Race Review: Sweet Home Milwaukee 5K

This would be what I would consider an entry level 5K for beginner runners. Or, as in my case this year, a very good opportunity to PR your 5K time if you’re in the market to do so. The weather this year was quite chilly. How chilly you ask? Low 30s and later that day it snowed. On April 27. Gotta love Wisconsin weather, haha! So here are the details of this year’s Sweet Home Milwaukee 5K!

Expo Quality: Not really an expo per se. You pick up your packet at a local running store, Performance Running Outfitters. They give you your bib and some fillers in your bag along with your t-shirt. The one cool benefit of having packet pickup there is if you need or want to check out some new sneakers, you’ll be set.

Race Management: Lots of contact leading up to the race, even a final email on the Thursday before the race informing runners that a decision would be made early if inclement weather were to arrive sooner than predicted. Great atmosphere at the race with music and the emcee keeping everyone awake and chuckling before the race and after the race.

Parking/Access: The race is held on the Milwaukee Lakefront at Veterans Park, which has a decent amount of parking spaces and then street parking is also available in the area. I had no trouble getting a spot and it seemed a lot of people had no trouble with the street parking.

Course Scenery: The race runs along the lakefront so you have plenty to gaze out at as you complete the 5K. Also, you’re running through the park so all spectators can cheer you on from all the picnic tables that are spread about.

Aid Stations: One water station a little beyond the one mile marker point (via your own tracking since there were no actual mile markers on the course). Both sides of the course had tables with volunteers handing out water.

Elevation Difficulty: None. There is zero elevation hence why it makes for a nice starter 5K for someone.

T-Shirts/Swag: You receive a long-sleeve cotton t-shirt and a pretty sweet medal that doubles as a bottle opener. You also receive a free beer ticket which this year got you a brew from local brewery Third Space Brewing. You also get a ticket for a free Bloody Mary at local restaurant Stubby’s Gastropub. At the finish line there was water, a banana and apples.

Overall: The weather notwithstanding I enjoyed the race. Yes, I have some bias since I set a PR for myself in the 5K distance but the communication was good, the swag was good for the price and course was nice to run on. Also, they had a food drive being put on by the Hunger Task Force that was connected to a raffle. You could donate items of food or a monetary donation. I would definitely consider doing this race next year. The weather has to be better, right? Haha!

 

Hope you have enjoyed this review and happy running!

Race Review: Great Milwaukee Pi Run

The Great Milwaukee Pi Run was a race that I thought looked like a fun run, something to break my quiet streak of not running an actual race since January. I’ve also been looking for more 5K’s to run in order for more opportunities to break my PR in the distance. (Full disclosure: I did not succeed with this race). The race takes place in a park with a botanical garden as the centerpiece (although that wasn’t part of the course and it’s winter) but it was nice to be away from the sounds of traffic and only the noise of other runners and nature. Let me tell you now about the pros and, unfortunately, some cons of the Great Milwaukee Pi Run.

T-Shirt/Swag: Have to be honest, this race for the cost of it, does pretty well with the swag. You receive a race t-shirt that has a cute message referring to Pi. This year’s colors were a fun maroon shirt and gold lettering. You also get a pretty sweet medal that shows a cow (not sure why) holding some pie. And to cap off the cups of water available at the end of the race (indoors, which was nice) you get your choice of a personal 4″ apple or cherry pie!

Aid Stations: There was one. Mid way through the course, which was good placement, sort of. Since the course had a point of out and back you passed the water station a second time, but it was only on the one side. So, great if you wanted water before hitting the 2 mile mark, but kind of out of luck if you wanted it on the way after the 2 mile marker.

Course Scenery: Pretty nice. It’s winter, so the trees are bare but the park itself was nice. There has been some crazy weather so there were some small patches on the course that had some ice but it was avoidable.

Expo Quality: No expo and packet pickup was the morning of the race. I am not really a fan of that because it makes me feel like I need to rush to get there and check in and then attach the bib, etc.

Elevation Difficulty: A rolling hills type course but the majority of those were small up and downs. EXCEPT, haha, the one hill heading up to the 2 mile marker. Whoa, was that a beast! The plus side of that hill was after getting to the top, you ran about 100 yards to turn around and head back. And was it ever great to scoot back DOWN that hill!

Parking/Access: Easy access to a free parking lot right where the start line and packet pickup was.

