Lakefront Marathon - Race Reviews

Pros: - generally nice course with a few rolling hills and views of Lake Michigan - easy to navigate smaller expo - good communication from race director - start was convenient with lots of indoor bathrooms - nice medal - appreciated return shuttle from finish to host hotels - plenty of water stops Cons - way to hot and humid this year, not that race director could control this, but was super tough for last part of marathon; maybe an earlier start could help?? - Hoan bridge was really tough way to end- no shade, lots of concrete, no water stops on bridge - not a ton of crowd support for a town of this side with almost no music/entertainment on course (except awesome polka guy at top of bridge)

Lakefront is a pure Marathon. Not a running fest, no 1/2 marathon, no relay teams. My only complaint was the crowned roads and some bottle necking that started around mile 13.

I ran in 2018 with my two sons. We all agreed that the course was enjoyable and the organization excellent. Weather was 40 deg or so at start with a strong tailwind for much of the North to South course. Ran my best time in 3 or 4 years. At the end: way above average refreshments, a nice medal, and a quality shirt.

Staff/volunteers and spectators were super friendly and helpful. Course was pleasant and interesting (including residential, wooded, and lake shore). I LOVE that they've got a school for holding area at the start (plenty of space, heat, and bathrooms. Parking & shuttles were easy, but could have used more info on the web ahead of time (I flew in and got full details at the expo). True, water stops weren't evenly spaced, but were as marked on the course map.

This race was filled with flaws and errors: brown gatorade, water stations that were not evenly spaced throughout the racecourse, not enough people stationed to hand out water, lack of crowd support, and flat out one of the most unorganized marathons I have ever ran.

This marathon has been around for thirty some years now, and two of the runners Sunday had participated in every one of them! That is a pretty impressive accomplishment. The race is named Lakefront, but you dont see much of Lake Michigan until near the end. The start-line is at Grafton High School, north of town, right off Interstate-43. The school was open to accommodate the runners, and there were a lot of runners. But it all started at the Italian Community Center, in the Lakefront area downtown, the day before. That is were the expo was held and where the runners checked in on Saturday. And that was the free parking area for Sunday, and where runners were picked up for the bus ride to Grafton. It was wet and raining lightly off and on during the pre-dawn. After we arrived at the school, it was still raining  a light, Seattle kind of rain. So, many folks were hanging out inside the school. Near the start line they had semi-truck for bag-drop, for runners warm-up clothing. That was really nice. As start-time drew closer, the runners migrated out to the start-line area. After the National Anthem and the start of the wheel-chair athletes, we were off. This was a good sized marathon, so the runners were moving as a big group for a while. After leaving Grafton, we went through some farm land, crossed over the interstate highway, and then passed through suburb communities to the north. We passed through the campus of Concordia University too. Coming into Milwaukee on Lakeshore Drive, as we neared the Lake Michigan shore, there were some pretty impressive homes to see. Some were mansions. This whole time we were on roads that were either closed or had a lane closed, so the runners had a safe running lane. And there were course marshals along the entire course to help keep us on the straight and narrow. The views of Lake Michigan were spectacular. There were a few boats out on the water too. As we neared the finish-line, the course turned into Veterans Park, and the last few tenths of a mile were run inside the park. After crossing the finish-line we received our medals, a bottle of water, and were directed to the food tent area. Post-race food was more Gatorade, soda pop, chocolate milk, oversized soft pretzels, cheese crackers, brownies, and trail mix with M&Ms, nuts, and raisins, bananas and apples. They kept non-runners out of the recovery area and food tent. That was good. They had more food and drink that was for sale, outside the runner recovery area. The weather was rainy, but that turned out to be not such a bad thing. It had rained the day before and the rain was misty to light rainfall from the start-line. The rain  and the overcast  kept the heat factor down for the runners, and no issues needing sun-screen or worrying about sun-burn. Nearby, the buses were waiting to give the runners a ride back to the Italian Community Center. This was a nice course, it was well-planned, and hey took care of the runners. Well done!

The course is perfect for setting a time, regardless of the conditions. Point to point with very little to no uphill and a course that falls downhill most of the way. The wind is the only factor. Excellent organization at the start and finish takes care of all of a runners needs. I will run this marathon whenever I can.

