Green Bay Marathon - Race Reviews

Pros: - Volunteers were fabulous. Well prepared and cheered us runners on. Local police manning traffic were diligent and kept us safe on the roads. - Expo was in & out. - Finisher medal was a cool design with the outline of the state. - Course map on MapMyRun. I was able to export & re-import into Strava, which was useful. Cons: - Warm water at the finish. By the end of the marathon, it was into the 70s and no cold water in sight. Please stock with ice next time. I ended up skipping water altogether until I got to the hotel. - Minimal spectators. Those that did show up, thank you for cheering us on. - Minimal promotion. This race would benefit from a better social media presence. Engage your runners to get them excited about the event. Engage the town to get them out on the streets to cheer us on. Green Bay seems like a great city and the race doesn't do anything to showcase what makes the town worthwhile. - Hate to say it, but Lambaeu Field was totally underwhelming. Cool to run around the field but they need to blast the music, put the runners on the jumbo tron, maybe get some Packers out there for high fives. It was just a jog through an empty stadium, no spectacle. Total missed opportunity. Appreciative of the supporters that were out but don't think I'll run this one again unless there are some improvements.

I did sign up for full marathon in 2019. Unfortunately, it rained overnight and next day morning the full marathon was cancelled, keeping only half marathon open. There was some water on marathon race track in second half of the course. There were good suggestions to keep keep full marathon on as well by having two laps on half marathon course, however, the management was very adamant and never considered our suggestion. The crown was very good and it was thrilling to run through the foot ball stadium, however, I wouldn't recommend to everyone before signing up for this event

Ran this as my Wisconsin race, overall I really enjoyed it. The weather was near perfect, which helped. My thoughts: - I liked the course. It highlighted some very nice areas and the Fox River trail was lovely. Aid stations were plentiful and Gu was available at 3 points. - Crowd support was spotty. Some areas were filled with people, other neighborhoods were ghost towns. I'd heard the half was better supported, however. - There are loads of hotels near Lambeau, as well as ample parking. Traveling in/out was a breeze. - Free beer and brats at the finish. I grabbed one of each and enjoyed them in the Lambeau bleachers while watching the runners come through. - The half starts an hour after the full. That made the start fantastic: no bathroom lines, and you could clearly hear instructions. However..... - The big problem with this race is the congestion inside Lambeau Field around mile 26. Thankfully I went into this race knowing I wouldn't be trying for a PR or BQ, but if I was....yikes. Last point: To anyone reading this: Please, please, please stay to the right and put away your headphones when you're running through congested areas. I yelled out 'on your left' so many times I lost count. And I did have to physically push my way past several people who were oblivious to the marathoners making their way through. All that said, I did enjoy this race. People were wonderful, it was well organized, and the course was flat and scenic. Just bank some time before heading into the stadium. As a football fan, Lambeau is a must see.

Pretty darn good race: - Excellent water stations - more than I have ever seen - Didn't care for color of shirt, but it is a nice quality Asics shirt - Having access to inside of stadium on a raining morning really bonus - Hotels were not outrageously priced And now the flaw. The half marathon started 1 hour after the full - this made the finish very very very congested. I LOVE half marathoners, but after running 26 miles I was in no mood to weave in and out of people 3 wide. I was looking forward to the stadium finish, but I could not enjoy it because there were so many runners. I felt like a jerk yelling 'excuse me' and to your 'left,' but I was trying for a specific goal. All runners should be able to enjoy the finish. Would be much better if they started half and full runners at the same time. In the end, fast and flat course and managed a BQ.