Race Management: I gave this three stars because I emailed the organizers twice questions that I had and never received any response. I thought that was irresponsible and unacceptable. I was disappointed and was angry. I will say the staff at the event were excellent and had a lot of energy. I can’t think of the last time I was at a 5K race where at the finish there were multiple people (along with the emcee) not only cheering you on and encouraging you, but running along side of you to the finish if they thought you were struggling. That was top-notch!

Happy Running!

The Madison Mini-Marathon: Another Half-Marathon Sign-up!

Disclaimer: I received free entry to the 11th annual Madison Mini-Marathon race as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

Well, I finally committed to another half-marathon, even if it is not taking place until August 17th! I’m excited to run this race for two reasons: 1) the course has your traversing your way through the beautiful city of Madison, Wisconsin, and 2) this is a race that I’ve wanted to run the last couple of years but the timing just didn’t work out in my favor.

Now, the question is, why aren’t you running this race too? Let me offer up a few reasons why you should sign up (besides the beautiful city of Madison).

• Instant Free Race Photos
• Super Soft Tri Blend Race Shirt
• Bottle Opener Finisher Medal
• Awesome 14th Mile Post Race Party with a free beer and soda!

(photo courtesy of Madison Mini-marathon website)

Now, when you sign up to join me and others, be sure to use the discount code, “BIBRAVE5” to save $5 off your registration! Don’t wait for the next price increase, get on board now for a great race in Madison!

Also, be sure to follow my blog to see how all my training for this race goes. Right now, I’m currently training for a marathon in April, but after that race and a brief break from serious running, it will be back to the grind for the Madison Mini-Marathon on August 17th!

Any questions or comments, feel free to reach out!

Happy Running!

I Signed Up for the Milwaukee Marathon!

Disclaimer: I received free entry to the Milwaukee Marathon as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

OK, I’m  not gonna throw any bunk your way and tell you lies or make you think I’m ignorant. I truly am excited for the Milwaukee Marathon in April, 2019. And the biggest reason I’m excited? It will be my fourth marathon but it will also be my first in the state I now call home. I feel like it should have been the first but, alas, it was not. But here I am now with the opportunity to run this race as a BibRavePro (and I did choose the distance; I could have picked the half or the 5K if I wanted), and I want others to join me and see all that Milwaukee and its surrounding suburbs have to offer to the visiting public. I will also freely admit that I picked this race because it is near where I live and, honestly, it will  be nice to sleep in my own bed the night before a marathon. No surprises, just wake up and head on down to the start line. That’s going to feel real good come race morning. Then there is the fact that I can train in some of the same neighborhood’s where the course takes place. I like knowing what to expect or at least have a general idea of what type of elevation I can expect to encounter out there.

I plan to keep you updated (and myself accountable) with a training log this time around. I won’t be crazy in depth but will include everything I am doing as the race gets closer and closer. But I won’t be punctual…since training has already started so I owe you two blogs to cover the last two weeks. I will only be getting in 16 weeks of training due to my erred judgment in how much time there was until April 6. Oh well. I am putting more effort and concentration into it this time.

Another reason you should think about joining me for the Milwaukee Marathon on April 6? Well, how about that swag that comes with this race. If you do the half marathon or the full (with me) you will receive a sweet quarter zip fleece and a tech tee! If you do just the 5K, you will receive only the tech tee.

What about a medal you ask? They have never disappointed in the past and I don’t see that happening this year. It really is a nice one!

And of course, there will be…..

The post race party might be what I am looking forward to the most and not because of the free beer you receive at the finish. No, this year the party will be held at the Milwaukee Bucks’ new arena’s, the Fiserv Forum, outdoor gathering place!

So, lots of exciting aspects to the Milwaukee Marathon in Milwaukee on April 6, 2019! And, most importantly, when you sign up for your preferred distance be sure to use code “RUN15” to save 15% on your entry!!! Don’t miss out and be sure to follow my blog not only for my training updates but to see what else the Milwaukee Marathon can offer you!

Happy Running!!

2018 Urban Bourbon Race Recap

Disclaimer: I received a free entry to the Urban Bourbon Half Marathon race as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find, and write race reviews!

Where to begin?! The Urban Bourbon Half Marathon presented by Jim Beam was a bucket list race after I heard so many positive stories about the race itself, the post race party and the race management team. And it did not disappoint at all! The city of Louisville was a great host as well but more on that near the end. First, an interesting disclaimer on the race: you must be 21 or older to run it due to all the fabulous bourbon tasting that occurs, and that’s just part of your registration. No added costs!

