Registration Opens January 29th

Registration for the 2009 Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon and THREE person Relay will open on Thursday January 29th. Our 29th anniversary race will be held on Sunday October 4, 2009. Please follow the link on our web site www.badgerlandstriders.org/lfm for on-line registration.

Note that - in light of current economic conditions - we have not increased the registration fee for the marathon in 2009.

You will note that we have changed the relay to a three-person event beginning in 2009. This was done to enhance safety on the course by removing the relay exchange that was at approximately 11 miles. Parking issues and traffic congestion in this area presented potential hazards to the runners, volunteers and the public. Relay legs will approximate 7, 12, and 7 miles. In recognition of this change and after considering runner comments from 2008, relay runners will now also receive a long-sleeve Race Ready technical shirt. The registration fee for the relay was set in recognition of this additional cost - and value to participants.

Many of you have e-mailed and asked about our position on Mp3 players for the 2009 race. You may know that USATF changed the rule in December to provide greater flexibility for local race committees. Runners competing for prize money and for USATF awards will be prohibited from using Mp3 players. Other runners are cautioned to consider the potential safety issues presented by their use but will be allowed to use them. If you decide to use them, please make sure that the volume is low enough for you to hear what is going on around you - for your own safety and that of other runners. We will closely monitor the course - runners who fail to heed the direction of race officials WILL be disqualified.

Last year many runners asked that we provide pace teams. We do expect to do this in 2009 - but we are still investigating our options. Stay tuned.

We are also very excited to report that the Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon was named the Road Runners Club of America 2008 Road Race of the Year!!! This is a testament to the work of more than 1500 volunteers, the support of the Badgerland Stirders Running Club, and to the hospitality of our host communities. It is rare for a race this size to be managed and run entirely by volunteers - we think that you all see the difference.

We will be updating the web site as we finialize race details. In the interim, check back here for my quick up-dates.

I am looking forward to seeing all of you at the Finish Line on October 4th