INTRODUCTION: I am a race-walker with a median marathon completion time of 5:17:21. The Cellcom Green Bay Marathon was my thirty-ninth 26.2-miler accomplished. COURSE: It was going to be a warm day for a marathon: weather conditions at start time were 58 degrees, 78 percent relative humidity, fair, and wind from the NE at 7 mph. We started the first of five similar-distanced segments on this mostly flat course on Lombardi Avenue, adjacent to Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers football team, heading east. Having just passed the National Railroad Museum at mile 2, we were running parallel to the west bank of the Fox River, heading south on South Broadway Street in the village of Ashwaubenon. Later on, between miles 3 and 4, South Broadway Street turned into Fort Howard Drive when we entered into the city of DePere. We soon turned eastward and crossed over the Fox River between miles 5 and 6. The second segment led us through downtown DePere and some of its historic neighborhoods, where we benefitted from the shade provided by the tree-lined avenues. Upon reaching the newer neighborhoods to the south, we became exposed to the sun and warmer temperatures. At mile 10, we reached our southernmost point of the course before entering the Fox River Trail. The third segment, a six-plus mile trek on the paved Fox River Trail from south (DePere) to north (Green Bay by way of Allouez), was by far the most scenic and quietest of the course. Once again we benefitted from the shade provided by the trees overhead, and occasionally we not only had glimpses of the Fox River, but also our ultimate destination, Lambeau Field, to the northwest. Upon leaving the Fox River Trail near mile 16.5, we began our fourth segment headed east on a slight incline up Crooks Street to its dead end at the East River Trail, heading north until reaching East High School, home of the original Green Bay Packers stadium, City Field, where we took a lap on its track before heading west at mile 19. (Can you imagine NFL games being played at a high school? Such was the case for the Packers until 1956.) We entered downtown Green Bay, passing by city hall at mile 20, before one final riverside pass and then crossing back over the Fox River before mile 21. Our final segment, upon disembarking the Dousman Street bridge, took us past the train depot where the Packers once began and completed their road trips. It is now home of the Titletown Brewing Company. (Try the Mac and Cheese Pizza and the Dark Helmet Schwarzbier for a unique carbohydrate-loading pre-marathon dinner.) We then generally headed south and west to our ultimate destination. When we reached Lambeau Field near the 25.5 mile mark, we were obliged to take our well-earned victory lap around the perimeter of the football field before crossing the finish line just outside the stadium. Weather conditions at finish time were 74 degrees, 40 percent relative humidity, fair, and wind from the SE at 6 mph. ORGANIZATION: Well organized expo situated inside the Lambeau Field Atrium. While there, consider taking one of the two Lambeau Field Stadium Tours; doing so will help you get a better idea of what this town and marathon is all about. Good course and traffic support until reaching the final segment of the race on the west side of town, where we started having to look out for automobiles being driven on the course, apparently with the blessing of the local police. After six hours, when race conditions turned red, the cops abandoned the busy Gross Avenue intersection at Lombardi Avenue just past mile 24. Tortoise runners were obliged to wait until the traffic light turned green for them to continue on with their marathon. SPECTATORS: Average for a marathon of this size; no bands performed on the race course. CONCLUSION: With an estimated 2015 population of 105,207; this 283rd largest city in the United States would be as anonymous as similar sized Tyler, Texas or Lakeland, Florida but for one thing. Because it is home to the only non-profit, community owned US major league professional sport franchise, one that has endured against significant odds in its 97 year history, it is a city that is like no other, and The Cellcom, as the locals call it, gives us the opportunity to appreciate what it is all about.

Course is fairly flat, no real hills just a few slight uphill grades. Expo, start and finish are held at the stadium which if you are GB Packers fan is great. Ran with a pace group and the two pacers were very helpful with course tips and they kept our spirits up the whole race. Lots of aid stations about every 1 and 1/2 miles. It got quite warm at the end but the aid stations were well placed. Stayed at one of the recommended hotels and used the bus provided. Getting to the race was fine, but the driver of our bus getting back didn't follow the published schedule so we ended up using Uber to get back to the hotel.

On a hot, humid day, the volunteers and spectators made it worth running through the heat. The course is almost completely flat and the scenery is diverse, with a range of residential, riverfront, and industrial settings. Just when things start to get a little boring, the Packer stadiums (old and new) add spice to the race. I'm a lifelong Chicago Bears fan, but even I stayed motivated knowing that a lap around Lambeau awaited me near the end of the race. The spectators weren't huge in number, but they made up for it in spirit and creativity. The motivational signs were wonderful and funny and keg beer was available at two different private houses along the course (way to go, Green Bay). Excellent logistics (parking and packet-pick-up are a breeze). Of the six marathons I've run, Green Bay is my favorite. This marathon really was fun.

