Thank you so much, Kris, and all for yet another most awesome marathon! You are absolutely the BEST! Thank you so much!

O.k., LOVED this race. At first I was a little surprised that in a city with so much to see, the majority of this race is run north of town. Get over it. The organizers did a great job bussing the crowd to Grafton High School- minimal wait there. Easy start on a chilly (39F) morning with a course that zig zags through the corn fields and the burbs. I was a little worried that I'd be looking a miles of corn fields, but the scenery did vary enough to keep it interesting. You don't really hit a town till about 20 miles in, but there were groups of bundled up spectators here and there, plus some really nice older suburban neighborhoods. I'm not usually one for the pace crowd, but I found myself running with the 3:30 group (fast for me) for the first 14 or so before slowing a bit to finish with the 3:40 group. This one was my 10th marathon and almost an effortless PR for me (by a minute) with a great final three miles by the lakeshore. Great shirt too. Other pros for the out of towner: easy flights into Milwaukee, numerous hotels, great walking city, and some great microbrews to sample. Highly recommend this one.

This is not only the best organized marathon I have run, it is one of the best organized races I have run. It really caters to the runners and their convenience. Having the high school open for the runners is great...warm, plenty of bathrooms. Starting in the country and ending on the lake front downtown gives wonderful scenery and views. My friends were able to cheer me on at several points during the race and I actually saw them as I crossed the finish line! (so much nicer than finishing at Chicago or Boston and not seeing anyone you know). The convenient (free)shuttles back to the hotels were MUCH appreciated as was the cheap entry fee. Would do it again.

You will be hard-pressed to find a better-organized, better-staged race than this one. I've run 60 of them and this race delivers a superior product.

Field size is perfect; 3050 runners. The course is breath-taking: past stately homes, down tree-lined streets, pass rural farms and then finally along Lake Michigan. It starts precisely on time. Packet pick-up is a breeze. Shuttles to the start are easy. You get to hang out inside a high school; with chairs/tables/restrooms to relax and not get too chilled. Bag drop is very easy.

The course is lined with an army of friendly volunteers guiding you all along the way; you cannot make a wrong turn. Water stops are consistent:Gatorade first, water second. They all have porta-lets and two have gels. All splits are well-marked and they also announce the time and est. time of finish. Spectators cluster in the neighborhoods and are friendly and supportive. Since your name is printed on your bib, they call out their kudos by name as well.

The course is gentle-downhill with very minor uphills here and there. A good part of the race is closed to oncoming traffic but the entire race is coned.

The weather was spectacular. After a bearable morning chill, it warmed just enough. The finish line is spacious and easy to navigate. Bag retrieval is a cinch and they also collect almost anything you've tossed mid-race and they have it there to pick up at the end as well: amazing! The medal is beautiful and all entrants receive a long-sleeve tech shirt without any advertising on it.

Big goody bags full of treats are handed out as well as soda, water, chocolate milk, and more Gatorade. There's also a beer table with two kinds of beer and an area to purchase race clothing, etc. There is also a table with instant results to retrieve for yourself. Announcers cheer on finishers and call out as many as possible.

Race communication is comprehensive; up-to-date info is steadily in your Inbox along with any last-minute concerns that may arise. This race is eco-friendly and cognizant of not wasting man-power or materials.

Bottom line: this race has an incredible army of volunteers (almost 1200) to take care of everything and is a race that has thought of everything. The focus is squarely on its entrants. They have a lot of civic-minded ties with the community and are generous with their accommodations. This race sells out every year: it is obvious why. Put this on your agenda in January to sign up for its Fall date: you will NOT find a better race than this Midwest gem.

