GREEN BAY MARATHON
In only its fourth year, popular marathon
again focuses attention on "Title Town" By Greg Marr In its short, three year history, the Cellcom Green Bay Marathon has earned kudos from its participants. Among the comments posted on the marathon's Web site (www.greenbaymarathon.com), include this from no less a runner than Wisconsin's own elite Dan Held. "This event really brought downtown Green Bay to life. The race was
able to show off the great things Green Bay has to offer and showed what a beautiful city it is! Congratulations!" "The volunteers pre race, race time, and post race were fantastic," adds Ray Scharenbrock. "When I stop to think of the number of volunteers that have been involved in my 405 marathons/ultras, it boggles my mind!
I was very appreciative of the seven hour, 15 minute time line. The time allowed many of the slower runners the chance to achieve a marathon. Your marathon was truly a 'peoples' marathon elite and average. I left Green Bay yesterday with a tremendously good feeling!" And then there was this from a Chicago area runner, home to one of the world's great marathons. "I wish I had a race evaluation to send in, but since I do not, I'll try to match the one we use here for CARA races. Scale is 1 10. Course 9. Just a bit more shade and it would be a 10. Volunteers 10. What a wonderful group of genuinely kind people they all were. Traffic control 10. Shirt and medal 10. I was impressed with the city, the people and the run. I am planning to do it again next year." Considering all this, as the marathon gears up for its fourth running on May 18, you'd think the race's director, Gloria West, would be nervously attending to last minute details to assure a continuation of this kind of praise. West is, of course, tending to details but that's not what's on her mind. What really has her attention this year is a pasta dinner speaker and training runs.  The Titletown Brewing Company Pasta Dinner on Saturday evening before the race will feature Helen Klein.
"Isn't she amazing?" West asked, and Klein is indeed amazing. She holds the age 80 85 world marathon record with a time of 4:31, set in Dec. 2002 at the age of 80. She broke the previous record by 39
minutes. Klein's marathon record was not her only accomplishment in 2002. She ran in eight ultras last year, and set world records in the 50K (6:45:23) and at 12 hours (50.5 miles 1,094 yards). Klein also holds the age group record for the 100 mile run (21:03:01).
Since beginning her ultramarathon career in 1981, Klein has completed 136 ultras and 59 marathons. Among her other
accomplishments are the 145 mile Marathon Des Sables and the 370 mile Eco Challenge in Utah. According to USATF, she was named Outstanding Athlete in 1986, 1991 and 1992 by TAC, the predecessor of USATF, and she is one of the four ultrarunner inductees in the USATF Masters Hall of Fame. Helen and her husband, Norm, direct the oldest 100 mile trail race in
America, the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run, and the Helen Klein Ultra Races. With this kind of background, her motivational talk, titled "How to Stay Young at 80," should truly be motivational and memorable. It's no wonder West is excited. "I read about her and then just took a chance and called to see if she
would come. I talked to her this week and she said she climbed Mount Chasta last weekend."
West urges anyone interested in attending the pasta dinner to sign up soon. There's room for 500 but it's filling fast. The fee for adults is $10, $5 for ages 5 12 with age 4 and younger free. If you miss the dinner, look for Klein on the course as Green Bay Marathon No. 60, and likely a new age 80 85 record, too.
The other thing that West is pumped up about is her training run
program, billed as the "Not Impossible" Marathon Training Program. A veteran of 30 marathons with a personal best of 3:17, and a long history as an event organizer, West has seen many different types of training programs. She's also seen many people show up the first day and then never return, intimidated by either the schedule or the atmosphere.
"I've seen programs that start with seven mile runs and I just don't
believe that's necessary. I started in January at two miles. We're up to 14 now."
As a result, the group has held together, meeting every Saturday morning, "and we've had some bitter Saturday mornings, but they continue to show up," West points out.
"I love running and helping people not just the elites. I believe in the whole pie. What we needed was a nonintimidating group. We started with walkers to eight minute milers. We break into groups of runners at
the same speed and go from there. I wanted to show them that running a marathon is not impossible and not just for the hardcore. Right now it's so exciting seeing them gain their confidence."
West feels training groups are important motivational tools, particularly for a May marathon in the northern states, where getting an early start on training is difficult. May, by the way, is a major change for the marathon; its three predecessors were held in June.
"It had to change," West says. "For three years in a row, the weather has just been way up there, just too hot. I don't know if it's global warming or what, but June has just been really hot."
With an earlier date and a better chance at more comfortable marathon temperatures average temps for that day are 68 degrees high, 45 low West says "enthusiasm is higher than ever" for the expected 5,000 6,000 runners.
One draw for the first Green Bay Marathon was having the course cut across historic Lambeau field, home to the Packers. Ongoing construction has prevented that in recent years, and that will be the case again this year. Still, runners will see a refined course for 2003. The race starts in downtown Green Bay, crosses the Ray Nitschke Bridge, passes through the artistic Broadway district, and then on to Lambeau Field, where you will at least see the home of the Frozen Tundra. From
there runners will pass the St. Norbert campus to Ridge Way, then south on East River Drive to the Fox River Trail at Heritage Road. Runners stay on the trail along the river from De Pere, through Allouez to Green Bay, where the course hooks up with Madison Street and ends on the Flatly Trail to the finish line at Cherry and Washington streets. For many runners, Green Bay could be a PR course as 95 percent is flat, which is good for runners with an eye on Boston,
considering Green Bay is a Boston Marathon qualifier.
The course, as noted by past participants, will be well marked with cones, barricades, signs, police officials and many, many volunteers. All busy intersections will be patrolled by police.
Runners will be well cared for with business sponsored stations every mile featuring Gatorade as well as water. Sponges, fruit and simple carb stations will be along the last six miles of the course, with Clif Shot
energy gel at miles 14 and 18. There are nine medical stations along the course and bike riding safety personnel.
You can even phone family and friends and tell them how you're doing. Title sponsor Cellcom will have "tele" biker personnel out on the course providing free phone calls, and there will be phone "service stations" along the course.
Billed as a "marathon for everyone," this one certainly tries to be with the
course open for seven hours, 15 minutes, giving the slower runners a better chance to finish. If the marathon is not quite in your range yet, there's also a half marathon that starts at 7:05 a.m. with the marathon and a 5K run walk at 7:15 a.m.
On Saturday, kids have their fun with the WPS Kids' Power Run 1/2 mile while everyone can visit the Prevea Health Expo at the KI Convention Center in downtown Green Bay.
In addition to a T shirt, goody bag and finisher's medal, the rank and file runner will want to hang around for the post race "Wisconsin Tailgate Party," featuring Deans pickles, Johnsonville brats, 26.2 brew, music and more.
For more information, contact the Cellcom Green Bay Marathon, 320 N. Adams St., Suite C2311, Green Bay, WI 54301; 800/889 1859, or visit the Web site, www.greenbay.marathon.com
| |
