Race Weekend Approaches!

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In this issue Ready for Race Weekend? Expo & Packet Pick-Up Finish Area Runner Parking Have Your Friends & Family Follow You on Facebook Elite Athlete Technical Meeting Race Weekend Freeway Closures The "Rule of 2000" Runners of Note Other news Facebook & Twitter Follow us on Facebook via our group and fan page and on Twitter use #mkelfm to post and follow other runners. Enter title here Enter body content here Unsubscribe Click to instantly unsubscribe from this mailing list. Send to a friend Send this email to someone you think may be interested.

Saturday September 25, 2010 Ready for Race Weekend? Race weekend is almost here – we can hardly believe that in just a week we will be welcoming all of you to Milwaukee and to the 30th Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon. Your race staff has been working very hard to make sure that you can run the best race that your training will support! This is your "almost final" e-blast. You can expect another on Thursday or Friday. Questions... Questions... Lots of you have lots of questions related to packet pick-up, the expo, race rules, the race (of course), etc. We have tried to assemble lots of information to answer those questions on our web site. We hope that you find everything that you need on the Race Weekend and Maps tabs. If you have questions related to you registration – correcting data errors, lost your confirmation e-mail, etc. please contact our Registration Manager directly at LakefrontRegister@gmail.com . If you need to have someone pick up your packet you need to use the Packet Pick-up Form. Please fill out the form as indicated, attach a copy of your photo ID, and give it to the person who is going to pick up your packet. This might be a good time to tell you all a little bit about our race and some of the things that we think contribute to making it special to everyone. First, we are sponsored and owned by the Badgerland Striders Running Club. We have approximately 1600 members and are very active putting on 15-20 races annually. The race is put on by an army of people who have full-time “day jobs” or are lucky to be retired… We have more than 50 Race Captains or Managers and marshall more than 1300 volunteers to assist on race weekend. We think that the fact that we are all runners putting on the type of race we’d like to run is one of the things that makes LFM special. We could not conduct this great race without the support and assistance of our host municipalities. We work closely with their public safety personnel - their greatest concern is the safety of you, the runner. Please be sure to thank the residents and police as you see them and remember that we are guests in their homes. Back to top Expo & Packet Pick-Up In case you don’t have the information handy… packet pick-up and our Health and Fitness Expo will be held at the MSOE Kern Center on Friday from 4-7 and Saturday from 9-6. We have a great line-up of vendors and exhibitors. We will also again have our “Cheer Sign” area to provide a chance for kids to make special signs to support their favorite runner. The Preliminary Expo Seminar Program has been posted on our web site. We hope that you plan your trip to the Expo to take advantage of some of these great presentations. Of special note is our traditional Saturday morning fun run with special guest two-time Olympian Anne Marie Letko. She will lead a run from the Kern Center to the LFM finish and back - about 4 miles. The group will leave the front of the Kern Center at 8AM on Saturday morning. Anne Marie will also speak at the Expo and will be available to meet you at the Jenny Crain Make it Happen booth. Last year you told us that you’d like to see more seminars and technical information so we added a second, smaller seminar area to the Expo. We have invited our Expo vendors to make presentations in this area. We will post the preliminary schedule soon. Back to top Finish Area Runner Parking As you know we strongly encourage you to park near the finish area and take the FREE Runner Shuttle Bus to the start. Last year we had runners park at O’Donnell Park and loaded the buses at the Milwaukee Art Museum. O’Donnell Park is closed due to structural issues. We have secured parking for the runners (paid for by the race) at the Italian Conference Center (ICC) approximately .75 