Exemplary logistics in every way. Plenty of gatorade/water on the course and three well staffed gu points helped with a hot/humid day. Corral system worked well. Lambeau field focal point a real plus. Food was plentiful and no wait, usually the half marathoners pick it pretty clean. Course was pretty flat with a few long but not steep sections. I thought there would be more spectators given the good weather but they were very enthusiastic. The only negative to me was the finisher shirt. I was looking for a Green Bay Packer green & gold shirt in line with the city known for its NFL team and the Lambeau Field venue. But maroon??

I got a fever the night before this race and started anyway, then had to drop out at mile 14. This wasn't the fault of the race, of course, but it means I saw how their medical was organized and also saw the race in progress. The course is good - it's pretty flat but it's along the Fox River so there are some rolling hills and a couple river crossings to keep it from getting too monotonous. There's a *lot* of concrete - more than I expected and more than I'd like. A long stretch of the race is on a paved recreation trail, which is very nice and scenic, as well as a welcome break for the feet. Crowd support is excellent - the course is lined with spectators in the city parts, and there are big pockets of fans cheering along the trail part. The race is much smaller than I expected - it certainly felt much smaller than Fargo, for example, which I thought was a comparable race. My pace of 7:10 meant that I spent most of the time until I dropped out running with just a couple other people around me, and there were stretches where I was by myself. The fastest pacer was only 3:15, and my pace is generally a mid-pack pace at other races. I think the focus - and participation - is mostly at the half marathon. Aid stations have powerade then water, which is a must for me since I like to take a small amount of carb but wash its stickiness out. To the meat though: with a fever the night before, my race was undermined and I hit the wall at mile 13, dropping rather than suffering a death march at mile 14. This is the only race of any length I've dropped out of, and it hit me really hard. On the good side, the medical staff at mile 14 were phenomenal, getting me hydrated and carbed, talking me through what had just happened, and keeping me warm during the *LONG* wait for the shuttle to the finish. On the bad side, the shuttle took over an *HOUR* to get me, while I sat there getting colder and colder, to the worry of the medical staff who were watching me. When the shuttle finally came, it dropped me and its other two passengers on the wrong side of the racers passing mile 25, and gave us the wrong directions. We ended up walking the last mile of the course, crossing the finish line. Oddly enough, even though I was scanned as 'DNF' by the medical staff at mile 14, the race still claims I finished, based on my crossing of the finish line. So they have some organizational issues there. Finally, my wife says that other than the excellent on-course medical staff letting me call her with their phones, she wouldn't have been able to find out what had happened since the medical tent at the end kept sending her away and refusing to tell her anything. Apparently their electronic system for reporting medical issues wasn't quite synced with the staff. All in all, I may choose to try this course again when I'm not sick, but it struck me as a good, but not a destination, marathon.

Top 10 Reasons to Run Green Bay: 1) Mile 25.7 is a lap inside Lambeau Field 2) Easy pre and post race logistics - parking, reuniting with family. Family gets to watch you run your Lambeau Lap from the stands. 3) Pancake flat course 4) Expo in atrium of Lambeau Field 5) Miles 10-16 are on a beautiful, scenic river bike trail 6) To bear witness to the fact that THE tallest structure in all of Green Bay is, of course,...Lambeau Field 7) Awesome Finisher's Medal - a 3 dimensional football that spins! 8) A lap around City Field the 1950's home of the Packers 9) More GU than I've ever been offered in a marathon! 10) Although you may not feel up to it at Mile 25.7, you can certainly attempt a Lambeau Leap into your adoring fan's arms - but occuring as it were at Mile 25.7, the maximum vertical most of could muster was only about 2 inches!