I have run Chicago and Milwaukee. Milwaukee was a great marathon! The course was a little boring and a little crowded at times. The crowds were great, even though there were huge stretches with no one. It was very well organized. It was flat and fast. I highly recommend this marathon, especially for the price.

What could be simpler? I picked up my packet with no waiting at the medium-sized expo on the day before. Marathon morning I stepped out of the door at the host hotel and there was a bus waiting to drive runners to the door of Grafton High School to wait for the start indoors. 15 minutes before the start we were asked to stroll out to the start line which was steps away. In between we handed our gear check bags to volunteers to be loaded on a truck. The course was beautiful and varied, with gentle rollers throughout, from rural Wisconsin, complete with cattle and horses, through suburbs and finally into Milwaukee. As pointed out earlier, as we moved into the city, the course was very narrow with significant traffic. The narrow course also put the negativity of a feud between the locals and Concordia in the face of the runners with seemingly endless temporary signs planted in the grass parkway. I personally don't need that during a marathon. I'll check into a cause on the first request, not the 200th. On the plus side, there were no half marathoners to deal with. Combining full and half marathons is just a bad idea and the Lakefront doesn't do that. Back to logistics: The pace group leader that I joined later in the race was fantastic in helping me to salvage a minor train wreck. Thanks Barry T. At the finish line where the announcer called out my name as I crossed (pretty cool), my gear was right there, along with the medal and heat sheet. Water took a bit longer, and I never did find Gatorade. Throughout, the volunteers were friendly, helpful, and very well-informed in answering questions. The marathon runs like clockwork and I really appreciated that. I like this marathon and will probably return for a fourth go.

The organizers of this race do a fantastic job. The logistics were very well executed. I personally stayed overnight walking distance from the start and had a car left near the finish. The organizers otherwise suggest taking a shuttle from the finish area to the start. Either are good options and will result in a low stress situation. Having the school available at the start is a plus since morning temps are cool. Things I would beware of: 1) it's a difficult route for spectators to access so there aren't many of them. The first 1/2+ is rural. 2) a good stretch of the course as you near Milwaukee and into the city is run along a fairly busy road and the runners are designated to the shoulder by traffic cones. It's a narrow space and the road surface is quite rough and uneven. Overall, a good experience but consider these things when deciding.

Great event, a marathon only race. No half-marathoners to contend with. Great course, very nice medal, nice finish line food. What I really enjoyed about the logistics of this race was how the traffic and parking was organized before the race at the start. Volunteers maneuvered and directed traffic into a smooth flow for parking spectators and racers. To improve things, a few more port potties on the course would be nice as well as more timing clocks. I really love this event. I loved the packet pick-up and simplicity of the expo....no overkill! Keep up the outstanding work! See you next year!

This was my 11th marathon and one of my favorites! It was very well organized. Catching the bus to get to the high school was easy and convenient, warming up in the high school was great (plenty of bathrooms), and the course was amazing! I loved the mix of the peaceful countryside and beautiful neighborhoods, not to mention the lake views! Simply awesome. The course was indeed fast. On a day of perfect marathon weather, I PR'ed by 10 minutes! I traveled to Wisconsin for this race from Kansas City and I would highly, highly recommend! I don't think I really have any complaintsI didn't like the shirt (really terrible yellow color), but that's just me being extremely picky. (Yellow is a tough color though...!) Gorgeous medal! Do it!!

Lakefront marathon was my 11th - the start was awesome along with they allowed us runners to hang out in the High School with announcements about the race and stay warm. Also the bathrooms. The course was awesome, loved the spectators, many played music, and lots of cheers yelling my name (my bib had my name on it - nice touch). The last few miles running into Milwaukee were beautiful along the lakefront - highly recommend this race!

