Latest reviews by Lisa Dretske

(2016)
"Prepare for the monster hill!"
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Elevation Difficulty
Parking/Access
Race Management

I was looking forward to this race, because I have heard good things about races put on by RAM Racing. The packet pickup was offered the 3 days prior to the event. Race day packet pickup was not available. I've noticed more races doing lately. The packet pickup was at the Fleet Feet in Deerfield. I had never visited this fleet feet location so it was nice to look around at what they all had. I didn't have to wait at all to get my packet. Inside a nice tie bag, they gave me a very cute and fitted tech top. I think I'll actually be using this tech top, which is rare with me and race tops.

The next morning was the race. I signed up for the 5k, though a half marathon was also available. I may have to try that distance next year. Parking was super easy to find within one block of the race start/finish area. It was free too! The 5k started before the half, which seemed a little weird to me. There were approximately 500 people running the 5k, so it was nice to see several corrals separating the different pace groups so the race didn't feel overcrowded.

The race began with a gradual downhill for the first mile. It went through a quiet little neighborhood, before leading to a park area. Once we entered the park, the hills began! At first, there was a major downhill, which led to a beach area. But just as you finish the monster downhill, there was a crazy uphill. I definitely was not expecting this elevation change on a road 5k. After the major uphill, the remainder of the race was rolling hills. Luckily, the race director was smart by placing the water station just after the big uphill.

The finish area was very organized and I love when races announce your name as you finish. This definitely helped my friend who was spectating know when I was coming through the finish. The results were pretty much instantaneous too! One other nice thing, is at the finish instead of filling your hands with food and water, they hand you a baggie with all the food pre-packed! More races need to do this.

Cons:
-no race day packet pickup

Pros:
+Great swag
+beautiful course
+very organized race (packet pickup, corral start, finish area)
+I never had to wait in line for a port-o-potty! How often can you say that at a race
+Free pictures!

I definitely look forward to running this race again!

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(2016)
"Into the woods, into the woods!"
Overall
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This race is in conjunction with the Big Foot Triathlon on the following day. The race is held at the Big Foot State Park in Lake Geneva, WI, so a state park sticker is required to park at the event. They offered a daily pass as well in case someone did not have the yearly pass already. I arrived an hour before the event which was more than enough time to pick up my packet, get front row parking, and relax for a while before the race. With the bib we received a very nice long sleeve hooded tech top and a RAM Racing drawstring bag.
The organization of the race was a bit lacking. I got the feeling that more focus was put on the triathlon the next day, and getting everything ready for that event instead of the trail races. It was very easy to pick up my packet, and a few vendors had tents set up, but no one knew where the race started, or how the corrals were going to be split.
At about 8 minutes before the race was supposed to begin, someone finally announced over a speaker where to start lining up. The corrals were split into people who anticipated running faster than a 9/min. mile pace or over.
The 10k was 2 loops of the 5k route. The route was clearly marked with cones and even stated mileage every half mile. The scenery was very pretty, going around a small lake, through the camp ground, and through the woods. Most of the way was either grass or mulch, but there was some pavement when running through the camp ground. Trail shoes were not necessary this day, since the route isn't very technical and the ground was not muddy.
Throughout the 10k there was 4 aid stations. They were staggered well for the 5k, but the race could have added one right when the 10k split off from the 5k. There was a big gap between the 2nd and 3rd aid station for such a hot day.
At the finish, they announced my name as I ran through the finish line. They also handed you a bag with some post-race food. Unfortunately my bagel was moldy so I had to toss that out. They also handed you an ice cold towel to put on her neck! This felt like heaven after the hot run. I also liked that Nuun Hydration was available to sample before and after the race. 2 things this race should include next year are 1) Finishers medals or at least age group medals 2) BEER! There was a beer area for the triathlon, but no beer for the trail races.
They did offer free race photos, but only from the finish line.

In summary:
Pros:
+nuun hydration
+Nice tech top
+Nice scenery

Cons:
-not well organized
-no beer :(
-no finishers medal or age group medal

I'm not sure if I'll personally do this race again, but this would be a good trail race for someone wanting to try their first trail 5k or 10k.

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(2016)
"Conquering the Capital "
Overall
T-Shirts/SWAG
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This race was the second race that makes up the Conquer the Capital Challenge. The packet pickup was only available on the Friday or Saturday before, and there wasn't any race day packet pickup option. This was slightly annoying, especially since they didn't offer free parking. But at the packet pickup, they had a few vendors selling running products and clothes, as well as some races advertising their events. They also had a wall listing all the names of people participating in the races, which was a great photo opportunity.

The race was the next morning at 7 a.m. right in front of the Capital building. Luckily on Sundays there is free street parking in Madison, so this helped cut down on cost. The start was a bit more organized than the 10k race the night before. This race had pace groups with signs, so people could assign themselves to the appropriate area. The race led through the same route as the 10k the night before, through the observatory, past science buildings and past Camp Randall. The other half of the race lead me through a beautiful Arboretum and past Lake Wingra. This was the highlight of the race for me. Right when you exit the Arboretum, there's a crazy hill. This was probably the most challenging part of the race, since this incline was right around mile 9-10.