There were two options for packet pickup. One was to go to the PNC Club at Cardinals Stadium where there were multiple vendors, free bourbon tasting and a chance to take a photo in front of the race logo backdrop. The second option, which was provided to me by the Urban Bourbon management team, led by Michael Clemons, was a VIP pickup at the downtown Louisville Jim Beam Urban Stillhouse.

There was a live bluegrass band, the Tavern Travelers, who were lively and really cool just having there adding to the atmosphere. There was a nice spread of hors d’oeuvres and the option to have bourbon cocktails. After some friendly mingling with BibRavePros Frank and Emily, we all went down to the Taste of History experience where you get to sample four unique bourbons while learning a little about them as well as being taught the proper way to sip and taste bourbon.

We also received a special commemorative shot glass for attending the event, so that was an added bonus. Fun fact about the Stillhouse: they have an actual working bottling line going through the place.

After saying goodbye to Frank and Emily, I went out to get a bite to eat, carb up if you will, and then head back to my hotel to lay out the flat me for the Urban Bourbon in the morning.

Race morning was chilly with a bit of mist floating through the air, but it wouldn’t last. The mist would eventually vanish and the sun would come out. Before that though, I dropped my bag off at gear check and met up with Pros Emily, Frank and Corey for a pre race photo.

Of course it’s always all smiles BEFORE the run, lol. The start of the race was led off by a beautiful rendition of the Star Spangled Banner by the official bugler of the Kentucky Derby. Gave me chills hearing it as everyone was mentally preparing for the start.

The course itself takes you through a portion of downtown Louisville before heading to the suburbs (of sorts) and then you hit some hills around miles 7 – 10 as you wind your way in Cherokee Park. This is one of the best parts of the race. The park was beautiful and I had the luck of running through it just as the sun was really starting to rise. The lighting that lit up the grass and created some beautiful gleams through the trees was quite mesmerizing. Eventually the course brings you back to the starting point and after you cross the finish line you are then pushed out just before the entertainment district of Fourth Street Live. I ran a good race but I am left to wonder if it could have been better. I kept my pace steady but also safe leading into those hills that started at mile 7. I might have psyched myself out into being too careful and that cost me the chance at a PR for a half marathon. That being said, I finished the race strong. So strong that I never stopped running throughout the entire course and had ample energy to make a big burst over the finish line. I have to say that my training runs leading up to this race had not felt this good at any point. These photos here from J.A. Laub Photography pretty much show what I’m talking about.

I mean, I’m smiling. That NEVER happens, lol! I crossed and received my medal but totally missed the Urban Bourbon logo backdrop for my finisher photo. Ugh! Luckily I found another spot to get a nice shot.

And then it was time to party! And what a post race party it was! Just great, I mean really great. Bourbon Bash excitement! The wristband I received for signing up provided me with LOTS of goodies. For starters, there was live music by the Louisville Crashers and they opened up the place big time. Lot of energy; the lead singer even came out among the crowd multiple times getting people gigged up, both in front of the stage and even behind it.

Now after a half marathon, you tend to be a little famished and the Urban Bourbon provided some great options. There was pizza, Kentucky burgoo (a type of stew/chili would be the best way to describe it) and some Falls City beer. Oh, and let me not forget the four bourbon samplings you could have from many choices that were spread out around Fourth Street.

This post race party is the best I have ever attended following any race. There is a reason the Urban Bourbon Half Marathon was rated the #1 half marathon in the United States: all and everything above, from the very start with race management and their communication to the beautiful course and then the finisher of this party. During my rounding up of food and beverages, I was able to find Frank and Emily again so we could capture that ultimate photo: the one with the medals.

And about those medals, easily one of the coolest medals out there for a race. Also, you receive a unisex long sleeve tech shirt and the option to get a commemorative bottle of white label Jim Beam with a special Urban Bourbon Half Marathon touch to it.

Great swag coming from a great race. Can’t be beat. Now, as I mentioned above, time to praise Louisville. I made sure to give myself a couple extra days to check out some tourist type spots. I enjoyed every minute of my visits to the Louisville Slugger Museum, the Louisville Zoo, Mega Cavern and the brief stop at Churchill Downs. All reasons to make a return trip to Louisville to see more AND run the Urban Bourbon Half Marathon again! Oh yes, I plan to return!

Have you ever run the Urban Bourbon Half Marathon? If so, did you enjoy it too? Are you planning to run it if you haven’t yet? Please feel free to comment!