mile from the finish area. We will load the buses to the start on Chicago Street directly in front of the ICC. Take a look at the handy map on the web site for details. As always, the buses to the start are for registered runners ONLY – no spectators. Please note that you will (definitely) not be able to park off of Lagoon Drive or in the War Memorial lot. Please use the parking at the ICC. We will have shuttles going back to the ICC after the race for runners who don’t want to (or can’t) walk that far. Buses to take runners to the start will also leave the Hyatt and the Courtyard by Marriott at 6AM sharp. As with the ICC buses, the hotel buses to the start are for registered runners only. Back to top Have Your Friends & Family Follow You on Facebook This year your friends and family can follow your progress via Facebook. YOU need to set this up on Facebook prior to the race using the link provided . Please follow the instructions provided - they are so easy that even your overloaded RD coulf figure them out :). We will have timing mats at 7 miles, 13.1 miles, 20 miles and the Finish. Back to top Elite Athlete Technical Meeting We have scheduled a special Technical Briefing for Elite Athletes on Saturday afternoon at 1:00 in the small seminar area at the Expo. The briefing will be conducted by Elite Athlete Captain Dan Held, assisted by Race Director Kristine Hinrichs and our USATF Official. The briefing will cover race rules and other logistical issues. If you think that there is any chance that you will compete for prize money, WI USATF Championship, or RRCA National Championship we strongly suggest that you attend. Note that Masters and Grand Masters athletes also compete for these awards. Back to top Race Weekend Freeway Closures WDOT announced last week that a portion of I-894/I-43 in the Milwaukee area will be closed on race weekend. This will not affect most of the runners but may affect you if you come from communities southwest of the Milwaukee area. Information about this closure is available in this article in the JournalSentinel . Also...runners coming from the south should be aware of freeway construction from the WI/IL border through the Mitchell Field area. Back to top The "Rule of 2000" Huh??? Yep – you know the concept… “I know that I shouldn’t be doing this but IT is JUST me and it can’t matter to anyone.” One latte cup left on a resident’s lawn might not be a big deal – 2000 spectators, each dropping a cup IS a big deal. One spectator who thinks that it is cool to follow their runner by car might not cause a problem – 2,000 cars on the course following a runner – chaos. One runner too impatient to use the porta-pottie – 2,000 runners…get the idea? We know that runners are great people and that your friends and families are the greatest in their support for you. However, we would like to remind you to review the Race Rules and Spectator section of the Runners Guide. As we have said before, we get more complaints about the behavior of spectators than any other issue. Please make sure that your spectator is not the one that makes it difficult to get a permit next year, makes it impossible to secure use of a private parking lot, or does something that will result in YOUR disqualification. Back to top Runners of Note We have many special runners who will toe the line on October 3rd – including each of you! However, there are a few that you’ll want to watch for. First, we have assigned #1 to Anne Marie Letko and #2 to Mike Henze member of the US 24 Hour Team who won a bronze medal at the World Championships in May. Mike's performance in that race was nothing short of amazing! We also have several former winners who have come back to help us celebrate our 30th Anniversary. With the exception of Cornia Canitz running with her favorite #4 in honor of her four beautiful daughters, all of the Champions will have red race bibs - their race number represents the year they won the race. We also have three guys who have toed the starting line every single year – James Bahr #38, Duane Tate #39, and Bill Boehm #40. If you see them, give them a high-five. You also might see a guy out there running a bit of the race (he has retired from marathons) wearing #30. That will be Bob Fitts – our original Race Director. Thanks, Bob for setting us on the course from Grafton to Milwaukee. We hope that you like what your baby has grown up to be.