The finish was surrounded by a lot of spectators and they announced your name right when you cross the finish line. When I was finally done, I received my half marathon medal, followed by my Conquer the Capital medal. There were a lot of goodies to eat at the end as well-bananas and a bag from Panera bread with a sandwich, cookie, and chips inside! I also got to enjoy some chocolate milk and another beer. Yum!

Another thing I noticed is the event coordinator must have added a few more water and Gatorade stations then what was originally planned. This definitely helped since the temps were quite a bit above average.

To summarize:
Cons:
-no free parking at packet pickup

Pros:
+free race photos
+great t-shirts and medals
+very scenic course
+easy parking at race
+awesome post-race food and beverages!

I would definitely like to do the half marathon again. It was very challenging, so I wouldn't recommend this for a PR course. But it is a beautiful and scenic race!

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(2016)
"Hills? Bring It On!"
Overall
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Saturday May 14th, was not a typical May day for Wisconsin. There was an extra chill in the air and a bit of tension as everyone was setting up their gear for the Ice Age trail races. The 50 milers started at 6am, I was signed up for the 50k, which was starting at 8:15am.
I showed up to the trailhead, but the parking lot was full, so I parked across the street. This lot was still very close and I could walk to the start line in a matter of minutes. The packet pickup was located in a small warming building right next to the start. The race is capped to a small number of participants, so there was no line to pick up my bib or packet. I placed my drop bag on an already packed tarp full of gear.
The race started with the race director standing up on a ladder with a megaphone. He had some quick words and then counted down from 5. The 50k route is a 13 mile down and back through the more technical portion of the course, followed by two 9 mile loops. This offered some opportunities to not only access my drop bag as well as see my friends and family, without them having to drive around to different sections of the course. The first portion was a bit more technical, especially when you had to share the single track course with the 50kers coming back, as well as some of the fast moving 50 milers. This was a little annoying, especially since it prohibited me from using the downhill to the fullest from miles 6-10. But it was nice to see some familiar faces for a portion of the race. The last 18 miles were on cross country skiing trails, so they were more open and easier to pass people, and a lot less technical.
Along the 50k route there were about 8 or 9 aid stations fully stocked with water, heed, soda, fruit, pretzels, salt tabs, chips, and more. Because of the elevation changes and access to the trail, they weren't spread out very evenly, but it's a trail race and this is to be expected. The volunteers were great at these aid stations, always cheering and smiling as every runner came through their area.
The finish area was the same as the start. It was great to finish and be able to access my car very easily, since I needed warm clothes immediately. It was snowing slightly during the race, which is very rare for this time of year in southern Wisconsin. At the finish was food, water, beer, race results, finishers memorabilia and a bonfire! The bonfire was amazing! I loved that I was able to get a print out immediately with my race results as well. The medal was a very nice looking key chain.

I would definitely do this race again. It was probably the most challenging race I've ever done and I loved every second of it.

Quick rundown:
Pros: aid stations, volunteers, beautiful course
Cons: tight course during the down-and-back

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(2016)
"Sunset over Madison"
Overall
T-Shirts/SWAG
Aid Stations
Course Scenery
Expo Quality
Elevation Difficulty
Parking/Access
Race Management

I had never done a race in Madison, Wisconsin before, so I was excited for this event. The packet pickup was mandatory either the Friday before, or Saturday a few hours before the race. This was a little inconvenient, since I didn't know the area very well and the location charged for parking. But I was happy to see that I received a tech shirt for each event that I was running that weekend. I registered for the Conquer the Capital Challenge (10k + Half Marathon). The event gave me 2 tech t-shirts and a tech long sleeve. The expo also had a few photo opportunities, one being an area that had everyone's name listed as a backdrop.

Luckily, parking wasn't too expensive when coming back to downtown Madison for the 10k. There was a wicked downpour about an hour before the race, so I just stayed in my car until it finished. The start line area was very clearly marked and easily accessible. The race started right in front of the capital building, which was beautiful at sunset. The entire race was very pretty, with views of the sun setting over the lake. We ran through different areas of the UW-Madison campus-past the observatory, Camp Randall, and the Science buildings. The final stretch had a breathtaking view of the Capital building lit up at night.

The finish line was right back at the Capital building, with a slight incline for the last stretch. When you run through the finish line, they announce your name over the speakers. They right away give you a very solid medal, then walk you through the recovery area with water, bananas, and yummy pizza and beer!

Some things that could be improved about the race are:
-aid station were a tad confusing and not spaced out well along the route
-parking is a bit annoying at the expo (not happy about having to pay for parking twice, once at the expo and then again for the race)
-the start of the race a a tad confusing since the corral is a free for all

Pros:
-nice t-shirts
-the course is very scenic
-awesome post-race food and beer!
-free photos!

I would run this race again, but I'd potentially look for a hotel closer to the race to alleviate parking issues.

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