The course is accurately described by others. I would only add for someone thinking it may be beyond their talents... it isn't. The difficulty isn't too great and you'll have fun. Just don't expect a PR here. You won't find plentiful, accurate mile-markers, so if you're anal about paces and finishing time projections you might as well stay home. There aren't any fancy trinkets for finishing, either. Why you should come participate can be summed-up in one word... CAMARADERIE! Most people don't come here to get too serious about racing.

It is a good early season conditioning barometer. Many of the Ice Age Trail 50 ultramarathoners use this as a training run and a chance to drink some beers with old friends. Many races try to pretend they're something they're not. This race is very comfortable and successful with its identity. It raises funds and awareness for the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin and through the many enthusiastic volunteers puts on a great event. This was my first year, but I will definitely be back. I'm not real fast, so save some beer for me at the finish!

The trailbreaker marathon is terrible. The race didn't start on time, there were almost no spectators, and the post-race party was for pigs. Typically one is served beer and hotdogs at a baseball game, not a marathon. The website for the race is as poorly run as the race itself. Stay away from Wisconsin!!!!!

This race is billed as one of the 10 most difficult marathons in the country. I fail to see how this can be. The vast majority of the race is on a pancake flat paved bike path - not at all difficult. A portion of the course is on rugged single track (which was slick the year I ran it) but I wouldn't really call it 'difficult' for anyone who has ventured off roads before. The turn-around is at the top of a 40-foot lookout tower. This is unique and somewhat difficult, but it is nothing compared to the uphills of western trail marathons in the mountains.
Organization was good, post-race food was good, and the T-shirt was unique in that it had a small lookout tower on the sleeve for every year you ran the race (you indicated how many Trailbreakers you have run on the entry form).
Unfortunately the shirt was not great otherwise (large picture of the Remax ballon), and there were no finisher's medals.

This marathon starts in downtown Waukesha, crosses numerous streets before heading out on a flat bike path. At about mile ten runners head into the woods on a very rugged, narrow trail that is very challenging and slow going. You go up and down, but mostly up until you reach a 40 foot fire tower that serves as the turn around point. You then head back down the trail meeting runners along the way. Everyone was saying 'Way to go', it was pretty neat! Volunteers stayed at their post even though it was very cold and windy. A few more mile markers would have been nice.Overall I was pleased with the event.

Does it make sense to call a marathon 'Trailbreaker' when it is less than 50% trail? The best part of this race is the section on the Ice Age Trail and the turn-around at a 40' look-out tower! Overall it is a nice, small, event that will please most people who don't want a full trail marathon. I would have preferred more trail running. T-shirt was OK, but there were no medals for finishers.