It is getting closer to race day! With only about two weeks before the big day, we know a lot of you are planning out the final stages for your race and/or trip right now. With that in mind, here are some helpful details to help you plan. We'll be sending out more emails as we get closer, of course, but you can always find all the race info at www.wisconsinmarathon.com.
Be sure to read all the information below!
Race Packets:
If you selected to have your packet mailed out to you or if you signed up for the Virtual Race, we will begin shipping out your packet this weekend. You should expect that to arrive by the 26th. (You must select and pay for the packet mailing by the end of the day today if you want to have your packet mailed for $25.)
Milwaukee Area: Saturday, April 24, 11am to 3:30pm
Performance Running Outfitters- Oak Creek Location-7956 S Main Street, Oak Creek
Chicagoland: Sunday, April 25, 11am to 3:30pm
Dick Pond Athletics- Park Ridge Location- 575 Busse Hwy, Park Ridge (BTW, they moved a couple months ago)
Kenosha (Race Weekend):
Thursday, April 29, 4pm to 7pm (newly added!)
Chiappetta Shoes, 2862 39th Ave, Kenosha
Friday, April 30, 10:30am to 7:00pm.
Outside of Kenosha Public Museum, 5500 1st Ave, Kenosha
Kenosha (Race Morning): Saturday, May 1, 2021. 5:15am to 8:15am.
Race site, near start line.
Reminders:
- Masks and social distancing will be required at all packet pick-up locations
- Someone else can pick up your packet for you, yes.
- If you are picking up your packet on race morning, remember, there is no gear check available this year, so plan your pick up time accordingly and allow extra time to drop your shirt back at your car before you run.
Directions and Parking:
All parking will be in the downtown area and is about a 10 minute walk to the start line. There is NO parking at the museum and please don't have someone try to drive you down there to drop you off. The streets will probably be closed by the time you try.
Spectators:
We know everyone loves to watch the race, but if you have people come to cheer you on, please remind them of the spectator guidelines we are asking them to follow this year.
- There will be no spectators allowed in the areas near the start and finish lines. We are asking that all spectators spread themselves out along the course. See map below for streets.
- Spectators should still abide by social distancing standards and wear masks while watching the race.
- Important reminder for spectators, too: If you feel sick, stay home!
Course Map:
If you haven't looked at it yet, be sure to check out our course map.
Warm ups:
If you need to warm up before the race and would like to do any strides, we suggest doing them on the opposite side of the museums, on 2nd Ave. It is a nice, open street that we are not using for the race and it keeps you away from the people heading towards the start line. You must enter the start corral to go to the start. See below. Do not run over the start line the opposite way before you start the race. You timing chip will activate if you do and you'll probably run into people anyway.
Masks:
Please wear a mask and social distance while in the site site area. You are being asked to wear a mask while you are in the start corral until you start running. Once you start running, you may remove your mask.
After you finish the race, we ask that you put your mask back on. We will have some available at the finish if you lost it during the race.
REMEMBER:
If you feel sick, please stay home!
Start Cluster Details:
You all selected a start cluster time when you registered. Each start cluster contains 60 athletes and are spread three minutes apart. If you forgot what time you signed up for, you can check on your profile at www.runsignup.com or it will be on the sticker we apply to your bib when you get your race gear.
Athletes will be allowed to enter the starting corral no more than 10 minutes before their scheduled start time. See map below. Once you enter the corral, there will be a rolling start. That means you enter the corral, walk up to the start line, and once you cross the start, your timing chip will activate.
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Aid Stations:
There will be aid stations at the following approximate mile marks:
1.0 (also the aid station for the 5k)
3.2
4.9
7.1
9.1 (also the aid station for the 5k)
11.2
Each aid station will be stocked with Gatorade and water. The aid station set up is "elite style" meaning the cups will be placed on the tables and you can grab one as you run by. Be sure to keep moving through the aid stations. They will be spaced out to help stop any traffic jams.
There will also be quick fill options on the last table for anyone carrying their own water bottle. There will be a cooler with a "quick fill" nozzle filled with Gatorade and galloned water on the tables to pour your own water.
There will also be hand sanitizer stands and porto-potties at each aid station.
Medical assistance will also be available at each aid station, should you need it.
Trash cans will also be at each aid station. Use them! 1) Because we want to keep our cities free of trash and 2) because we would like to limit touch points for our staff and volunteers and do not want to touch extra items. (Especially gel packs, gross.)
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Snapshot of New Rules for 2021:
- Rolling race start - you will choose your start time, as referenced above.
- Reduced participation densities - arrive to start area no more than 10 minutes prior to your wave.
- Masks worn at start and finish - can be removed once you begin running.
- "Elite style" aid stations. Grab off the table or fill your own.
- Post race food will be Grab & Go - pre-bagged for easy distribution.