It was such a pleasure. I have done 35 marathons and this one counts as one of the better marathons. It was very well organized, it was wonderful to have a warm place to hang out before the start, shuttles to/from the hotel was seamless, medals were beautiful, course was fast as promised, many cones to protect the runners and little traffic, running in rural areas was very calming, volunteers were amazing (the best!!), nice touch of a volunteer walking you to the medal Stand when you finished, the food at the finish line was very generous. I loved eating mac n cheese at the finish line; what a special treat to have one of my favorite comfort food. It was hot and tasty with Wisconsin cheese. The soft, fresh and doughy pretzels were to die for. Spectators were into the race; most cheered and yelled your name. Milwaukee was a fun city to visit; the locals were very friendly and there is a lot of fun food. The beer was amazing. The Hyatt Regency hotel provided great service with a 2 pm check out on Sunday. I rate this marathon a 10 .

This was my 10th marathon, and I would have to say one of my favorites. I had a 5 minute PR. Extremely fast and flat. Actually, there are a lot of downhills. The volunteers were the best I have seen. Very easy all around. I have run Chicago several times, Indy, Kenosha, and Fox Valley. This was a great race. I will be back. Thank you to all.

This group did not miss a thing and had everything covered. Truly a race for runners by runners. I flew in from Phila. and used Go Airport Shuttle to take me to and from my hotel. This I booked in advance and you can even add the drivers gratuity. I stayed at The Hampton Inn Downtown and found everything I needed within walking distance. No need to rent a car. My shuttle back on Sunday was at my hotel as planned. Saturday's expo was a 15 minute walk from my hotel, shuttles were available from noon to 6:00. Packet pick up was a breeze and with plenty of staff on had. They even had stickers you could add to your bib for first times, 50 stater's, ect.... I spent the afternoon at The Milwaukee Public Museum , plenty to see. The butterfly exhibit was really cool. Had a great Pasta Dinner at a placed called Louise's on Cathedral Square, about 10 minuet walk from my hotel. The city was easy to navigate on foot and I really enjoyed the 'River Walk' area. Got some pictures of ' The Fonz' statue. The shuttle on race morning from the Courtyard Marriott was perfect, a block & a half away. Grafton High School offered a nice warm place to stretch and meet other runners. Plenty of rest rooms, no line if you went to the locker rooms! Port-potties out front as well. We walked to the start 15 minuets before race time with our approved gear check bags. UPS was waiting for us. Temperature was 39 degrees, sunny and very little wind compared to Friday and Saturday. Great pace teams were spot on, I ran with the 3:30 group. The course was flat & scenic as advertised and opened up by the first mile for me. Nice mixture going from the country to the city. Lively group with a marching band & cheerleaders at Concordia University at mile (7)with great views of Lake Michigan. Plenty of well staffed water stops with port-o-potties every two miles. Really enjoyed the massive homes and lake views starting again around mile 20. Great finish on the lake in Liberty Park. Very festive with plenty of support, food at to go goodie bags. Sharp finishers medal and high tech shirt with no ads. Shuttle back to my hotel was easy to find and a welcome sight. Spent the afternoon walking around the third ward and enjoyed the Public Market. Visited the Milwaukee Art Museum as well. 50 stater's if you need Wisconsin, check this one out. Careful, it does fill up in early April. Thank you MLM for a great run & visit.

This was a scenic marathon course. We start at Grafton High School. It was nice to be able to stretch out inside the school gym,which was warm inside. We ran past these beautiful homes that sit on 4 or 5 acre lots with lots of trees. We ran past a cow farm and corn farm. The course goes down rural country roads. Course was mostly flat with some nice downhills at the last 3 or 4 miles of the marathon. The fluid stations were spaced out just right. Organization was top notch. They had our gear bags organized neatly at the finish and there was plenty of food at the finish also. Shuttle buses were very good in getting us to the start as well as taking us back to either the Hyatt or the Courtyard by Marriott after we finished. I was surprised that the marathon expo was very small. If you are a 50 Stater and you need Wisconsin, the M.L.M. is the best. You get alot for your money. The finisher medal was great. Make sure you register early because it fills up fast then go enjoy some beer at the Lakefront Brewery.

The only bad thing I can say about this race is that they fill early. Inside heated staging, fast course, beautiful scenery along the way, a good airport close by. This race is a jewel and organized by a runners' organization. Great job, guys. I'll be back next year.