This was my 37th different marathon. It was one of my favorites! My top 10 PRO comments: 1. Great experience to start/finish and lap around inside Lambeau field. 2. Beautiful medal. 3. Interesting and diverse course, show- casing a lot of different aspects of the area like the Fox River trail and the old City Stadium, etc. 4. Aid stations were consistent and you could see them from afar, thanks to the giant flags. 5. The full started an hour before the half and we did not merge with them until the very end. No course congestion until the last mile! 6. Excellent band at the post race finish. The finish area was really enjoyable. 7. Whoever sang the national anthem at the starthe had a beautiful voice. Very touching way to start the race. 8. The expo was nice, being in the atrium at Lambeau field. They could have used more vendors, but it was fine. 9. The race tech top is a women's cut and fits nicelythey allowed me to change to another size too. 10. All of the people of Green Bay on the course were wonderful with huge hearts! Loved the people of Green Bay! It's hard to find anything to be critical about. The last mile was messy with the merge of the half and running into Lambeau with entire relay teams along a narrow path, but it was short and the loop inside Lambeau was so worth it. I would have preferred the finish line to have had a separate section to the left or right for the full only.

This was my second marathon and I have to say that I was not disappointed one bit. The volunteers and organizers did a fantastic job making things run smoothly. The course was great! I enjoyed running along the Fox River, seeing the surrounding towns, and doing a 'Lambeau Lap' The pacer that I ran with, Tim, was incredible. All of his splits were spot on. I can't forget to mention the weather; it was perfect! A+ marathon!

My first GB marathon. Course is flat and fast. I really like the course - it winds enough and takes you on roads, trails, around a track, through Lambeau, and more. Very well organized -great volunteers and friendly. Not a whole lot of spectators in the middle, but those who were out were great! Just a great all around experience.

This was state #33 and it did not disappoint. I was debating between running Lakefront in Milwaukee or this race and I am very glad that I picked Green Bay. When else are you able to run around Lambeau Field? Plus we ran around the track at City Stadium which was the home of the Packers before Lambeau. The course was flat and it is a great PR course. If you are debating on which marathon in Wisconsin to run, go ahead and sign up for Green Bay. You will not regret it! I loved the small town feel to the race as well. I loved the fact that the marathon had its own start and course. We didn't see the half marathoners until the finish which is one of my negative comments below. I have 2 negative comments. 1) The congestion once we came back together with the half marathoners was a fiasco. There were so many people running through the tunnel onto Lambeau field that I had to literally stop running and try to pass people. I wasn't trying to PR but I bet I lost 2 minutes with the amount of people. 2)The lines for the beer/rootbeer/brats were super long and we didn't even stick around because it would have taken forever to get my rootbeer and brat. A little disappointing that there was not food in the finishers chute between the buses. This would have been much more controllable than the amount of people trying to get food and beer with all the spectators. But don't let those 2 issues stop you from running Green Bay. And if you have kids, sign them up for the kids race on Saturday. It was a ton of fun for them.

This race was well organized from start to finish. The information was always up to date on the website and in E-mails. The volunteers were so enthusiastic. The course is very well marked and really nice as it rolls between Green Bay neighborhoods and along the Fox River. The pace group I was in was excellent. Thanks Ann and Theon! The final lap around Lambeau Field was euphoric (well, you need to be a Packer fan to appreciate that one.) My only complaint was the lack of showers after the race made it difficult for out of town runners who needed to leave after the race. It seemed odd what with a NFL facility that caters to roughly 200 athletes on any given Sunday in the fall looming in the background.

This small marathon focuses mostly on the half marathon. After the full and half split, the course feels a little lonely for a few miles. When it approaches DePere, the spectator support picks up a bit. It is a flat, fast marathon with one noticeable hill at about mile 8. This is a wonderful moderate sized marathon. The people of Green Bay are great. Residents set up sound systems in their yards during the quieter sections of the course. Some had sprinklers out, which was nice because 2013 was another warm one. If you decide to run this one, book a hotel the same day. Hotels fill up quickly.

Being from Wisconsin, this was a homecoming of sorts and the folks in GB put on a nice event. I don't believe this would be a successful event without the Packers allowing the runners to finish at Lambeau and use the atrium for a very good expo. For a race this size the parking and logistics are fantastic, and the only negatives were finding a hotel in the area and lousy post-race food. But it's the best option for a Wisconsin marathon as a 50-stater.