Early September Up-date

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In this issue 30th Anniversary Jackets Race Day Runner Parking - NEW Location Race Day Spectator Parking Relay Changes Pasta Dinner Tickets Still Available Special Guest Anne Marie Letko Have Your Friends & Family Follow You on Facebook A Few More Important Details Other news Facebook & Twitter Follow us on Facebook via our group and fan page and on Twitter use #mkelfm to post and follow other runners. An Army of Volunteers We are in the midst of recruiting the army of 1300 (!!!) volunteers required to put this race on. If you are injured, have decided not to run for other reasons, or have friends or family who'd like to help, we REALLY need you! You can volunteer on-line or can contact Alice directly. Unsubscribe Click to instantly unsubscribe from this mailing list. Send to a friend Send this email to someone you think may be interested.

Thursday September 2, 2010 30th Anniversary Jackets Just a reminder for those of you thinking about ordering the special 30th Anniversary jacket. These jackets are available for pre-order only and will not be sold on race weekend. The deadline to order yours is September 8. Information about the jacket, sizing and cost is available on the LFM web site . If you will be doing the LFM marathon build-up run on Saturday September 4th, Alice will have samples there for you to take a look at. And, Yep – your trusty RD and several of our race staff have already ordered theirs. Back to top Race Day Runner Parking - NEW Location As you know we strongly encourage you to park near the Finish Area and take the FREE Runner Shuttle Bus to the Start. Last year we had runners park at O’Donnell Park and loaded the buses at the Milwaukee Art Museum. O’Donnell Park is closed due to structural issues. We have secured parking for the runners (paid for by the race) at the Italian Conference Center (ICC) approximately .75 mile from the finish area. We will load the buses to the Start on Chicago Street directly in front of the ICC. Take a look at the handy map on the web site for details. As always, the buses to the Start are for registered runners ONLY – no spectators. Please note that you will (definitely) not be able to park off of Lagoon Drive or in the War Memorial lot. Please use the parking at the ICC. We will have shuttles going back to the ICC after the race for runners who don’t want to (or can’t) walk that far. Buses to take runners to the Start will also leave the Hyatt and the Courtyard by Marriott at 6AM sharp. As with the ICC buses, the hotel buses to the Start are for registered runners only. Back to top Race Day Spectator Parking As with runner parking, spectators will not be allowed to park at the War Memorial or off of Lagoon Drive. We suggest that they park in one of the two private structures on Michigan Street between Lincoln Memorial Drive and Cass Street. The location of these structures is noted on the Runner Parking Map . We will have signs directing spectators to the Finish Area via the seawall east of the Milwaukee Art Museum. Speaking of your loving family, friends, and fans… PLEASE, PLEASE have them read the Spectator Section of the Runners Guide. Spectator parking is VERY LIMITED on the course this year and they will have to be prepared to walk a half mile or more to get to the course. They really do need to follow the direction of the police and volunteers and to remember that the parking areas we have secured for their use have been generously donated by private businesses – these generous owners really don’t want to be picking up your spectator’s empty latte cups. Back to top Relay Changes Remember that September 15 is the (really) final deadline to make substitutions to your relay team. Instructions are posted on the LFM web site. Back to top Pasta Dinner Tickets Still Available Pasta??? What would a marathon be without pasta? You want to share pasta, camaraderie, and a good story with other runners? Don’t forget the American Cancer Society DetermiNation Pasta Dinner . The featured speaker this year will be 22 year cancer survivor Darren Fortney. Darrren has completed the Badwater Ultramarathon, Ironman triathlons and many other events to raise funds for cancer research. Register directly with ACS no later than September 24th. Remember – there will be a lot of people in Milwaukee for the Farm Aid concert on Saturday so dinner reservations may be an issue for you. Back to top Special Guest Anne Marie Letko We are pleased to welcome two-time Olympian Anne Marie Letko as our special guest this year. Anne Marie competed in the marathon in the Atlanta Olympics in 1996 (10th in 2:31:30), the 5k in Sydney in 2000, and in three World Championships. Anne Marie was also inducted in the Road Runners Club of America Hall of Fame in 2009. As a very special bonus Anne Marie will be running the marathon with the three Foy brothers to raise funds for Jenny Crain. She will host a fun run from the Kern Center (to the LFM Finish and back) on Saturday morning, will speak at the expo, and will be available at the Jenny Crain Make it Happen Booth throughout the weekend to talk to runners. This will be great – we are not aware that an Olympic Marathoner has ever run LFM. Back to top Have Your Friends & Family Follow You on Facebook We are excited to announce that we soon post a link on the LFM site to a Facebook app that your friends and family can download to allow them to follow you (and others) in the race. Stay tuned for details…it will be cool…because we are all really cool here at LFM. We will also add another timing mat at the 7 mile point to provide you with additional feedback after the race and to provide another way-point for people to follow your progress. Back to top A Few More Important Details Runners Guide Thanks for your patience! The 2010 Runners Guide has now been posted on the web site. The Guide includes most of the information that you will need for race weekend. Please take the time to review the information – most of what you need to know is there and it will save those e-mail responses from your trusty RD that begin “As noted in the 2010 Runners Guide…”. Saves me time to work on other important LFM stuff. We always have a few late-breaking issues that we will cover in our Race Weekend Bulletin will be available when you pick up your packet. Expo/Packet Pick-up We do have a nice mix of vendors and informational booths for our health & fitness expo but can always use a few more. If you would be interested in being a part of the Expo this year, contact Pam and she will get right back to you with the details. We also have a nice goodie bag stuffer program that might be a good fit for your business. Pam can tell you about that, too. Farm Aid Speaking of Farm Aid… Don’t forget that the 25th Anniversary edition of Farm Aid will be held at Miller Park in Milwaukee on Saturday October 2nd – 40,000 people filling the stadium, hotels, and restaurants. We don’t know exactly what impact this will have on your pre-race preparations – however, you do need to be aware of the event. If you have not yet booked a hotel room, do so ASAP! Our host hotel blocks have been filled – go to VisitMilwaukee.org for other options.

