If you are a Packers fan or enjoy the sport of football in general, this race is for you! The focal point of the town, expo, and race is Lambeau Field. The fast, flat race course, amazing crowd support, and thrill of running through the coveted “tundra”; make this race one to remember.
The Green Bay Marathon experience begins with the expo, located in the spectacular Lambeau Field Atrium. The two story atrium houses a couple of dining options, the Packers Pro Shop, Stadium Tours, and the Packers Hall of Fame. I was immediately struck by the friendliness of the local residents. They take great pride not only in their football team, but in their community. With a population of just over 104,000 people, this mid-sized, Midwest town does a phenomenal job of providing an expo that would compete with any of the bigger marathons.
On race morning, I awoke to howling winds. The “wind advisory” was no surprise. It had been in the forecast. Since I had just completed two different marathons in heavy rain, I thought the wind was a good trade for what I had feared to be more rain on race day. The wind made the short walk from my hotel to the Atrium / start line a little difficult, but I was still optimistic about the weather conditions. Anything had to be better than rain!
This race has a mass start. Although I prefer corrals, this start seemed to work surprisingly well. Even with 12,000 other participants (between the full and half), I was able to find my pace pretty quickly. Having felt strong at a marathon two weeks prior, I decided right away to put in a little extra effort. I ran through countless spectator lined neighborhoods feeling almost euphoric. I barely noticed the wind gusts. I was so happy to be running under partly sunny skies with almost perfect race temps (upper 40s / low 50s).
By the half and full marathon separation point (around mile 11), I began to notice a big difference in the wind intensity. At this point, we had left the shelter of the neighborhoods and were running on open roadways. I still marveled at the amount of spectators along the course. Their enthusiasm and encouragement made the wind tolerable.
At mile 15, we began to run along the Fox River. My pace took a nose dive, as I fought through fatigue and 40 mph wind gusts. For the next six miles, the course did not change direction. I had to keep my head down, as I ran into the wind. This was the toughest six miles that I have ever run.
The final five miles of the course took us back to the shelter of the Green Bay neighborhoods and downtown. Although the euphoric feeling that I had in the first half of the race was long lost by this point, I began to get excited about the run through Lambeau Field. The final half mile of the race is nothing short of exhilarating. Unlike other stadium runs, security is tight at Lambeau Field. Volunteers check each participant’s bib as they enter the stadium. Not even local residents can “touch the tundra”. Spectators are in the stands cheering on runners, as they exit the stadium and run the short distance toward the finish line.
The Cellcom Green Bay Marathon is a race that I would recommend. Although my time was not what I had hoped, I am still happy with my overall result. I have great memories from this marathon, and I have added another pin to the map! State number 16 is in the books!
Marathon Maniacs at Lambeau Field: I am so enjoying being a part of this national marathon running group! These Maniacs (center and right) are running marathons almost weekly.
