Paavo Nurmi Marathon - Hurley, WI - Saturday, August 8, 2015

To add to my goal of a marathon in each of the 50 states, I chose this marathon in Wisconsin.  It was a longer drive than I thought it would be, but I managed to get there before the pasta dinner ended to pick up my packet.  I found a girl online named Sharon from Arizona that belongs to Marathon Maniacs Club and is working on her 50 States Marathons and asked her if I could share her room. So I met a new person who loves to run as much as I do.  We actually met up at the packet pickup.

Got up at 4:40a.m to start getting ready for the marathon.  I taped all the places on my body that usually get sore during a long run with KT pro sports tape.  Ate my bagel and Justin's Almond butter with some gatorade and water.  Left to catch the bus.

On the way to the bus I got turned around and lost and apparently blew right threw a stop sign at the top of a hill.  A police officer just happened to be following me.  When he pulled up beside me and we both rolled down our windows.  I asked him what was wrong and he said, "Do you realize that you ran a stop sign?"  I told him I was all flustered and lost and I was going to run a marathon and needed to catch a bus and didn't know where I was supposed to park.  He said he would escort me to where we could park and he did.  Such a nice police officer.

The bus came just 10 minutes later and I got on it.  It seemed like a short ride to the start.  I should have had a jacket or a blanket because I was cold.

While waiting for the race to start I sat at a picnic table and talked to four people that were in the 50 States Marathon club.  When you add up their marathons, combined it was over 1200. Impressive, so I asked a lot of questions.

 Before I knew it the race began.  Just .2 into the running a guy started talking to me that seemed to be my same pace.  His name was Craig.  I only had to ask his name like three times.  He is from Minnesota.  He really helped me with the first 12 miles of hills, he talked and talked and I talked on the downhills.  I had to fix my shoe at mile 12 otherwise I would have loved to run with him the entire time and I would have PRed had I stayed with him, he finished at 4:54.  Bummer.  Next time.

By far this was the hardest course I have ever ran.  Lots of hills.  Here is the elevation map.  Now for some pictures.

Not a great picture.  Hard to get when you aren't looking and just
driving by clicking the camera.

A picture I took out in the middle of Wisconsin in the middle of nowhere.  It was a gorgeous view.

This is where we had to meet to catch the bus to the start of the marathon.

Every street corner has a cheese house.  I took a picture of this one.

This is Sharon Berger from Arizona and I after the race.  We shared a hotelroom together.  I just met her the night
before the race.  I sure love the Marathon Maniacs club because you meet people from all over
the country that you never would have met.

The Garmin results

I met this man at .2 miles in the race. He started talking to me and we ran 12 miles together.  His name is Craig Swanson and he has run 256 marathons.

A bridge over the Mississippi River that I was diving up to as the sun was setting.  So gorgeous.

Underneath the bridge

The race bib.  I was bummed at the plain Road ID bib for a marathon.  I love it when the name of the race can be on the bib and they had those bibs that said Paavo Nurmi Marathon on them, but apparently didn't order enough bibs for everyone.   I added the logo sticker from my clear bag to my bib to dress it up more.

Finisher medal.  I really like the medal but didn't like the ribbon that was attached to it.

Front of  cotton shirt.  Love the typo.

Back of shirt.

Great things about this race:
Enough water stations with tons of volunteers and supplies for all racers.
Ice baggies at water stations.  Nice touch since it was a hot day.
Getting a finishing medal for your efforts.
Bib for your scrapbook.
Pasta dinner the night before the race that was only $8.00 and it was good.
Race booklet that gave all instructions you would need for race day.
Well marked course.
On time, clean busses to take you to the start.
Port-a-potties at most mile stops.
Chip timing.
Results on the internet the same day.

Things that could be improved :
Nicer looking Bib for everyone that runs the marathon with the name of the race on it.
Dri fit shirt that looks awesome.
Someone to put the medal on your neck as you cross the finish line.  You shouldn't have to ask where your medal is at then go into a bar to get your medal.
Instant printed results for your scrapbook.
More food than just hot stew at the finish line.  Our bodies are hot from running a long race in the summer, we need cold items at the finish like chocolate  milk, popsicles, watermelon!!