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No gear check available this year.
Additional Information:
- Due to suggested health and safety regulations, we will not be able to serve up brats and beer after the race, nor will we be able to have all the tents and hang out areas at the finish line, as usual. We will still have cheese and we will still have some great post-race refreshments for you!
- We will not be providing holdable goodie bags this year to go along with your shirt and bib. We will instead email out a virtual goodie bag with various promotions. (It's greener that way, anyway.)
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For all of our deferred runners from last year, be sure to follow the instructions from the email we sent before in regards to start times. Link with details is here in case you needed it. Be sure to select a start time ASAP if you are running with us this year!
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Message for those who need to make a decision from last year: |
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Quick reminder, for those that were deferred to this year's race from 2020, if you have not yet selected a start time, be sure to log into your profile at www.runsignup.com and do that as soon as you can. Log in at the top right, find our race, hit MANAGE REGISTRATION and you'll see the corrals option at the bottom of the page. If you were registered for the marathon distance last year, you need to switch to the half marathon or the 5k before you are allowed to select a start time. Be sure to respond to the email from January with your marathon registration options.
If you registered with another person, the person that filled out the registration may have to sign in first and allow you to make updates.
Of course, if you have decided to not run in person this year, that's fine, too. You can still defer your registration to 2022, transfer your registration to someone else, or run the virtual option. Be sure to make this decision soon, if you haven't yet done so.
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NOTE FROM THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR |
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Dear Wisconsin Half Marathon/5K Participants,
Welcome back to racing! We realize this may be the first organized race for many in a while. While a few things may be a little different than previous years, the spirit of challenging oneself and safely sharing the experience with others remains unchanged.
A few reminders:
- Refer to the Wisconsin Marathon website for the latest COVID related changes to race day check-in, starting times, corral distancing, in-race precautions, and post-race procedures. These were carefully planned for the safety of all runners and conjunction with health department recommendations.
- Only take water cups from tables, not from the hands of aid volunteers. Avoid the hand-offs.
- While you may remove your mask while running, practice distancing from other runners and spectators to ensure everyone has a safe and enjoyable experience.
- If you are feeling ill, whether COVID symptoms or not, you should refrain from participating. Your own health is paramount. Running is a rigorous physical activity that confers its own risks.
- If you have experienced moderate or severe COVID symptoms in the past and have not been training, it is not recommended you participate. Likewise, if you have experienced any chest pain, worsened shortness of breath, fatigue, or dizziness during training, you should
refrain from participating.
- Be prepared for predicted and changing race-day conditions. If conditions warrant, be prepared to adjust your race plan as needed for wind, rain, heat, and cold. Your safety is most important.
- Make sure you adequately hydrate pre-race and only drink water during the race to the extent you are thirsty.
- Plan with your support team when and where you will meet after your race and know how to get in contact with them.
A final note about running after COVID infection:
If you have had COVID with fever within the past 3 weeks, it is medically not recommended you compete.
Those with more remote COVID with symptoms should have checked with their primary care physician discussing return to rigorous sport such as running. We seek to provide a safe and healthy environment for every athlete to perform their best on race day. If you find yourself needing to withdraw during the race, find the nearest aid station or bike medic and they will be able to assist you. Aid stations are positioned strategically throughout the course. Bicycle Medics will also be following along on course.
Plan for success! Have a fun, safe, and great race!
Sincerely,
Dr. John Pick-Jacobs, DO
Wisconsin Marathon Medical Director
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Chiappetta Shoes is a footwear retailer offering the holy trinity of services including old-school “sit-and-fit” full-service retail operation, a full-service repair shop, and a world-class Pedorthic operation manufacturing custom orthotics in-house.
We were established in 1921 and this year marks our 100th year in business! The mission of Chiappetta Shoes is to be your first stop when solving foot-related problems. We work hard, we are passionate, and we are driven to solve your foot pain. We offer shoes from athletics to dress wear. Our popular brands are On-Running, Saucony, New Balance, and Birkenstock.
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This message was worth saying again:
We are so excited to see more and more in-person races happening this year. It looks like most of them have gone off safely and runners and race organizers have proven that in-person racing can happen this year.
This year, every city that hosts a race has given different recommendations for the race organizers and no one is just able to do what they have always done in the past if they want their event to go on. With that said, as one of the earlier races on the calendar for 2021, we feel that it is our responsibility to the running community to be an example of how a race can be safe, socially distant, and still a good experience. We hope that you all will join us in this thought process and help us to do things the right way so that future races can look to our example.
Yours in running,
Tracy and Jonathan
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This email has been sent to all current and past participants of the Wisconsin Marathon. It is not a confirmation email for the 2021 race. Please see our website, www.wisconsinmarathon.com for registration details and confirmation links. If you have any questions, you can email Jonathan at wisconsinmarathon@gmail.com.
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