I was blown away by what a well-run, perfect race this was. I have many compliments - the expo was efficient and had lots to do, the pre-race period was easy to navigate, the course was beautiful, challenging enough, and well-supported, and the post-race festivities were great. I was most impressed with the volunteers. This was my eighth marathon, and I've never run one that included so many friendly people. The encouragement that they all offered made all the difference in the world. The only negatives that I can think of (and there aren't many) miles 12-16 are kind of dull (but not terrible), the merger with the half entering Lambeau is a bit tricky to navigate, there wasn't a ton in the way of post-race food (unless your stomach, unlike mine, can handle a beer and a brat post-race). On the whole, I can't recommend this race enough! By far my favorite mid-size marathon.

This was a disaster of a first marathon experience. I won't belabor all the issues of why the race was cancelled, if it should have been cancelled at all, or who the blame belongs to in the cancellation. What I will say is that for all of the alleged extra pre-race precautions that were put into place, it was obvious that there was no clear-cut cancellation plan, and everything was a mess as a result. What this race has going for it is a great small-town feel. The first few miles were packed with spectators, which I thought was impressive for 7 am on a hot and humid morning. I thought the expo in the Lambeau Field Atrium was also done very well, and there were more vendors than I expected for a race this size. I also liked receiving a weekly 'first-timers' email. While they didn't always teach me something about training or provide inspiration, it was a nice touch. A major problem for this race (and I see that many others have already posted about this) is that it's definitely focused on the half marathon. The full marathon is almost an afterthought; as soon as you separate from the half runners, the full course was dead for several miles. I'm sure there were more spectators and support further along the course, but alas, I was forced to stop running. I don't see myself running this race ever again, as long as this debacle remains unresolved. I would consider running next year if we received a refund towards registration (similar to what the Madison Marathon did a week later), or if the race director handed off responsibility to someone else. I don't blame him for canceling the race - I think it was the safe call in that situation. But after this and 2011's too long course, I think it's time for a change in leadership to repair the tarnished image of this race.

The race was cancelled at 9:35am, except the race director did not have an official race cancellation policy in place. Some people were forcibly removed from the course while others were encouraged to finish. No one received official finishing times except the top 4 men. This race and this race director are a joke. I have never in 17 marathons experienced something so poorly managed. I learned last year that the course was 1/2 mile long! This is a local Half Marathon that allows the locals to run through Lambeau Field. Don't waste your time, your money, or your training on this horrible event.

Locking the gate at mile 26 was such a poor decision that this race director should seriously consider handing the race over to someone else next year so as to bring confidence back to those planning to run this race. With the amount of marathons being cancelled in recent years due to heat, he should have had a more concise plan (like a cutoff at mile 17, for example). It's a shame really; the community does a great job supporting the runners. It's apparent that the director has likely never run a marathon.

Like everyone else, I'm disappointed by what happened with the weather. I got the news at mile 18, but felt good enough to continue and eventually completed the course. This race, even this year with the problems it had, has always had a very welcoming feel. My first CGB marathon was in 2003 and I return nearly every year for this race, from my home in Alaska and now California to run. It is a reasonably small marathon but has all the amenities of the larger races, such as a pasta dinner and expo. If anyone was responsible for the problems with this year's race, it was the inexperienced runners that didn't heed the warnings their bodies were giving. I changed my goal from 'a BQ' to 'finish at Lambeau rather than the hospital'. If more runners had done the same, the race would have probably gone off just fine.