Special 30th Anniversary Jacket

30th Anniversary Jacket Now Available

As we promised in our last e-blast, we have a special 30th Anniversary Jacket available. This jacket is available for PRE-SALE ONLY on Active.com . Runners will pick them up at the Official Merchandise booth at the Expo. Complete information about the jacket is available on the LFM web site. OK... we do know that the Active.com site is not really set up for merchandise sales... please follow the link and click on "Register Now" to be directed to the ordering information.

Sizing information is on the sale sheet. We also expect to have sample jackets (without the printing) available for inspection at the BLS marathon build-up program - just look for Alice...The deadline for ordering the jackets is September 8, 2010. Note that the $75 and $80 sale prices include Wisconsin sales tax.

Take it from your Race Director - I own more LFM merchandise than anyone will ever need. I am, however, tempted to add this to my inventory - this is a great jacket for winter running and for knocking around in cooler weather.

Again - please note that this is a PRE-SALE item only. We will not be selling them on race weekend.

We do hope that you like the 30th Anniversary logo as much as we do. LFM friend Mike Kasun designed this and othe special logos for the 2010 race. Thanks, Mike!

July E-Blast

Hello...Hello...Yep, We're Still Here

Sorry for the gap in our E-blasts… We HAVE been busy planning our 30th Anniversary race to ensure that it is the BEST ever because, of course, the BEST times are still in Milwaukee.

There are at least three guys who are particularly serious about their LFM training. For 30 years Duane Tate, Bill Boehm and Jim Bahr have trained through the summer, laced their shoes, toed the start line in Grafton, and made the trip to Veterans Park. All three will be at the starting line again this year - WOW 30 years of the Best Times... Speaking of 30 years of dedication, we have at least two volunteers who also have a 30 year LFM streak. Both Len Wachinak and Don Weyer have volunteered each and every year - now, that is a WOW. No medals or LFM PR's - but 30 years of helping our runners to make their marathon dreams come true. They'll also be at the Start again in 2010 - I thank them for their support and commitment.

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LFM Kids Marathon

We are pleased to announce the return of our “Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon Kids’ Run”. Participating kids will run a total of 25 miles before race day – documented by a parent or adult. On race day they will run 1.2 miles, crossing the same finish line that our marathon runners cross. As part of the program the kids receive a special training log with training and nutrition tips, an in-training t-shirt, a finisher shirt, refreshments at the finish AND a special finishers’ medal. This program is completely sponsored by our friends at BodyBasix . There are still slots open for this program – see the information posted on the Kids Run page of our LFM web site.

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Special LFM 30th Anniversary Jacket

Stay tuned for an e-blast announcing our special 30th Anniversary Jacket that will be available for pre-order (only). This jacket will feature our special 30th anniversary logo that will also be featured on the runner shirts and other mercandise. Even your trusty RD - with tons of LFM merchandise in her closet - is lusting after this item...

