Overall, I thought the months leading up to the event, as well as the event itself were well organized, allowing me to concentrate on my race. It was a great event, fun, rewarding, and I plan on doing it again.

I was so proud to run my first full in the city I call home. The goal of this marathon was to show off Milwaukee, and it definitely achieved that! We went by so many unique spots, and I discovered new hidden gems that were new to me! Highlights included - the lakefront and the Calatrava and Lake Park, Lakefront Brewery, Harley Davidson's plant, Marquette University, Washington Park and Sherman Blvd, Miller Park and the VA and the surrounding parks, HD Museum and the Third Ward, and of course Summerfest grounds. The hills in the second half were challenging, but not unreasonable. The course was pretty consistent with spectators, although there were some lonely sections through the Hank Aaron trail, but overall I was impressed with the awesome, friendly people lining the course.

The setup of the course also allowed spectators to hit several points of the course easily! I saw my friends out there about 5 different places, which made a huge difference in motivation!

Aid stations were well timed, with Nuun and Water, and it was nice that they identified which groups manned each aid station. It really brought a nice sense of community to the event. Porta potties were also frequent, and although some spots only had 2, you could be sure there was another set just up the road. I wish there was more calories at the aid stations, but that would be the only thing I would change.

I think this was an incredible first year. It definitely did not feel like a first year event, and I look forward to many more.

Link to this review