Happy running!

Urban Bourbon Half Marathon is Coming!

Disclaimer: I received free entry to the Urban Bourbon Half Marathon as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

Let me just tell you one thing first: I could not be more excited to be running this race on October 20 this year! Rated the top half marathon course on the BibRave 100 race list, this became a bucket list race for me real quick after hearing how much fun everyone has at it. The lively city of Louisville is the backdrop for this race so you know it’s gonna rock out.

Of course, bourbon plays a big role from the start to the finish. There are parties. There are tastings. There is a delicious amount of local cuisine! There will be music and beer! And then there is the kickass medal you receive when crossing that finish line!

I mean, seriously, how freaking awesome is that medal? It will easily become one of the coolest medals I own once it is in my collection, if not the coolest! I just love the barrel design with the bottle in the medal that spins. It’s lively, just like the race itself!

Another awesome feature about this race, and specifically the race website, is all the great activities you can do while making the trek to Louisville. Personally, I am planning to spend a few days in Louisville to really take in and enjoy the whole experience that the Urban Bourbon Half Marathon has to offer. Should you decide to join me in this race in this party town, definitely find the page below on their website.

This particular page is under the “Race Weekend” tab on the homepage. Clicking on the “here” you see above will take you to an awesome what-to-do-in-Louisville page. I’ve already been making a list of things I would like to attempt to check out while there and before/after race day action.

Tell me you aren’t thinking about this race! It screams fun! Who cares what time you finish with, this race experience is all about the ambiance and party! And if you DO think you want to come join me, make sure to use the special discount code I have for you. Simply go through the registration process and where it asks you for a promo code, put in “BourbonRave18” to save 10% off of your registration. Do not wait to sign up, just do it so you too can have a kickass time in Kentucky!

If you have any questions, feel free to comment and I’ll make sure to get back to you!

Race Review: Illinois Marathon

Disclaimer: I received free entry to the Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon race as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!!

What to say about my experience at the Illinois Marathon? It started out not so good but that was all on me. I left my house about two hours later than I had intended which made me get stuck into some nasty traffic more than once on the way. What should have been a three and a half hour trip turned into a four hour and forty-five minute trip and left me dangerously close to missing the designated packet pickup time. Thankfully, I got to the on-campus center where the expo was being held to pick up my bib and grab a pic or two. But, as you can see, the expo was really wrapping up and I missed all of the fun and informative stuff. Bummed about that but call it another lesson in traveling to a race, something I am still a relative rookie at doing so far.

I enjoyed what was left of the expo and did have the chance to talk to a few of the race representatives for some other local races in Champaign. It was brief and not as memorable as I would have liked, but, some is better than none. After the expo, I then headed to my hotel to check in and find a place to eat. This was not the best way to start my marathon night experience. By the time I found a place to eat that didn’t have too long of a wait, it was 8:45pm. I had dinner, got back to the hotel and wasn’t falling asleep until close to midnight. Why was I up so late you may ask? Because of being behind all day, I wasn’t even race prepped at all. So I got everything ready to attempt to make the morning run a little smooth.

But, of course, I then proceeded to sleep like crap. Tossed and turned and woke up once around 3am. Nothing like going into your second ever marathon on a restless night of sleep. Eventually my alarm went off and I was up and getting dressed for the race. Thank goodness for the abundance of parking at the start line area. The line of cars to get in moved smoothly and swiftly. Where for one moment I thought I was going to be late, then there was no worry at all and I had plenty of spare time to check my bag, stretch out some and get into my corral.

I was in corral F and it took about 20 minutes for us to move up and get into the front of the line. Oddly enough, somehow I ended up at the actual front of our corral; something that never happens. And then we were off! I had a great start. And that was after overcoming the weird feeling of something missing from the start. But that was just me. My only previous marathon experience was the Chicago Marathon and that was crazy noisy and boisterous crowds for miles. I remembered not turning on my music until mile 16. Here, it was amazing how the cheering and yelling at the start line just slowly disappeared about 300 yards down the road. Not completely quiet but definitely a difference. That being said, there was plenty of crowd support with families cheering on the side and students from the University of Illinois as well. There were DJ’s, rock bands, country bands and even a violinist at the split mark for the half and full marathon points. Plenty of aid stations with water and Gatorade. A couple of gel stations were sprinkled in as well with two orange stations. The volunteers were great! So supportive and helpful; they were the cheering section I needed at the end. I loved when running through the residential neighborhoods and there are folks offering up beer to drink; always cracks me up. And I’ll tell you what, I was ready to have one but I was making incredible time on my run and didn’t want to risk botching it up.