The pre-race organization was great and the expo and pasta dinner were convenient to the hotels. The volunteers and fans were just great. There were not a lot of fans for the second half of the marathon. My issue is with how the cancellation was handled. The race director sent out an email earlier in the week addressing the warm weather forecast saying they added additional water stops for a total of 22, which is outstanding. They also were going to have ice at some of the stops and ice baths at the finish. Why not have a cancellation policy like Madison used a week later? It would have saved me a lot of money in air and hotel if it was cancelled on Friday. I was at about mile 22 when volunteers said the race was cancelled. I was told I could wait for a bus to come if I wanted. No one said that times were not going to count as I asked a couple volunteers. So of course I was going to finish the race since I made it that far. I paced myself, took in extra fluids at each stop, stretched a bit. It was hot but not unbearable. I had to climb over the railing to get into the finishing area and I did get a chip time finish. (I would have qualified for Boston but I know they can't count some times and not others) If the race director was so concerned about the runners safety, pick up the timing mats. Make them want to stop. Block the course off with police cars. I understand it's a tough decision and that either way would be scrutinized. I just feel the on course communication was poor and that better options could have been put into action. They had all week to come up with contingency plans and this was the best they could do? Why not stop the marathon for runners that had not hit x mile marker by y time? That is how they handle the time limit for slower runners/walkers. The half marathoners are what overwhelmed the medical staff, but the better prepared marathoners should not have been punished. As I walked to the hotel after the race about 4 hours after the start, there were about 10 ambulances just sitting in line waiting around. The doctor at the hospital said they were not overwhelmed. All in all, a frustrating event that could have been planned better. The people of Green Bay were great, especially the volunteers and I'd like to thank them. I would not consider this race again, especially after last years course being too long.

Thank you to all the Green Bay volunteers and spectators. Even though the marathon was cancelled midrace, the aid stations, marshals and police stayed in position to support those like me that chose to ignore the directions to stop and wait for buses to take you back to Lambeau Field and continue on to finish the race. Looks like I just missed the police car roadblock on the De Pere recreational path at 18 miles when the race was called off. Though some race officials were yelling for you to stop, the other volunteers happily passed you hydration, and cheered you on. The extra water stations and ice they set up for the predicted hot day worked for me. All those lawn sprinklers the citizens of Green Bay brought out were a life saver. THANK YOU! Race course is fairly flat with a couple of hills just to keep it interesting. Some beautiful neighbourhoods, fortunately with a decent green canopy to shade us. A couple of so so industrial areas, but hey it's a 26.2 mile route in a city area of just over 300,000. Nice section of recreational trail for mile 17 to 22 My theory of the marathon race cancellation was due to medical being overwhelming by heat injuries from the half marathoners. The bulk of the half marathoners were arriving and dropping at the finish line just shortly before the medical director pulled the plug on the full marathon race. Looking at the news reports online, it seems it was just half marathoners in the medical tent and being taken away in the ambulances. There were 7,000 in the half and 1,500 in the full so no matter the casualty rate of the half would be quite bigger no matter. Half Marathon I assume are mostly less experienced runners than full marathoners, and my opinion is that full marathoners pace themselves better. When I finished in just over four hours, I passed a line of a dozen empty ambulances near the finish line. For me the heat wasn't any worst than what I went through before at the Maui Marathon and the Sunburst Marathon in South Bend, Indiana that happens in June. I never felt I was in danger of any heat injuries. There were definitely more marathoners walking than running in the last third of the race, but thats a sensible thing in the hot weather we had. Plus knowing we weren't running an official race took the sail out of a lot of runners. No more than the usually amount of marathoners doing the survival shuffle and off to the side calf or hamstring stretch. They did keep the finish line open, so I got my medal and unofficial finishing photos, but the race clocks were turned off. Got an email from the race about 'Green Bay Results & Offers.' Kind of a slap in the face as only the top elite athletes got results and the rest of the email was an ad link to the sponsors. Plus we didn't get to do the Lambeau Lap around the football field this year due to construction at Lambeau. Consensus from my running buddies is to count this race in my 50 State Marathon total. So I will check off that I have done Green Bay Marathon and Wisconsin. Maybe one year I will return to make it official and do my Lambeau Lap.