This was my 32nd marathon. I have ran Boston, New York and Chicago and I would rate Lakefront right up there with them as far as being well run and organized. Course was honest, (not too hilly but some rolls to it) spectators though not as many as the BIG three, were still supportive. Shuttle service was timely and volunteers helpful and friendly.

Congratulations to the new race director for this year! A lot of nice finishing touches rounded off what is a great marathon from year to year. You cannot go wrong by registering for this race. It is hosted by the Badgerland Striders and this means the course, water stops, etc. will be well-managed. The start begins at Grafton High School with access to the high school to use the facilities and stay warm until the start. The spectators and volunteers are great. You will not see the lake for the first part of the race. Rather, you run along rural country roads and gain a very scenic early morning landscape which is to be appreciated! Gradually, you build up to a lake view around mile 8 as you run through Concordia University where the college band and cheerleaders help motivate you along! You gain full lake view around mile 23 to the finish. This race is put on by runners. The race director himself has run over 50 marathons and the Badgerland Striders offer a free marathon buildup program that starts in July to help you prepare in time for the marathon. Each week they increase the mileage and it affords you the opportunity to meet other runners and train together. The race director is there at the finish actively involved and is placing medals on the runners. This is truly a race by runners for runners. The Finish line announcer did a great job announcing the finishers. The water stops were adequately placed, and gels were provided as you moved further along the course. The finish line had a live band which was new this year. Awards were presented on-site and you could also get a printout of your results immediately which is nice. I participated in this event 7 times. It's a good solid race with a relatively flat course and usually nice weather. Add it to your race list for 2014. But make sure to register as soon as registration opens. It fills up fast.

I've run Twin Cities three times, so chose Lakefront for something new. Wow! The organization of this event is second-to-none. The expo was a single day and it was easy to park, get my stuff and check out the course maps. Volunteers were plentiful, knowledgable and super friendly. Being able to sit in the Grafton HS pre-race was excellent and the start area was great. The course has spectators spread out and is nice and pastoral in the early miles, despite some light rolling hills. If I would change anything, I would ask that the race offer bottled water at each stop. The first two water stations had tap water and the metallic taste didn't sit well with my stomach. However, I can't complain about much else because this race is really top notch and a lot of fun. I'll definitely be back!

MKE is a good course for PR. Weather agreed in 2013. By 300 yards off start you have plenty of room. And most runners are smart (no walking in front of you at water stops, etc.). Price is good, and start area in HS is nice touch. Cons include a weak expo, no goodies, horrible shirt, oddly spaced aid stations and minimal fan support. Pace leader for 3:25 was not running at a smooth pace, then I passed him on Lakeshore as he was walking. wtf? Pros include flat course, great volunteers, great finish area and open field. Most I talked to PRd.

This is a wonderful small marathon. Good: 1) transportation to expo, start and finish provided 2) hotels convenient to the lakefront 3) very organized expo 4) wonderful to wait at the school...walked out 15 minutes before the marathon...very convenient 5) beautiful course...nice neighborhoods and lakefront 6) very friendly volunteers 7) aid stations were well stocked with Gatorade that was not watered down! 8) the end of the race was very nice at the park 9) changing tents were great to get out of wet clothing 10) very easy course Not so good: 1) there were areas that were coned off that made it very narrow for the runners...this was not much of the course but enough to be noticeable All and all, a great race that I recommend highly!

I was very pleased with my finish time, probably the best time in my last seven marathons, so I may be a little biased. It's a very flat point to point course. They bus you out to the start line and you wait in a heated school building with real restrooms until about 10 minutes before the start. My 3:35 pace runner was great and the finish medal is the largest one I ever got in 37 marathons. I actually prefer this Marathon over the Chicago Marathon that takes place at about the same time of year because you get to wait in a heated school building at the start.

