from Bloomomgton (12/20/2015) "Great race but will never do it again... Read why" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 4-5 Dances With Dirt Gnaw Bones COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 4 Great race. Love the course, love the atmosphere. My complaint - last year they had a early start and a later start. Not one thing was said about the early start were not available for awards. I finished the race in 8 place overall. I go and ask if I get an award after the race. I go over to the computer table and they tell me yes, that I finished 2nd in my age group and to go ask the worker over there and get your swag. Long story short they would not give it to me. After arguing for about 5 minutes and they not listening to any of my points. I left knowing I was calling the race director on Monday. I do so and it is more of the same. You got an advantage by starting 45 minutes early because if it was wet (which it hadn't rained for ever) I would have had an advantage. Told me that I wouldn't start a road marathon 45 minutes early. Yet my argument was they don't offer an early race start. I asked her to show me on the website where it said the early start doesn't get awards. She couldn't. Argued point after point for 30 minutes and finally said they would send me my award. I gave address and never got anything. Called a month later and left a message and no response. I let it go. I now see that this year there is no early start. Huh. Wonder why.
M. C. from Chicago (5/12/2015) "50K Mostly single track with some light scrambling" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Dances With Dirt Gnaw Bone COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I gave the spectators 5 stars....all twelve of them. There were a couple of mountain bikers, a family on horseback and some kids riding bikes in a campground. They all said hi. If a trail race had any more that would be a bad thing. The course was technical but very well marked. The aid stations were plenty and appreciated on the warm muggy day. The organizers and volunteers have this event down, so big thanks to both, especially for the outstanding BBQ feed after. My only complaint is that I didn't pull the trigger on the 50 mile as I didn't want the 50K to be over but that beef is with me.
D. S. from Michigan (5/13/2013) "Really more like 'Dances with Mud'" (about: 2013) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Dances With Dirt Gnaw Bone COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 I ran the 50K and if you are wavering between the marathon and the 50K figure that you have generous time and lets face it, you are going to be hiking much of that last part anyway so go 50K! Now the first third of the race is tough; uphill on a sloppy (muddy) jeep trail followed by rolling single track. The 2nd third is tougher; single track turns muddier with more dashes across creeks and more climbs over deadfall. The last third is 'are you#@$!! kidding?' and the 'trail' diverts a couple times randomly uphill through the woods; climbing up and under deadfalls, hand-to-hand muddy slope climbing and where there is 'trail' it's generally a shoe sucking muddy gully with little traction. Then the fun begins with a plummet down a ski slope into several waist-deep river crossings. You finish by a beer garden, redeem your beer tickets and cheer the other crazy people home. It was a blast!
T. S. from Indiana! (5/12/2013) "Great race but poorly marked in spots." (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons \| 3 Dances With Dirt Gnaw Bones COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 3 The organizers are thoughtful, nice, and caring, but don't put enough effort in marking the parts of the marathon and 50K when the course departs from a trail. Several times this year I was met by runners coming back to the wrong way, and that has been the case the two previous times I have ran it too. I would estimate >10% of the marathon/50K runners get lost each year. They need to take more time and put up actual signs or boards every time the course takes a new trail or goes off path. It will pay off in return runners. Great course if you can follow it though. The small crowd is supportive and friendly, and Nashville Indiana is worth a weekend.
K. B. from Oregon, OH (5/11/2013) "Amazing Trail Marathon" (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Dances With Dirt Gnaw Bone COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 My first trail marathon, and it was not what I expected. I expected nice groomed trails, gentle rolling hills, etc. What I got was more mud than a mudder will ever have. Shock and awe is what I got. But it's off my bucket list and I won a bucket besides as my age group award. This marathon is absolutely insane. Add it to your bucket list.



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A. A. from Bloomomgton (12/20/2015) "Great race but will never do it again... Read why" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 4-5 Dances With Dirt Gnaw Bones COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 4 Great race. Love the course, love the atmosphere. My complaint - last year they had a early start and a later start. Not one thing was said about the early start were not available for awards. I finished the race in 8 place overall. I go and ask if I get an award after the race. I go over to the computer table and they tell me yes, that I finished 2nd in my age group and to go ask the worker over there and get your swag. Long story short they would not give it to me. After arguing for about 5 minutes and they not listening to any of my points. I left knowing I was calling the race director on Monday. I do so and it is more of the same. You got an advantage by starting 45 minutes early because if it was wet (which it hadn't rained for ever) I would have had an advantage. Told me that I wouldn't start a road marathon 45 minutes early. Yet my argument was they don't offer an early race start. I asked her to show me on the website where it said the early start doesn't get awards. She couldn't. Argued point after point for 30 minutes and finally said they would send me my award. I gave address and never got anything. Called a month later and left a message and no response. I let it go. I now see that this year there is no early start. Huh. Wonder why.
M. C. from Chicago (5/12/2015) "50K Mostly single track with some light scrambling" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Dances With Dirt Gnaw Bone COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I gave the spectators 5 stars....all twelve of them. There were a couple of mountain bikers, a family on horseback and some kids riding bikes in a campground. They all said hi. If a trail race had any more that would be a bad thing. The course was technical but very well marked. The aid stations were plenty and appreciated on the warm muggy day. The organizers and volunteers have this event down, so big thanks to both, especially for the outstanding BBQ feed after. My only complaint is that I didn't pull the trigger on the 50 mile as I didn't want the 50K to be over but that beef is with me.
D. S. from Michigan (5/13/2013) "Really more like 'Dances with Mud'" (about: 2013) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Dances With Dirt Gnaw Bone COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 I ran the 50K and if you are wavering between the marathon and the 50K figure that you have generous time and lets face it, you are going to be hiking much of that last part anyway so go 50K! Now the first third of the race is tough; uphill on a sloppy (muddy) jeep trail followed by rolling single track. The 2nd third is tougher; single track turns muddier with more dashes across creeks and more climbs over deadfall. The last third is 'are you#@$!! kidding?' and the 'trail' diverts a couple times randomly uphill through the woods; climbing up and under deadfalls, hand-to-hand muddy slope climbing and where there is 'trail' it's generally a shoe sucking muddy gully with little traction. Then the fun begins with a plummet down a ski slope into several waist-deep river crossings. You finish by a beer garden, redeem your beer tickets and cheer the other crazy people home. It was a blast!
T. S. from Indiana! (5/12/2013) "Great race but poorly marked in spots." (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons \| 3 Dances With Dirt Gnaw Bones COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 3 The organizers are thoughtful, nice, and caring, but don't put enough effort in marking the parts of the marathon and 50K when the course departs from a trail. Several times this year I was met by runners coming back to the wrong way, and that has been the case the two previous times I have ran it too. I would estimate >10% of the marathon/50K runners get lost each year. They need to take more time and put up actual signs or boards every time the course takes a new trail or goes off path. It will pay off in return runners. Great course if you can follow it though. The small crowd is supportive and friendly, and Nashville Indiana is worth a weekend.
K. B. from Oregon, OH (5/11/2013) "Amazing Trail Marathon" (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Dances With Dirt Gnaw Bone COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 My first trail marathon, and it was not what I expected. I expected nice groomed trails, gentle rolling hills, etc. What I got was more mud than a mudder will ever have. Shock and awe is what I got. But it's off my bucket list and I won a bucket besides as my age group award. This marathon is absolutely insane. Add it to your bucket list.

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Marathon Details - Dances With Dirt Gnaw Bone