This was to be my 7th running of the Cellcom Green Bay Marathon and though it was inclement weather (unseasonable hot), it was not unbearable. To say the least, it was disappointing to be stopped at mile 18, just when the shady part of the course and breeze picked up. I agree with the other comments that this is a half-marathon race, a community event. People in the community, runners or not, are encouraged to do the half or the relay. It always has many less runners, spectators the 2nd half. I always enjoyed that part. However, this year,the half-marathon was a detriment. They said medical resources were used up by 9:30am, just when the full marathoners were kicking it in to finish the race. I felt the race director made a bad call to cancel the race instead of giving the option to take the shuttles to the finish. The way it was presented, water stations were being shut down immediately and we had to take the shuttles to the finish line. The runner tracking has always been a great thing about this race, being sponsored by a cell phone company...but then the race got canceled. My husband and friends tracking me thought the worst when they just stopped getting texts with no explanation! My family at the finish line said there was not a lot of explanation there either. The clock simply turned off and they waited an hour for me to get back by taking the shuttle. I also heard those that tried to finish were blocked off from doing so. All in all, it was a mess. When the weather is good in GB in the spring, it has been great running...I did sub-3:45 twice. One year I wore gloves for half the race. However, last year the weather was horrible, really windy, and this year with the heat...You really can't plan for the weather in this one! After what happened this year, I wouldn't recommend this race. I never thought someone would tell me I couldn't finish a marathon. It's a terrible feeling, especially if you spend time, money and think about the training it took to get there.

As a runner for over 30 years, over 150 marathons and 50 ultramarathons, I see two problems with todays environment. First, there are way too many people participating that don't have a clue about running in a marathon. They jump into a race just because 'a friend did one' or 'I've done a half, I can do a marathon' without the proper training and understanding of what 26.2 miles feels like. This is a recipe for disaster. Second, once the Chicago Marathon got everyone running scared regarding race conditions it has become more and more common for races to opt out their committment to runners. Numerous serious, experienced runners come from long distances and spend big bucks to support the race organization so it seems only fair that race organizers permit those desirous of finishing to proceed at their own caution.

Serious runners shouldn't bother. It could be a great race with a special stadium finish but it is an embarassment to a great city instead. There are plenty of other better choices. Race organizers were not prepared for the 80 degree heat despite it being forecast for days. Ice water shortages etc. Due to their incompetence they chose to cancel the race partway through. A decision that was communicated unclearly to the runners. To make matters worse for runners that were well trained and prepared to deal with the heat they gated off the finish line. Unacceptable! The fit prepared runners that can handle the heat should not be robbed due to bad planning and a lot of out of shape runners that should know their limits and not start the race. After the course being long last year don't give this race another chance. Who knows what they might do next year.

This is a half marathon event with another, pretty boring loop thrown in for full marathoners. The half course did have great spectator support, was hilly and there was shade. There was little shade, spectators or anything at all interesting to run by in the last half of the marathon. They 'kind of, sort of' cancelled the race, in progress. Police were telling people the clocks were stopped, the course was closed and to wait for busses. There were no busses to be seen and I was already 21 miles in. I finished, having to hop a barrier at Lambeau to find my my to the end. Very poor execution. I also wonder why they wouldn't let people park at Lambeau, since 'construction' there was inside, and there seemed to be thousands of parking spaces unused. I had to get a cab back to the hotel, since the shuttles were eventually put out on the course picking up runners. There's not much to see in Green Bay, the course was a snoozer and the way the 'cancellation' was handled was a joke. I won't be back.

It is unfortunate that the race had to be called this year due to the heat but after watching several runners collapse, I agree with the decision. I was very impressed with the support and coordination. After running St. Louis earlier this year, I thought the course was relatively flat and fast. - Great Expo - Great post run party - Plenty of water stops and porto-potties - Nice medal - Great FaceBook updates leading up to the race - Plan your lodging early if you want a decent hotel.

Regarding future discounts for next years marathon, the RD says that 'we {the runners}just don't understand the economics of the race'. Maybe the RD does not understand the runners economics. A 2 day drive from Florida and 3 nights at the Green Bay hotel at $135 a night plus other costs. Another myth the RD has is the FLAT course, the first half is not flat and that was as far as i got before they stopped me. The money really is in the half marathon and that is all this race is, don't waste your money on this full, there are to many better marathons around. If no runners show up in the future maybe the RD will really understand economics.

