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☰
Lakefront Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Lakefront Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.4 
Organization 4.7 
Spectators 4.0
Number of comments: 172 [displaying comments 91 to 101]
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a. j. from milwaukee
(10/9/2007)
"An absolute must" (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 Lakefront Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Great job to the organizers of this event. In extremely warm temps there was no shortage of anything including water, gatorade, gel, volunteers, and spectators. I have read articles on the race to the south and can only say thanks to those involved for making for a safe and well put together event. You cant control the weather and the fact that that finishing time was pushed back to allow for slower pace shows that organizers truely cared about the participants. My advice to those looking for a good race. Bigger doesnt always mean better. See you next year. | |
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P. O. from New York
(10/8/2007)
"Should rename to just Milwaukee Marathon" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Lakefront Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I was really looking forward to running this race - as the course goes along Lake Michigan; unfortunately I had to wait until mile 23 to see it (unless you count the little peeks through residents' backyards to see it). It really should be renamed the Milwaukee Marathon - 'Lakefront' is a cruel misnomer. The course was mostly suburban roads (or country ones, if coming from a big city like me), which was ok not great. Mostly flat, a little rolling. I knew the conditions were going to be challenging with the warm weather; thankfully the cloud and tree coverage in the first part of the marathon helped immensely. I am grateful for all the hoses that residents put out on the course for us. An important note to those considering doing this one in the future - you will need to bring your own stash of food/energy because aside from the Hammergels you get at mile 19, there was not an orange or banana or cookie or bagel in sight (neither from race or crowd support). I was absolutely craving orange slices, but had to make do with three gels I brought with me, two from the race, and a kind lady dispensing Jolly Ranchers. Alas, no quick deli to run in and buy some other type of carbohydrate. There were a lot of runners who needed medical attention - aid stations were every couple of miles. It is unfortunate that race officials were not able to add more stops. Also, I really need to stress that if you know this is the case and the weather is practically record-breaking, you really want to have your own water bottle that you can refill. In the end, I was happy with my finishing time but somewhat disappointed with the course and amenities. | |
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D. T. from Westland, Michigan
(10/8/2007)
"Well organized, good run" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Lakefront Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was possibly the best small marathon I've run. My hat is off to the Badgerland Striders who organize this run. Kudos, too, to the many people along the route on this hot day who were out with hoses and sprinklers to help keep us going. This was a HOT day, but the organizers seemed to do all they could to help. There could have been more aid stations, but these had been fixed before the weather turned hot. Each aid station had a race official about 1/4 mile ahead giving instructions and advising us to 'hydrate!!!' The paper cups for both Gatorade and water were the largest I have ever seen at any race and there always seemed to be plenty of liquids. If I could change anything, it would be to have more of the race run inside Milwaukee. This is a historic and attractive city and worthy of a few miles of running. | |
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n. A. from Chicago
(10/8/2007)
"Runners helping runners in Milwaukee" (about: 2007)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Lakefront Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I think that because Milwaukee is run by a volunteer running organization and not concerned with the 'numbers', they are able to run a great race. The course was not downhill as I had heard, and I wish they had two more water stops. According to the race officials, there were simply no room on the streets for the additional stops. All stops were handled well and were stocked fully, including ice. Everything from the bus trip to the start to the ride back to the hotel was handled very well. Milwaukee makes a great argument for running a smaller race. They have fewer people to worry about, therefore they can pay attention to every detail, and do it very well. A special thanks to the wonderful residents along the way that made sure we were hosed down and offered extra water! | |
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N. S. from Milwaukee, WI
(10/8/2007)
"A great race on a great lake!" (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Lakefront Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first time doing the Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon and I was very impressed. While it was very, very hot, EVERY aid station had water and gatorade, and the last 2 had the gu they were supposed to have. This means a lot to the slower runners like me, so you don't feel so forgotten & neglected, but it also was absoutely essential given the 85 degree temperature yesterday! Locals who lived on the route were amazing...played music for us, had water to drink, and plenty had sprinklers and hoses available to run through to cool off. The people who set up chairs outside their homes on the race route to cheer us on made me feel great, and I appreciated that they cared enough to be there in the hot weather. This is humanity at it's best! I agree that there was at least one gap in water stations that needs to be filled. Thankfully, I had family along the route or I would never have made it without them bringing me extra drinks. Also, the last 3 miles on the lakefront near the beach and marina were not marked at all. They were kind enough to extend the finishing time to 7 hours due to the heat, but we found ourselves asking people walking on the lakefront (not race spectators or officials, random people) where we were supposed to go! If I hadn't been participating, I wouldn't have known there WAS a race going on because there were no signs, banners, cones, runners, spectators, officials or anything else suggesting an organized event. We were extra stressed about this because we knew we had to rush to make even the extended cutoff time given the extra fatigue from the heat, so having no indication where to go was very frusterating. Finally, an official on a bike led us to the finish or we wouldn't have found it in time to get an official time and our medal. After the rough day I'd had, battling the heat and the roads, that would have been very disapointing indeed. I know this race prides itself on being run by volunteers and the local running club, but I wish they would start taking sponsors so this could be a much more visible event to Milwaukeans. I didn't even know we had a marathon until I volunteered at it last year! With corporate sponsorship this event could attract 10,000 people and actually get some press attention. Overall, I was very impressed by this race. The rural scenery in the beginning was gorgeous with the leaves in every color possible. I recommend this marathon to anyone (other than a first timer due to the shorter finish time). | |
