Wisconsin Dells MarathonOctober 23, 2011
We made the trip out to the Wisconsin Dells the Friday before the race. We stayed at the Wilderness Resort with family. It’s a fun idea to make a weekend out of the trip but racers won’t want to spend a lot of time marching up and down the stairs to the waterslides. This was the second year of the Dells marathon so it was still a relatively small event.
Wisconsin Dells Pre-Race Expo
We picked up our race packets on Saturday at the expo which was held at the Chula
Vista resort. The expo was tiny with only a handful of booths
and there really weren’t many runners around either. The packet
included the basic bib and timing chip, a GU gel, Clif Shot
Bloks and a tiny tube of Aquaphor healing ointment. Marathon
runners also received a jacket and some cheap throwaway gloves.
The pre-race communications and the expo all seemed pretty casual
but everything seemed to go pretty smoothly.
After picking up the packets, we took the time to drive the race route. The Wisconsin Dells marathon is known to be quite hilly but reading elevation maps doesn’t tell the story as well as seeing it in person. Coming from out of state, it was worth it to explore the course before the race to know what to expect.
Wisconsin Dells Marathon Race Day
The race start time was 8:00am and unlike larger venues, it wasn’t necessary to get there too early. The race started at the Wisconsin Dells Center and there was plenty of parking (for a $5 fee). There was also a shuttle running from the Chula Vista Resort where you could park for free. They start closing some of the roads around the course at 7:30am but spectators can still navigate their way around.
Before the race start, most runners were waiting in the Wisconsin Dells Center or in their cars to keep warm. There wasn’t a lot of instruction from the race organizers regarding the start. People began gathering near the large inflatable arch over the start line just before 8:00am. The race began about 6 minutes late which meant the race clocks running at water stations were off as well. I didn’t hear any announcements or starter pistol, everyone eventually started shuffling forward and the marathon had begun.
Weather
At start time, the temperature as around 32 ° F but we were expecting late October in Wisconsin to be pretty cool. The high for the day was around 50 ° F. It was overcast and cloudy with brief showers. I ended up running in shorts and a long sleeve shirt and was fairly comfortable for the whole race.
The Marathon Course
The Wisconsin Dells marathon course starts with a long winding downhill run. Since the course goes out and back, each hill you descend sticks in your mind as a challenging uphill to face on the return. Everyone knew that this hill would be a killer on the way to the finish.
The course then passes briefly through downtown Wisconsin Dells which had some nice scenery. After passing through downtown, the marathon course follows country roads for the rest of the route. The Wisconsin Dells Marathon had numerous rolling hills throughout the course that were long but most were not very steep.
The organizers claimed over one thousand runners were signed up for either the marathon or half-marathon race but it seemed like that number might have been rounded up a bit. Once we passed the half marathon turning point before mile 7, the number of runners dropped off considerably with less than 200 participants running the full marathon course. At mile 15, I met up with another Chicagoan who was running at a similar pace and we ran together for the remainder of the marathon. At one point we couldn’t see anyone else behind us or anyone in front of us. With so few runners, it has the potential to be a lonely course.
There were few spectators along the marathon course. With a small event and dreary weather, it wasn’t unexpected. We did pass many dedicated spectators who made many appearances along the course who were particularly encouraging.
The water stations along the racecourse were well spaced and offered water, Gatorade and, in the later miles, GU gels. I carried my water bottle and they event volunteers were quick to refill it for me. Each water station usually had a single port-a-potty but I didn’t see any lines along the way.
Though the roads were supposed to be closed for the marathon, there seemed to be quite a few cars driving through the course. Because of the river in the area, road options for drivers can be pretty limited. It was a bit of a distraction to have to clear the road from time to time but since it was such a small event, I’m sure many locals didn’t even know there was a race in progress.
Marathon Finish
After crossing the finish line, you receive your medal and have plenty of bananas, bagels, water and Gatorade to help your recovery. There was a band playing but because there were so few full marathon runners, there weren’t a lot of spectators cheering at the finish line. I completed the race in 4 hours 36 minutes which was slower than my goal time but given the hills on the course and the fact that I had been nursing an Achilles tendon injury, I was happy with the time.
One complaint about the event was that shortly after I finished the race, the band stopped playing and they started packing up the tents and tables while many racers were still finishing the course. Many people had put in long hours training and had just completed a challenging race. It seemed like poor form for event staff to diminish their accomplishment by cleaning up too soon.
Overall, it was an enjoyable race but an entirely different atmosphere than larger races. There was a very casual attitude and not a lot of structure which made for a relatively laid back environment.
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