Race #2 of a double marathon weekend so I didn't expect to get much out of my legs. I was pleasantly surprised. I really enjoyed myself and just went with the flow. Running relaxed allowed me to pull in a runner who was struggling from the 30K mark. It was good to share the day. THE GOOD: Great point to point course. Very pretty neighborhoods and the open countryside early in the race allowed some amused wildlife (deer) to watch the race. Aid stations were well run and well spaced. Buses to the start line were well run and timely. The high school was a warm comfortable place to stretch out and relax prior to the start. The finisher medal was large and looks really good (much better than Chicago). THE BAD: The weather...I never did find the tailwind they told us about at the start area. The uphill walk to get to the parking lot buses was a struggle. The expo was kind of small for a race this size. In all seriousness, if this is what was bad, then this race is pretty damn good. THE UGLY: There were several spots that are just too narrow. I understand traffic has to move but in some places, you were reduced to single file and if you wanted to pass someone, you had to go outside the cone lane. I highly recommend this race as a better alternative to Chicago. The organization and the flat to downhill course make this a hidden gem that is overshadowed by the overpriced effort in the windy city.

This race is really well organized, the bus ride to the start is efficient and on time, the school at the start keeps people warm and provides a great social atmosphere. I ran the race as my 1st marathon in 2007 and went back in 2012 for my 10th marathon. It has only gotten better! This is one race where the volunteers guarantee you won't go off course and know where you will be turning well in advance. Water stations are well run! Flat and fast is true of this race, unlike some races out there this one is legit! Fan support is at all the right places. It's not Boston or Chicago so don't expect the streets to be lined. Enjoy the scenery and the open country, even the odd deer along the route. I will be back again, no question about it. Keep up the good work.

A wonderful race. The country-to-city course with occasional views of Lake Michigan is both bucolic and serene - and fast! Volunteers were numerous and excellent; I was particularly grateful to be allowed to wait in the back of the food tent for over an hour while waiting on my wife to finish, helping me to avoid shivering in the wind. Very well organized overall. The finishers' medals (very large!) and long-sleeved tech shirts (no ads!) were both nicely-designed. Looking forward to 2013's race!

I grew up in Milwaukee and when I decided to train for my first marathon, I wanted the Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon to be my first! It was a very well organized race. The smaller number of runners gives it a much more personal feel. The course was nice, scenic, with very small uphills. I must admit I have never been happier to see the corner of Lake Drive and Lincoln Memorial Drive. (I also didn't realize how far Veteran's Park Lagoon is from that corner!) The best part was receiving my finisher medal with a huge hug, smile and words of encouragement from Kris Hinrichs.

Milwaukee's Lakefront Marathon was my tenth marathon, and it's one of my favourites for 3 simple reasons. The course is fast and scenic. The organization of this event is spectacular. The volunteers are efficient, knowlegable and enthusiastic. It's such a great race for an awesome price. Added bonus points: huge, shiny, medal; great race tee; free massage post race; free and delicious beer; nice swag bag; linear course with fun bus ride to start; great weather; beautiful and safe city; lots of portajohns; good post race food; positioning of timing mats and delivery of results was great. This is a fantastic race. The fans were sparse, but well-grouped for lots of energy. Great job. I hope the new director next year will be able to maintain the incredible energy and organization of this event. Well done, Milwaukee!

Great race. This was my second marathon. It was a great experience thanks to all the volunteers and spectators! Beautiful course; nice and flat and very scenic. I would recommend this course to anyone. The pacer I ran with was absolutely fantastic! She helped keep me on time and helped me meet my goal!

Enjoyed the race, but with it being called 'Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon' I expected to see more of the Lake. You got to peak at the lake as you ran the course (Concordia College was nice) but for the most part, there was more viewing of corn fields and houses than lakefront until you get to the final stretch. (In fairness I knew this from the course map). Nothing wrong with the race, would just do a different one before I would repeat this one. Spectators were very good, but spread out.

While you can't control the weather, the sunny 40s and 50s for the race were a welcome change from all those long traiing runs in the summer steam! The course was very scenic, the volunteers very helpful and there were plenty of well staffed stops along the course. The course coverred some sparsely populated areas at the beginning, but there wre always spectators out to encourage the runners. This was a absolutely great race and I highly recommend it to anyone.

Although I haven't run another marathon to compare this one to, I have run 40+ races from 5k-13.1. I must say that this is the BEST race I have ever competed in (4:46:45). The spectators were friendly, and cheering for everybody. The course was easy on my knees and very fast. The race itself the most organized I have seen. Best of all the weather was perfect (sunny and 50s by the end) and there was tons of shade in case we needed it. I can't wait to run this again, what a great memory!

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.