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E. R. from Philadelphia, PA
(10/8/2007)
"Thank you Wisconsin!!!" (about: 2007)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Lakefront Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The heat and humidity aside, this was a great race! The spectators were unexpectedly wonderful, cheerful, and supportive...many standing in their front yards with hoses to cool down the runners. (I too thought the accordion player was amazing.) The course seemed like a lot more uphill than downhill, which might not have been so bad except for the heat. I was also surprised by how little I actually saw the 'lake' in a 'lakefront' marathon. With so many spectators and organizers telling me that the heat would let up when we got to the lake, it was disappointing that it didn't make an appearance until around mile 23. All in all, a great race. I highly recommend it. | |
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M. H. from Cincinnati, OH
(10/8/2007)
"One of the best" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Lakefront Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I'm slowly working my way through the 50 states, and chose this one for my 26th state/30th marathon. I can't say enough good things about the overall experience. Yes it was hot, but there was quite a bit of shade on the course. I carried a water bottle in a fanny pack, so the spacing of the aid stations was not an issue for me. They were exactly as published so you knew what to expect. Plenty of water and Gatorade at each spot, cheerful and experienced volunteers. Loved the people who came out with their hoses and sprinklers all along the course. Loved the course: farmland in the beginning, mostly residential and the lovely bike trail along the lake at the end. Also liked the gently rolling hills. We stayed the night before a hotel 1 mile from the start line, and I grabbed a shower at the downtown Y post-race before heading south. I am slow but I was never alone in the back of the pack, in contrast to some other smaller races. Overall, it was a very low-key, low-stress experience. I would recommend this race to anyone who appreciates good organization, and the little things done right. Only criticism I could make would be of the food at the end, but that's pretty much the norm at most races. IMHO, just like you should carry your own water if you're worried about getting enough, you should arrange your own food at the end if you really need to eat something. They had the basics, and you can't expect much more. | |
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K. M. from Waukesha, WI
(10/8/2007)
"Volunteers made a grueling day a lot easier" (about: 2007)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Lakefront Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 After reading about the difficulties faced in Chicago this year due to the same heat and humidity we experienced in Milwaukee, I was grateful I chose to run my hometown race instead of Chicago. With the race capped at only 2500, and probably 2-3 volunteers per runner, there was no shortage of aid, water, Gatorade, etc. available to runners. Without the excellent volunteers, this would have been a very difficult race. People were really hurting from the heat. The race was very well organized, but I was a little dismayed that the course had many rolling hills which were tough under the hot conditions. It is not as flat a course as you might think! But there are many picturesque points along the way, and the last few miles along the lakefront are beautiful and breezy. Some areas I did feel a bit close to traffic; we had to stay close to the road shoulder. But overall, a very well-organized race. I'd like to do it again, I just hope it won't be so hot next time. | |
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A. M. from Indiana
(10/8/2007)
"Amazing Organization for a Smaller Race!" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 2 Lakefront Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 It was just as hot in the 2007 race as Chicago and this small all volunteer group outshined the big guys. Aid stations were well stocked and people working them were friendly and knowledgeable. There was always someone asking if you were okay, etc. At the finish line, everyone was escourted by a medical person and given a brief assessment. They really did a fantastic job handling such difficult conditions! Way to go Badgerland Striders!!! | |
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M. M. from Grand Rapids, MI
(10/8/2007)
"Great Small Marathon" (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Lakefront Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 My first compliment goes to all of the spectators who helped support the runners. They were unbelievable. I can't believe how many people came out to hand out water bottles and other aid to the runners and provided hoses to cool runners down. This was invaluable when the temp was 85 and humidity was 90 percent. The fans this year were great. I am sure there will be a million posts about how hot it was. This is not the race directors fault. This was a great smaller marathon. Seemed well run to me and organized. The course was decent and I am sure would have been a lot more enjoyable had it been cooler. The course was not as flat as I had expected. There were no major hills, but it seemed like you were always running on a gradual incline, with the exception of mile 23 which was completely downhill. It would be nice if this course was closed a little more. It seemed the further you went along, the narrower the course got (i.e. you start with two complete lanes of closed road and end up with having just the shoulder closed off). The only criticism I would have was the lack of aid stations and the spacing of the few that they did have. I understand that if you only have a few to work with, it would be better off having more at the end, but going fom mile 4 to mile 7.5 without an aid station was brutal. Possibly on the cooler days this would not be as big an issue. Overall this was a good race and I was pleasantly surprised by the city of Milwaukee. This race was an incredible value. P.S. The accordian player at mile 2 was also awesome. |
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