Icebreaker Indoor Marathon Milwaukee

Taken before the race, why not!

30th Marathon or longer race for me! 1/22/12 4:04+

This was a repeat of Wisconsin for the 50 states but it was an indoor winter marathon so I was curious and signed up before it sold out. It is 95.5 laps around the speed skating ice arena where olympic athletes train. The track is a 2 lane rubber track where 1 mile is more than 3 laps but less than the typical 4 laps that equal a mile on outdoor tracks.

There were 2 port a pottys on both ends of the track with 1 aid station. Because it was inside runners were required to bring 2 of their own bottles, have them labeled and volunteers would keep them filled with either water or powerade, whichever they were labeled to hold. As you circled around, when you needed a drink you would yell out to the volunteers your race number and the type of drink you wanted, and then on the next lap they have it ready and would hand it to you. Most people had handheld water bottles and would carry and drink for a lap and then hand them back to the volunteer. Rinse, repeat.

Marathon Maniac Pre race group photo

Start line-up

Aid station during the race

I had not realized they would have this system and just ended up putting my bottle on the "don't help me" table just beyond the main aid station and would just stop and drink as needed. I had HH help me get my bottle refilled and ended up drinking almost 3 liters of powerade. I was worried about dehydration in light of the decongestants I was taking for a cold and focused a lot on hydration. They also handed out vanilla and chocolate gu's at the far end of the aid station continuously after the first hour had elapsed.

Timing and lap counting was via chip timing with several large screens so you could track your progress. Although your name didn't always necessarily appear when you were going by but could ask for a lap count the next time you came by. I had HH help with this task a ways into the race. As I counted down the last 20 laps it ended up that I was one off. For most people the race announcer would say the runners name, race number and laps remaining. However, they must have not been doing it for everyone as I was counting on it for a confirmation. Well, I crossed my finish line and the race announcer said my name and that I was done. I was thinking I had 1 lap to go! The race official at the "finish" did not know if I was finished or not and so I headed out to do 1 more lap, just to make sure! I would hate to stop and have a minute elapse only to be told I really needed another lap. Ooops! Good training for the ultra in 2 weeks, right?

Not sure if I will do this one again but an interesting, well organized race!

1 down, 95 to go!