As the race went on and mile 6 became mile 13, I was still doing really well. Too well as it would turn out, but that didn’t rear its head until later. I was still averaging 8:33/mile at the 16 mile point which is really good for me. It wasn’t until mile 22 that things slowed down and my right hip started aching a little bit. By the end of the race, my hip was not happy but I muscled up enough energy and power through to the finish line and set a PR for myself. By almost 28 minutes!!! And I was able to break 4 hours too, which was my main goal.

I was more than happy with my performance with this race and how manageable the course was for me to navigate and dominate (at least for my level). The post race spread of food was awesome as well. Choices of chips, pizza, pasta with rolls and chocolate milk along with water were all available. And then the Riggs Beer Company beer for runners. I went with their IPL and it was awesome!

All in all, I had a great time with this race. The Illinois Marathon knows how to do it and do it well. They blended the full, the half and the 10K runners into one course at the same time (for the most part) and it was flawless in its operation. Would I run this race again? Hell yes. The full again? Perhaps. The half would be a fun challenge as well I think. You owe it to yourself to give this race a shot and earn yourself a sweet medal and maybe even a PR!

 

Did you run this year’s race? Have you run it in the past? I would love to hear your thoughts or respond to any comments or questions you may have about it!

Happy running!!

Allstate Hot Chocolate 15K Nashville Race Review

Disclaimer: I received free entry to the Allstate Hot Chocolate 15K in Nashville as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

I believe I lucked out in choosing Nashville as my city of choice for running in one of the Hot Chocolate series of races. I had never been there before and I definitely plan to return because of the hospitality and the overall fun atmosphere of the city. And that all started with the flight into Nashville. The flight attendants were having fun with a group of people who were celebrating someone’s birthday party and had the whole plane sing “Happy Birthday” to her. It was a fun way to wake up since the flight was at 5:25am and that is not my strong time of day. I only mention this in a race review because it really set the tone for my overall experience of the race and the city in what could have been a really crappy brief trip. And that would have been because of the weather. I flew in on a Friday and left on Satuday evening. Both days, low 40s with intermittent pouring rain. Not pleasant at all. The day before I arrvied: 75 and sunny. The day after I left: 55 and sunny. So, bad luck with weather but I didn’t let that damper my race trip and my feelings about the city. Now onto the review portion of this blog.

After settling in at my hotel, I took the hotel shuttle over to the entertainment district of Nashville, where a short walk of five blocks led me to the Musician’s Hall of Fame and the race expo. The expo are was relatively spread out well with the bib pickup off to the right past several vendors and your pullover on the other side of the room to the left from where you entered. Everything was labeled easily to locate your stuff. The largest vendor table belonged to Nuun Hydration, who were the race hydration sponsor. In the middle of the space was several rounders of Hot Chocolate merchandise from shirts to vests to headbands to water bottles. Some of it was on sale, some of it were newer items. In the back of the space was a spot for you to make a donation to Make-a-Wish and take a picture in front of their background. After picking up my bag and having an early hot chocolate treat, I took a necessary selfie in front of one of the many giant poster board options they had there.

(Sorry I look so awkward…)

After that I checked out some of Nashville (while ducking raindrops) and made my way back to the hotel to prepare for dinner and then a restful night of sleep before the race. I had everything laid out and ready to rock for the next day.

The next day (race day) started poorly because it was pouring. Cats and dogs pouring. One thing I despise is running in the rain. Freezing temps? Fine. Humid weather? Not ideal but fine. Rain is a killer. You just get cold and damp and slowly start to freeze. I had hoped the weather was taper off and it did for part of the race but not all of it. I took a ride service to the start line since the hotel shuttle wasn’t operating that early yet. I quickly found the bag check but made sure to snap a selfie with the big guy before checking my BibRave hooded sweatshirt.

Soon it was time to mosey over to the corrals and do some stretching. Just before they did the national anthem, they brought on a young Make-a-Wish child to ramp up the crowd. It definitely stirred me up and I was pumped to run.

