Coming from Michigan it was very convenient to take the SS Badger ferry across from Ludington which docks right in Manitowoc, WI. Everything was withing walking/biking distance. The race felt … MORE
Coming from Michigan it was very convenient to take the SS Badger ferry across from Ludington which docks right in Manitowoc, WI. Everything was withing walking/biking distance. The race felt like a small-town race but I like what they did to make it go well for everyone. The people were very friendly and welcoming to out-of-towners such as myself. The course runs primarily on a bike trail next to Lake Michigan or on roads near the water. My only disappointment was with the shirt and medal which didn’t represent very well the maritime nature of the race venue.
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Lake Michigan views make it special
Coming from Michigan it was very convenient to take the SS Badger ferry across from Ludington which docks right in Manitowoc, WI. Everything was withing walking/biking distance. The race felt … MORE
Coming from Michigan it was very convenient to take the SS Badger ferry across from Ludington which docks right in Manitowoc, WI. Everything was withing walking/biking distance. The race felt like a small-town race but I like what they did to make it go well for everyone. The people were very friendly and welcoming to out-of-towners such as myself. The course runs primarily on a bike trail next to Lake Michigan or on roads near the water. My only disappointment was with the shirt and medal which didn’t represent very well the maritime nature of the race venue.
Hidden gem of a hometown marathon
This is a great small-town race with fantastic volunteers. The race director sent only a couple of emails, but they were clear and told me exactly when and where to … MORE
This is a great small-town race with fantastic volunteers. The race director sent only a couple of emails, but they were clear and told me exactly when and where to be. The race starts and ends at a college so there is plenty of parking within 100 feet of the start line. There were also enough port-o-loos so no one had to wait in line. The local hotels all offered late check out for runners.
The course is an out and back that mostly follows the shore of Lake Michigan. I thought it was a pretty course although there is a small highway on one side. One interesting feature is that you run on all sorts of terrain – roads, sidewalks, greenway paths, gravel, dirt trails, wooden bridges. It is probably 90% road/sidewalk with all the other stuff coming within 2 miles of the turnaround. It is a fast course – no notable hills whatsoever. The only thing to keep in mind if you’re trying to run a fast time is that the wooden bridges and pine straw areas were slightly slick in the rain. I ran mostly alone, but did run with a pace group for a few miles. The pace team was awesome!
The race shirt is pretty simple a cheap, which I found kind of charming. The medal was a cool fish design. At the finish line, they gave out beer, water, and bratwurst. There were aid stations about every 1.25mi with water and Gatorade. I was pretty impressed at the number of aid stations given how small the race was.
Overall, I highly recommend this race if you like small town, low-key races. It is also a great BQ option.
Great race, just as advertised!
Hey, small local race to benefit a local charity. I can pick up with simple with no expo at all. Communication was excellent before the race, at the start, and … MORE
Hey, small local race to benefit a local charity. I can pick up with simple with no expo at all. Communication was excellent before the race, at the start, and during the race. Eight stations were plentiful. Despite wind and rain, the course was still beautiful along the shores of Lake Michigan. Not much in the way of spectators, but still, I give this a good rating. And the bratwurst at the finish line was delicious.
Small town vibes
The event is smaller and is well run, but nothing exceptionally notable. The course runs along some waterfront, through a park and has an out and back structure. MORE
The event is smaller and is well run, but nothing exceptionally notable. The course runs along some waterfront, through a park and has an out and back structure.
This is a great starter race!
Pros: -Easy course. It's all pretty much flat. When I say "pretty much" I mean that there is one minor hill at the beginning and end. -Scenic route -Smaller, more … MORE
Pros:
-Easy course. It’s all pretty much flat. When I say “pretty much” I mean that there is one minor hill at the beginning and end.
-Scenic route
-Smaller, more quaint race (if that’s what you’re looking for).
-Decent swag (cool shirt, running socks)
-Easy and smooth registration
-Easy places for people to find you and cheer you on.
Cons:
-Smaller, more quaint race (if you’re not looking for that).
-Spectators can dwindle throughout.
-Swag was just alright.
-Simple production but not a grand one.
Well organized, small race
This was my first time in Manitowoc. There was a full marathon, marathon relay, and half marathon. There were about 200 runners in the marathon and 200 in the half. … MORE
This was my first time in Manitowoc. There was a full marathon, marathon relay, and half marathon. There were about 200 runners in the marathon and 200 in the half. The half marathon started 15 minutes after the full. Packet pickup at the Maritime Museum went smoothly. The Museum also had some interesting exhibits. Free street parking was easy to find for packet pickup. Race swag included a cotton tee, running socks, and a packet of Gu. There was no race expo. The volunteers were very nice and helpful.
The course started at the University of Wisconsin Manitowoc and again parking was easy to find. The University was open to use the restroom facilities and also to take a shower after the race. There is a bit of running in the neighborhood by the school and then the course is on a paved trail along Lake Michigan. The trail is about 3 people wide, but passing was relatively easy due to the number of runners. Water/gatorade stops were plentiful. Both courses are out and back.
The full marathon course does a small loop in the town of Twin Rivers and it looked like it went onto a trail for a short distance. The majority of the course is the paved trail along the lake. The marathon course does go on the road for some of the course and the road is not closed. There are cones so that one lane of the 2 lane road is open. Traffic is fairly light in that area however.
The race day weather was perfect with starting temps in the high 50’s and a slight wind. The previous day was much more humid with a high in the 90’s.
There was a lot of cheering from other runners while passing on the way back and many cars honked their horns. There are not a huge number of spectators but they were friendly. It’s a fun atmosphere. The finish is a turn onto a downhill grassy area behind the school. Names are announced at the finish.
Race entry includes a beer or soda, food (brat, hot dog, or hamburger) and an ice cream sandwich. There are trophies for the male/female marathon winners and pins for the top 3 in the age group (10 year age groups).
This is a nice, smaller race that is scenic, well organized and is flat and fast.