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Details, You Want Details...

We are working on the details for the 2010 Runners Guide. We know that many of you can’t wait to get it. It is always a balancing act between getting the Guide out to you early and waiting until we have as many of the final details set as we can. You can expect to receive an e-mail with a link to the Guide in early September. In the interim, you can get much of what you need form the 2009 Guide.

There are a couple of things that we know will change. The first relates to our Hammer Gel stops. By popular demand we have moved our 23 mile gel stop to the aid station at Concordia University and will continue the second stop at Klode Park (approximately 19 miles). Although we would like to offer additional stops, these two areas are the only ones that allow our volunteers to safely pick-up discarded gel packet.

The second relates to parking at the finish. Local runners have read about the tragic accident that has closed the O’Donnell Park parking structure that we used for runner parking in 2009. We do not know if the structure will be open by race day so are looking to other alternatives for runner and spectator parking. We’ll provide information as soon as we can. In 2009 many spectators used the War Memorial parking lot on race day. We have been informed that they have two events at their facility on race day and that parking will not be available for our spectators. Again, we are investigating alternatives so that we can direct spectators to parking that can accommodate them. It will be important for you to make sure that your spectators know that this parking will not be available to them – it will prevent them from being stuck in traffic on race day. Also - just a reminder that on-street parking is prohbited in all areas of the City of Mequon and Villages of Bayside and Fox Point - effectively from mile 5 to mile 19. Spectators who violate these regulations can expect to be ticketed or towed.

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Marathon Build-up Program

Our marathon build-up runs began July 3rd and continue through September 25th at Lake Park in Milwaukee. These runs are open to anyone – you don’t have to be a Badgerland Strider member or registered for LFM AND there is no charge to participate – how great is that? Join build-up run director Dr. Jon Mueller for the weekly runs – with Gatorade and (in longer runs) Hammer Gel, both of which will be served again at LFM. Take a look at the schedule that includes the Saturday runs and a few races to get everyone in marathon shape.

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Volunteers...Health & Fitness Expo

Volunteers…we always need volunteers but what does that have to do with the expo???. We always need volunteers and non-profit organizations always need exposure – we thought that there may be a way to fill both needs. In 2010 we will pilot a program that will provide a limited number of non-profit organizations with free space at our health and fitness expo in exchange for providing a minimum number of volunteers on race weekend. If you are involved in an organization that might be interested in this opportunity, please have them contact our Volunteer Manager Alice . We also need individual volunteers - please use our on-line form to indicate when you, a friend, or family member are available and what you'd all like to do.

Speaking of the health and fitness expo, we do still have vendor space and can still accommodate goody bag items. Contact us at the LFM e-mail if you are interested in more information.

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From Our Charity Partner - American Cancer Society

Training for an endurance race is a huge commitment, but by joining the American Cancer Society DetermiNation endurance event program you can help save lives. Join our nation of athletes determined to save lives by dedicating your training and race participation in the Lakefront Marathon to fight a disease that has already taken too many lives. With every step you take and every mile you conquer, you’ll be helping create a world with less cancer and more birthdays. Once again the American Cancer Society will be working with the Lakefront Marathon to provide the opportunity to fight back against cancer while running this year’s marathon. The American Cancer Society will also be hosting a pasta dinner the night before the race. If you are interested in more information please visit acsdetermination.org/lakefront or call 262-312-4041.

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Refunds, Transfers, Etc.???

At this time of the year we get questions about possible deferrals, entry transfers or refunds. As indicated in our registration materials, we do not allow them. We know that plans change, people get injured, etc. and that not everyone who registers actually runs the race and we plan for this in setting our entry limit. Please do not ask for a special exception.

April E-Blast

2010 Marathon Filling Quickly

We are quickly approaching our registration limit of 2750 marathon runners. As of April 4th we had just over 1000 spots remaining. Sounds like a lot, right??? Not so many… In 2009 it took just two weeks to fill those last 1000 spots and the last 300 filled in just two days. If you want to run in 2010, you do need to commit now.