The horn went off and so did we. I had set a goal in my head that I wouldn’t push myself because of an injury I have been trying to heal buuuuut I didn’t listen. I started out at a nice steady pace but then my competitive spirit kicked into gear and I started racing. The course was nice, but I will say it would probably been nicer had it not been intermittently raining/pouring. That’s also why I was probably going faster than I had planned myself to go. There were several minor inclines and declines but a lot of flat ground for the course. I must give a massive shout out to all the volunteers on the course, and two in particular. One, not really a volunteer I guess, but he was a police officer working the race. Coming down a straight stretch, there he was standing in the middle of the road, yelling like he had a bullhorn, cheering on runners and dishing out high fives to everyone. It was awesome and gave me some serious momentum! Second, with about two plus miles remaining in the race, one girl manning a water station by herself in a poncho while it poured was screaming and cheering all runners on to keep going and that the finish was near! Seriously uplifting! Way to go Nashville volunteers for the enthusiasm and tolerance of the weather!

A tempered finish line was to be expected since it was raining and many people were crossing and looking for cover right after or getting their coats from gear check. I was happy to finish the race so I could get to some warmth. They had water and Nuun at the end, as well as some chocolates that were being handed out. I received my finisher’s medal and got my hot chocolate bowl. Man, was that delicious and good!

I have to say, without the nasty weather, this would easily top my favorite race list by far. And even with the weather, I want to go back and plan to go back. For running and for more fun. If you are a runner, I would highly recommend this race in this city and make a long weekend out of it. So worth it with so much to do around your race.

And finally, about a week or so after the race I was able to claim my results for my race on the Athlinks website. Have you checked it out? Because if not, you should invest your time in doing so. Here’s a peek at what it does below.

Pretty cool! Check it out!

If you have any questions about the Hot Chocolate 15K in Nashville, please send them my way. I would love to share more if you like!

Happy Running!

PNC Milwaukee Marathon 10K Race

Disclaimer: I received a free entry to the 10K distance at the PNC Milwaukee Marathon race as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

Well, this race is getting some publicity and it is not good at all. For the second year in a row the course was marked incorrectly for the marathon distance and came up short. That’s the big news that is all out there. But what you may not have heard, because it is not the headliner, but the 10K distance was also short of its correct mark. I know this for fact as well because as I crossed the finish line (and I was aiming for a PR in the 10K distance) that my running app was going to come up short on the distance. So, as I crossed the line, I kept running right through the finishers line, grabbing my medal as I passed by but nothing else. I got to a clear spot away from everything and kept running until I hit my mark for the correct distance. This is unfortunate because it certainly tarnishes what should be a great race with a great expo.

The expo is held at the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee and there were plenty of vendors to keep you busy, interested and engaged. Packet pickup was easy and efficient (and that was even with picking up a friend’s packet for the half marathon as well). They had Saucony there showing off tons of shoes and gear but also an area where sale items were available. And the State Farm vendor was rather exceptional in my opinion. They had a tons of activities to keep kids busy and I always find that difficult when at expos so kudos to them for keeping them occupied. They also a had a course expert (ironic now, I know) who was going over the entire course for the marathon while I was there. Plus since it is held at the HD Museum, they have several models of bikes for anyone to peruse and check out, which I think is pretty cool.

The race itself is actually very nice. The 10K course was laid out very well and fair and not very challenging. No major inclines to worry about and you go around some nice parts of downtown. You get to run past the lakefront and the marina. Sandwiched between those two is the Milwaukee Art Museum which is incredible to look at as you run past. A small disappointment, although I think the weather had something to do with it (cool and breezy and cloudy), was there was only one musical act on the 10K course. It’s always nice to have a crowd cheering and extra music but there were very few race revelers on the sidelines. The orchestral band that was playing was great though, that must be said. The finish line area was well done with the announcer yelling out names as we crossed and then there was a bevy of items to grab on the way through the finisher area. After the medal, there was water, pretzels, bananas, bars and they were not stingy with the water. Also, you were given a beer ticket which was good for a Milwaukee Brewing Co. beer, a much better choice than a Miller Lite, etc. There was a runner’s recovery area (unfortunately it had a giant puddle under the tent due to massive rain the day before) and a Fuel Cafe station setup where free sample of coffee were available. Plus four food trucks were stationed just past the finisher area wafting sweet bbq smells into the crowd.

Aside from the disappointment of the course being too short (and, yes, I know that is a HUGE problem) this race really is a good race. Race management is up to speed and keeps you uber informed and the swag of the medal, race shirt and various coupons is worth signing up and participating. Hopefully they get another chance to fix this race marking problem and get it 100% correct next year. They have everything else in place to make this a great event.

Any questions or comments, fire away!

And, as always, happy running!