Mad Dog (Ice Age Trail) Marathon

 
 Location: Sunburst Ski Area/Kettle Moraine State Forest, Kewaskum, WI
Date Run: 7/19/2014, 0720 start
Place: 2 out of 20
Duration: 4:55:37
Average Pace: 11:15
Elevation: ~1000'
Weather: 60-80F, mostly sunny, humid
Race Website: http://www.traildogrunning.com/2014_races/race_information_luna-tic_race_series

Every year we visit my wife's family in Michigan. This year she flew with my daughter and I drove the 20 hrs with our dog making for a good excuse to break up the drive with a marathon in a new state. A few years back I ran the Old Farts Marathon in Lowell, MI along the North Country Trail and liked it so this year I decided to sign up for the inaugural Trail Dog Marathon along the Ice Age Trail (IAT) on the other side of Lake Michigan.

As a small first time event, there were no race reports leaving me no idea what to expect with this race. Packet pickup was in the back of a bar in the small town of West Bend a few miles south of Kewaskum. There was no pre-race meal but they did provide you a free beer for carbo loading.

Race Route

The Race

As alluded to by the race logo above, the race distances offered were a 50K, marathon, half, and a 13K. Each start was spread out by 20 minutes with the 50K first. This is one of the smallest races I've ever been in. It was easy to find parking and know exactly where to go. The one drawback was only one (1) portapotty available at the start. No matter how small the race, just about everyone running tries to do some offloading before go-time. I was standing in the john line 7 people back when the race organizers announced (without requiring the use of a bullhorn) 5 minutes until the start. Fortunately the non-marathon runners let me cut to the front.

Just after the start of the 50K

Instead of a whistle, gun, or ceremonial song and dance, the race organizer simply explained, "when the race clock hits 20:00 [from the time the 50K began], start running..." There was not much jockeying for position with only 20 of us taking off at the same time and no real start signal. I tried to find a pacesetter but nobody volunteered so I just started running at a comfortable pace in the front. About 2 miles in, I realized one of the other marathoners was pacing off me. We got to talking and it turned out Josh was also from Colorado.

Josh and I crossing the road after completing the first 3 mi loop

The race had a short 3 mi loop west of the start and then turned north past the start entering the Kettle Moraine State Forest section of the IAT. It was mostly single track through thick trees and brush accentuated by grassy farm trails devoid of shade. The IAT runs along the terminal moraine of the last ice age (hence the name) so it was hillier than I was expecting. There were aid stations at miles 4 and 6 but the next one was not until mile 13. This would later become a mental hurdle following the turnaround.

Grassy farm trail

More typical section of the course

I made the mistake of not bringing a watch and having no idea what pace I was running. Josh took over setting the pace about 3 miles in. Despite being able to talk, after about 10mi into the race --when the sun and the temperature slowly started rising-- I realized we had gone out too fast. I suggested slowing down and we coasted comfortably into the turnaround aid station together but the damage had already been done. By mile 15 I felt the wheels coming loose and I slowed way down to try to keep them on, letting Josh to go ahead. Around mile 18 I caught up to him --he was hurting worse than I was. Both of us were questioning the location of the next aid station because it was warming up considerably. The 7 mi gap between aid stations was dreadful on the return. Unfortunately Josh had to pull out of the race after finally reaching that aid station at mile 21. Right around that point I bonked too. My glycogen stores were completely depleted so I did more walking than running for the last 5 miles. Amazingly I was not passed by another marathoner until mile 23. By this point it was in the high 70s, and the gently sloping open cornfields I had cruised down going out were a blazing torture to climb coming back.

Sunny open section

I finally entered a clearing with the Sunburst Ski Area visible in the distance. I felt like I had less than a mile left but in reality, there were still over 2 miles from this point. Upon crossing a road and entering a parking lot near the base of the ski area, the race turned right and ran a mile long loop along the edge of the Sunburst property before circling back to the finish. During this mile long loop I could see some of the other marathoners gaining on me. I increased the tempo of my old man shuffle, managing to hold them off to come in second overall.

I managed this race terribly. I need to take temperatures over 65 more into consideration.

Ratings

Race Organization (5=phenomenal, 1=atrocious): 3/5
The course was pretty well marked. The aid stations were well stocked with food, gels, HEED and water but the 7 mi gap between aid stations in hot humid weather (by my standards) was rough. There were no electrolyte drinks at the finish - only water and beer. The volunteers at the aid stations were friendly and encouraging.

Course Difficulty (5=Pikes Peak Ascent, 1=a flat dirt road): 3/5
The hilly moraines were difficult to navigate after bonking but the single track was not overly difficult to run on. The hills did surprise me. Although I enjoyed the shady hills more than the open cornfields. The weather played more of a factor in difficulty than the terrain itself.

Course Scenery (5=engagement proposal backdrop, 1=concrete walls): 4/5
Everything was incredibly green along this trail. Once again, the open cornfields were the only drawback.

Schwag (5=a tech T, embroidered towel & warmup pants, 1=a cotton shirt): 2/5
Got a tech tee and... not much else.

Overall: 3/5
Well done for a debut race.