I ran the 2018 Madison mini-marathon this year with my fiance. Because I was helping her get through her first 13.1, I went without headphones so I could cheer her on.

Thank goodness for the aid stations.

Without headphones, I might have otherwise gotten very bored and overwhelmed, but at the Madison mini, there's a cheering competition between every aid station. Different community orgs sign up to sponsor aid stations, and each one has its own theme. I found myself excited to get to each upcoming aid station, not for the water, but to see how goofy the next group of local high schoolers would be dressed.

The course itself was good--it wasn't my favorite tour of Madison, but given that the course is designed to start at end near the UW Campus's student union, I'll give it a pass. You do get to go past the farmers market and around the Madison zoo, which is cute. The consistent change of scenery helped keep my mind occupied. There are a few smaller hills, but nothing major. They removed the biggest hill from the course, so heads up that they could always decide to add it back in in future years.

The post-race party was a lot of fun, and the free beer was exactly what I needed after a hard race. Oh, and the medal this year was fun--and doubles as a bottle opener.

Parking is a little tricky, but not too bad. There's definitely no street parking, so don't bother trying to avoid the ramps. The fees are pretty cheap compared to bigger cities.

The expo was fairly small, but it had everything I needed. I managed to pick up a tech tanktop at a good discount that I was able to then wear on race day.

I think this is a worthwhile race and a great reason to visit Madison, WI. Madison is a good time in the summer, and this race is a fantastic excuse to make a weekend trip and enjoy the city!