Things I liked:
Course - fast, with minimal hills and good scenery (I'm a Midwestern guy, so think rural is fine). The downhill at mile 23 was perfectly located to provide momentum for the finish.
Organization - every aspect of this race was geared toward accommodating the racers. Mile markers seemed accurate and volunteers were great. Having free shuttles to downtown hotels for family members as well as racers after the race was much appreciated. I thought it was a nice touch that they comped entries for previous winners of the race, and recognized them at the start.
Field size - limiting entrants to 2,200+ ensures that the course isn't overcrowded, but there's plenty of company. I'm not a fan of having to negotiate a path through thousands of half-marathon runner-walkers, so this race was a treat.
Swag - the shirt was awesome, so much that I bought another for $15 after the race (it was refreshing to see such reasonable pricing for race merchandise - unlike most races nowadays). Nice water bottles for age group winners. I'm not into medals but it was nice compared to most.
Weather - perfect, with a slight tailwind. Even so, it was nice to be able wait indoors before the start, with plenty of restroom/porta-potties available).
Milwaukee has plenty of interesting sights and fine restaurants.

Things not to like: for me, nothing. Others may find the scarcity of spectators disappointing, but they can go to Chicago or elsewhere if noise is what they're after.

I've run 25 marathons and this is definitely in the top 3. I would run this race every year if there weren't so many other races in October.

I think this is one of the best races in the Midwest in the fall. It's well-run, completely organized and a great value. There are lots of perks to smaller races and Milwaukee is a great place to take advantage. Lodging is close and cheap. Transportation to the start is seamless and free, as is transportation from the finish back to your hotel. The high school availability at the start means you don't worry about getting cold or having to use a porta-potty. The weather was perfect in 2010 and, although the course has some rollers, the last 6 seem flat with some good downhill sections. The only challenge here was course access for my spectators. It's a bit tougher than other races but not enough to keep anyone away. This was my 6th marathon and my best experience (and fastest time!).

Beautiful, relatively flat point-to-point course from the farmlands into the city. Not many spectators, but those that are there are enthusiastic. Logistically easy marathon, with ample porta-johns at the start, easy parking, many water stops... overall a well run race. Thanks again!

This is a great fall marathon! The course is relatively flat and scenic. It was so nice being able to stay inside the school before the race to keep warm. Everyone was helpful and friendly before, during and after the marathon. I thought the spectators were great. There are parts when it is quiet but that is what you expect out of a small race. Really, this is a great marathon and I would I highly recommend it!

This was my 4th marathon and I was looking for a smaller one where I wasn't waiting forever to start (and I'm originally from Milwaukee). This race delivered.

Pros:
Well organized
Enthusiastic volunteers
Fairly nice course - great lakefront finish

Cons:
Paltry expo with mostly undated official marathon gear
The race is run on the left side of the road - which can cause some foot issues (I would have killed to have run in the middle or on the right side of the road for a bit)
Food at the finish was what you expect at a 5K

All in all, a nice "hometown" marathon!

I had a delicious dinner at "Rustico," a restaurant on Water Street that should be included in your list. I love their marinara sauce.

I cannot recommend a hotel because I slept in my wagon, and I slept peacefully, as never before a marathon. How could I be late?

Transportation to the starting line and to our cars, after the marathon, was efficient. I realized point to point marathons require more work and money. Great job!

The weather was perfect and the fall landscape was colorful. Too bad I could not stop to admire it.

I want to thank the great accordion musician we saw on the course and Greg, the student with whom I ran part of the race.

The rolling course allowed me to rest my feet and qualify for Boston for the third time (3:28). I am a 51-year-old guy.

Runners admired my t-shirt as I arrived to a pasta party in Skokie, IL. I like the design and it fits me well.

As we ran, no one got on my way and I hope I did not stepp on anyone's toes.

My only complaint is about the gels: they were bitter, though, luckily, they did not upset my stomach. I guess I was in a good mood.

There was constant support along the course and I just feel bad that I could not thank them enough during the last four miles, when my tongue was hanging out.

Finally, members of my (TARA) team saw my time in your website and said they will no longer run Chicago; they will run the Lakefront Marathon.

I had a great time. Thank you and we will see you next year.