This would be a fun half marathon. If you are traveling any distance at all I would look for another city for the full. If I could rate the voluntees it would be 5 stars. Great job for an otherwise bad situation. The volunteers saved the day.

This was my first time running the Green Bay half and for a race i was really looking forward to I was sorely disappointed. Despite the unbearable heat, I finished in 2:39, but was given no finishing time since they 'officially' cancelled the race at 2:35. Really? It's a slap in the face to those who worked hard on a hot day. The race wasn't very scenic and overall disorganized. I wouldn't recommend it.

Pulling the plug on the whole race was the wrong decision. I was at mile 22 when I was told the race had been called off. I was on pace to BQ with a minute to spare. I ran the rest of the way to near the finish line only to find the finish line gated off and the clock turned off. My race ended for me at 26.14 miles. No finish line, no results, no photos, no cheering family, my first BQ robbed from me. It is like it never happened. The woman who placed 5th finished behind me and got a finish time. The RD should have stopped the race based upon the mile maker say mile 16 and before. That would have allowed the more conditioned runners to complete the course freeing up resources to focus on those runners. He knew it was going to be warm he and should have had a multiple staged plan together. Imagine the guy who was at mile 25 who had the plug pulled on him. When you signup for a race and training months for it, you are putting your faith and confidence in the organizers. I can't recommend that other runners put your trust in the organizers.

Let me begin by saying the volunteer support was very good. 4-5 stars there, had there been a ranking. But ... I'm still a marathon newbie, but I've been running for more than 25 years, and I think G.P. hit the nail on the head. It is readily apparent this event is all about the half-marathon  not just in numbers, but in how the heat-related mid-race 'cancellation' was carried out. A police officer told me at Mile 19 that the race was closed and that I wouldn't be getting an official time. I was well ahead of a BQ pace at the time, but the news knocked the wind out of my sail. Yet I continued to the 'finish,' as did every other runner around me, only to cross the finish five minutes before the awards ceremony for the half-marathon. Then the Monday morning newspaper followed up with finishing times for most who ran the half, and news about them keeping the course open for the top 5 marathon finishers in each category, but no others. As G.P. said, what a slap in the face  particularly for those of us who finished the 26.2 as water stations were being shuttered. If the race was going to be canceled, the whole doggone thing should've been  half-marathoners, elite, everybody. Going through with the half-marathon awards ceremony was very bad form. Sorry, Green Bay, won't be back. Will head to Fargo instead next year.

With my friend, who finished the entire course for the record. Whoever crossed the finish line should claim their own record. However, I deeply appreciate the water station volunteers and spectators. They gave me a strength to stay on the race!!

My rating of this event has nothing to do with the fact that it was cancelled mid-race(I do however disagree with that decision). For any serious marathoner, I would consider finding a different race. This is basically a half-marathon event with a full option. 7000 people in the half, 1500 in the full. After the point where the 2 split off (a bit after mile 12) crowd support is sparse. I was also very unimpressed with the course. Not scenic at all and not much shade overall. It is not spectator friendly unless by foot. Pretty much the last time your friends and family can see you is mile 12. Assuming they want to see you finish, there isn't really anywhere else they can spectate from unless they are on bike. Also, don't be fooled. The course is not as flat as advertised. The volunteer and race support was very well done. Plenty of water, Gatorade and GU on the course and an adequate number of volunteers manning each station. As far as the race being cancelled, with the exception of getting the runners back to the finish line, everything around that was handled very poorly. Getting pulled off the course was one thing, but then being bused back to the finish area to be surrounded by thousands of people that had finished the half marathon and were celebrating their accomplishment, as well as the half marathon awards ceremony was a complete slap in the face.

It was an unfortunate and unusual day in May that the temp was so high. I picked GB this year in hopes of a cool marathon since Grandma's is usually hot. I have never seen such response to a hot marathon. Big kudos to the race director. There were water stops every mile with plenty of ice, gatorade and water. Thanks to all the volunteers who came out to man the stations. The course was flat. Easy to get to expo and start. There were three places with GU which doesn't happen often in a marathon. It was a big disappointment the race had to be canceled but also understandable in the conditions. I definately will come back again.