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Help Locate Former LFM Winners!

Many of you know that 2010 marks our 30th Anniversary Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon. Back in 1981 marathoning was a very different sport – mostly men and mostly fast men. However, even in 1981 Milwaukee provided an opportunity for both elite and citizen marathoners to test themselves and to meet their marathon goals. Over the years we have been honored to see several of our elites achieve Olympic Marathon Trials qualifying times and to see many of the rest of our runners (sometimes as many as 22%) achieve a Boston Marathon qualifying time. We have also been a race that even in that first year, also welcomed 5+ hour runners.

To mark this anniversary we are trying to locate ALL of our former winners. We are making good progress in this but need your help. Do any of you know these runners?

1981 Steve Benson 2:18:09
1983 Fred Torneden 2:14:43
1984 Jesse Garcia 2:23:42
1988 Mark Horwitz 2:27:23
1989 Dan Martin 2:27:43
1994 Mitchell Craib 2:25:27

1981 Mary Bange 2:55:31
1982 Sue Moen 2:54:29
1983 Nancy Mieszczak 2:39:15
1984 Betty Nelson 2:51:57
1985 Audrey O'Brien 2:56:02
1988 Sandy Lovejoy 3:02:55
2004 Aaron Clark 2:58:30

If you do, please e-mail us with their contact information. If you are interested in results from past years, we have located and posted ALL of them on the web site – Post Race tab.

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LFM Memorabilia??

Speaking of 30th Anniversary doings… we still have three guys who have run every year and are ready to toe the line again in 2010 – Jim Bahr, Bill Boehm and Duane Tate. They are amazing for their commitment to our race!

Do any of you have old LFM race shirts, posters or other memorabilia? If so, take a photo and e-mail it to us and we’ll post them on our Facebook Fan Page.

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Run for Charity

Many runners find that running for a charity enhances their marathon experience and will be running LFM to benefit an organization that is special to them. Again in 2010 we will have the American Cancer Society DetermiNation program as a charity partner. An important part of that relationship is their sponsorship of our pre-race pasta dinner. Information about their program and the dinner are on our web site.

In addition to ACS, we will also have runners associated with Project ADAM, TEAM SALUTE, and Team in Training. Information about these programs is also on our site . If you are running for any of these charities – good for you! If you are running for another charity and would like to publicize that, send us an e-mail with information about the charity and (most importantly) why it is important to YOU. We’ll post that on our page.

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An Army of Volunteers

Many of you are receiving this newsletter for the first time – you are not LFM runners but VOLUNTEERS, the key element in making this such a great race. Because you are so important and it is good for you to know what is going on, we decided to include you in these e-blasts. You may not know that our race requires one volunteer for every two runners – an army of smiling faces.

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An Army Requires Captains

We are always in need of volunteers and hope that you will help out if you can’t run the race this year. However, every year we also have vacancies in our Race Captain positions – these are the people who do the planning and other work in preparation for race weekend. Examples of these Captain positions are Course Sentry (we have 5 of them), Merchandise, Aid Station Supply (4 of these), etc.. If you are interested in serving your fellow runners in a leadership capacity, please contact us and we will see if we can find something that meets your interests.

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Run to Benefit Jenny Crain

As we indicated in the last newsletter, our 2010 special guest will be two-time Olympian Anne Marie Letko. Anne Marie will also RUN the marathon with a lucky and generous runner to raise funds for elite runner Jenny Crain. This opportunity is being auctioned on Jenny’s Facebook Fan Page . We know what you are thinking – me? Run with an Olympian? GIVE me a break? Really, this is a great opportunity. Anne Marie will be a registered runner and has committed to run at your speed – from 3:30 to 6+ hours – to make your marathon day special to YOU. In addition to the chance to run with her, the lucky bidder will receive entry to the marathon (or a refund if already registered), LFM In Training shirt, special Brooks TeamJenny hi-viz shirt or singlet, $150 Brooks gift certificate, and lunch on Saturday before the race with Anne Marie (you can bring a friend). Running 26.2 miles with Anne Marie will be a great experience and an opportunity to make a friend for life.

