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May 5, 2024

Wisconsin Marathon Runner Comments

Back to Wisconsin Marathon Information & Reviews

Course 4.0

Organization 4.2

Spectators 3.4

Number of comments: 91 [displaying comments 21 to 31]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 .. 10 > ]

C. H. from Wisconsin (5/12/2012) "No complaints about race itself." (about: 2012) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Wisconsin Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first time running this event and my comments do not relate to the race itself at all. The course was fine and the aid stations were great! Spectators were spectacular! This year's shirt and medal seemed geared toward a male demographic with a busty female on them. It also seemed strange to me that one of the sponsors was a cheese maker from Vermont...it would be great to find someone more local. I was desperately in need of ibuprofen at the end but could not locate an aid tent. (I had forgotten to add some to my bag.) Making the aid tent more visible would be my only suggestion for improvement and even that does not affect the race. I was a bit hesitant to sign up as I know the area very well, but found it to okay.
N. W. from Illinois (5/10/2012) "Very Pretty Course and Awesome Medal" (about: 2012) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Wisconsin Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Loved the race, great organization, beautiful medal, great shirts, beautiful course. The weather was lousy but that can't be helped. The cold and wind was awful anytime I ran north. The course was very pretty going through some beautiful neighborhoods and parks. The hills could barely be considered hills, and yes the pavement was uneven in the first half, but just watch where you're going. The limestone road in the second half was no big deal. It was very smooth and well packed. I was glad when the half marathoners branched off, I finally had space to run. I never felt alone on the last half, there were always people in front and behind me. The spectators were aweome and very encouraging. Everyone was so friendly. Too bad it was so cold and windy, the post race party would have been much more fun. After people finished running it seemed everyone pretty much left to get warm. I will definitely run this one again. The medal is one of the best, most detailed and colorful I've ever gotten in running 28 marathons. Lining up at the start was easy, there weren't blocks of gates to find the one opening in as with so many marathons these days. I can't think of anything negative to say about this race!
George Jackson from Chicago (5/7/2012) "Nice friendly marathon" (about: 2012) 11-50 previous marathons \| 2 Wisconsin Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This was my 41 marathon and second time running this marathon. It has improved. Getting rid of that Heed (or was it called 'Heet') sport drink was a major improvement. It also helped to take out that first loop. I did not care for the watery sport gel, but my friend did. Nice flat and really fast course. Running back into the wind starting at mile 19 was a beast, but fun now that it is over. I liked that I had only a little over 6 miles to run at the hairpin turnaround around mile 19. That was a great felliing. Smart to design the course so that we did not have to run back through the wooded area. While I liked the wooded area, I did not have the mental energy to run back through it. Easy to park and walk to the start. No traffic issues. The race was smaller in size, especially after the half-marathoners left the course. Still, there were enough runners so that I always had other runners with me. Over all, this is simply a nice midwestern marathon, one that is well organized and enjoyable. Good price, also! I will run this race from time-to-time.
t. m. from atlanta (5/7/2012) "well organized and well supported" (about: 2012) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Wisconsin Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Flat but windy. I enjoyed running on the portion of the course on the gravel roads. Plenty of volunteers. Aid was good. Well organized pickup. Pasta dinner at the Masonic temple was great. I would recommend this marathon.
p. m. from Glen Ellyn, IL (5/6/2012) "The Big Boys Could Learn From This One!" (about: 2012) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Wisconsin Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I ran the half marathon and could not be more pleased with the organization and treatment of runners. The race course is very scenic. The water stations were well manned & the volunteers were enthusiastic. The medal was outstanding and the finish area included a free brat & beer to each runner. The only negative was the lousy weather. Quite candidly, I have paid alot more for other better marketed runs and received alot less!
J. K. from Skokie (5/5/2012) "Great Race! Great Course! Well Organized!" (about: 2012) 4-5 previous marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 Today May 5th, 2012, couldn't ask for better weather. Temps were 50 degrees, winds were a non factor except southern half we got hit with headwind of 11mph. Hydration station was great and were every 2 miles. Volunteers were awesome, Crowd was small. Full Marathon felt I was all alone. The bad roads some have talked about were just a small patch nothing bad. The hills were hardly what I could consider hills. My only complaint was there is a gravel portion that if it was 100% crushed limestone wouldn't be bad but there were several big sized pieces that made painful when running over them with racing flats. Aside from that, what happened at Boston almost happened with Kenosha as just a few days prior to the race it was 85 degrees! I plan on running this one next year as well
C. T. from Chicago, IL (11/2/2011) "Big love for Wisconsin" (about: 2011) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Wisconsin Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I ran the half in 2010 and thought it was very organized and a lot of fun for a small race. Came back in 2011 to run the full and had the time of my life! Volunteers are wonderful. Course is good and not crowded, especially in the later miles after we split from the half marathoners. Just a few rolling hills. I don't like the gravel roads. Finished in a Boston qualifying time :)
D. M. from University Place, Washington (5/12/2011) "Flat course; good local support" (about: 2011) 4-5 previous marathons COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This was my first Wisconsin Marathon. I did not train correctly for it. I'm from the Northwest, and we don't know what flat is, so I did very poorly. The course is a challenge as the pavement is broken in many parts - it's very easy to catch a toe in. The out-and-back is pretty boring, but the views of the lake were worth it. I wonder if there is someway to run the course through parts of the city. This is a very small event. You get there, check in your clothes, and they say, "Go!" There's no real celebration (which is not a bad thing). I missed most of the post-race party, but my family said the worst part was waiting at the end of the race with the band playing some wild music. (My family is all in their 50's, 60's, and 70's), I thought the band was entertaining for the 15 minutes I heard them, but I was too cold and sore to hang around. I like the medal, but the shirts were kind of boring.
S. B. from Pleasant Prairie, WI (5/9/2011) "Perfect weather + flat course = PR" (about: 2011) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Wisconsin Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 The weather was in the 50's at the on time start for this race. There were a couple very minor hills in the first half of the marathon, however the second half proved to be as flat as can be. The only downside to the second half of the course in my eyes were the 3 sections of fire roads. I found myself looking down and dodging the larger stones at a time I wish I could be looking up and focusing on stride and breathing. There were very few spectators on the second half of the course, but I do remember some very motivated and enthusiastic volunteers singing and chanting very loudly. All in all though a very fast course. Add the fact that this race had little congestion at the start of the race like some of the larger marathons and what you have is a go go course. Post race was very well organized in my eyes in that there was plenty of water, energy drinks and bananas handy right after receiving my finishers medal (which by the way is a cheese theme and in my opinion one of the more eye catching and original finisher medals out there). Though I wasn't up for a beer, I did cash in my bib ticket for a very tasty brat. The volunteers were fantastic and appreciated.
G. R. from Wheeler, MI (5/9/2011) "Awesome race!" (about: 2011) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Wisconsin Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 First, the volunteers were by far the best of any race I've run. For the most part they were young military (Navy) personal, and kept us motivated and energized throughout the race. I'm sure they pulled a lot of people through with their constant encouragement. The overall organization was top notch. The course for the most part was top notch with the exception of broken/loose/missing concrete part of the route heading north along the lake. It wasn't horrible as long as you were paying attention. Other than that, it was clearly marked and it would have been hard to get lost if you tried. The post-race party looked fantastic, although it was very cold at the end when I finished. They did hand out blankets at the end, which you needed after you finished. The brat was great and the beer cold, and a nice covered area in which to eat and socialize. I finished with a PR 11 minutes better than my previous best. Overall I would recommend this marathon to anyone.

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