There is also an opportunity to run the marathon as part of TeamJenny with each member raising a minimum of $250 for Jenny. You must, however, be registered for the race to do so. If you would like more information about the team and perks to be provided, please send an e-mail to TeamJennyCrain@gmail.com

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Course Maps

Maps…everyone LOVES maps but (boy) are they a pain to keep current… In an effort to provide more options for everyone, we have provided three additional map options for you – all on the map tab of our web site . Using the 2009 course - we’ve mapped it on the USATF site, MapMyRun, and iRace. The MapMyRun map is available on the web and for iPhone and the iRace map is available for iPhone only. As soon as we have finalized the 2010 course, we will update these and provide up-dated links.

February E-Blast

2010 Entry Up-date

Entries for the 2010 30th Anniversary Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon are slightly ahead of 2009 when the marathon filled on May 16. The marathon is 25% capacity and the relay is just more than 50% to the 90 team limit. If you plan to compete in either event and have not yet registered, you can monitor the entry totals by going to our race website. Although we update the totals on a regular basis, it is important to recognize that the last spots go VERY quickly - if you wait too long you will not get into the 2010 race. Please remember that once your register you are IN - we do not allow transfer of entries, refunds, or deferrals to a future year - please do not ask.

2010 Special Guests

As many of you know, for the last few years we have been able to invite a special guest to participate in race weekend activities. We are very pleased to announce that our 2010 guest will be two-time Olympian Anne Marie Letko . She was in Atlanta for the marathon and in Sydney for the 5k. In 2009 Anne Marie and Khalid Khannouchi were inducted into the RRCA American Long Distance Running Hall of Fame. She will participate in all of our race weekend activities including expo program, the traditional Saturday morning fun run, and press appearances.

In addition to the customary race weekend activities, Anne Marie will also RUN the marathon - yep, that's right run the marathon! Not only will she run the race, but she will provide one lucky and generous runner with the opportunity to have her run the race right along with them. Anne Marie will be offering this opportunity as a way to raise money for former elite runner Jenny Crain's recovery from her August, 2007 accident. The "Jenny Crain Make it Happen Fund" will be auctioning off the opportunity for a mid-pack marathoner (3:45+) to have Anne Marie run with them - both (of course) registered for the race. The auction will be conducted on Jenny's Facebook Fan Page - beginning immediately and concluding 2 weeks after the LFM fills. This is a great opportunity for one of our marathoners to share some quality running time with a great runner and get to know a wonderful woman. It is also an opportunity to assist Jenny - who was serving LFM as a Race Captain at the time of her accident.

We also expect two more of Jenny's elite colleagues to participate in our race weekend activities. Two-time Olympian Elva Dryer (5k Sydney & 10k Athens) plans to be here but will not be able to run the marathon - the USATF National Marathon Championships will be held in NYC just a few weeks later. However, elite middle distance runner Janet Trujillo does plan to run the marathon. Both will be here in support of Team Jenny Crain - note the information in the "Raise $$$ for a Cause" article below. We are very lucky to have this trio of talented women participate in our race weekend - you will all have the opportunity to see what great people they really are!

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30th Anniversary Doings...

We have come a long way since about 600 people toed the line at the innagural Miller Lite Lakefront Marathon in October, 1981. That first year we had 586 finishers - only 40 (!!) women... Back in those days there were very few marathons so this race, with the assistance of significant sponsorship from Miller Brewing, attracted a diverse and fast field. Just imagine what it would be like today if there were just a few quality marathons for the fast runners to race... Although our fastest finish times go back to those first years, I was surprised to see that we have always also been a race for the citizen racer - back in 1981 we had a significant number of 5 hour finishers at a time when "slow pokes" were not so welcome at marathons. While a lot of things have changed over these 30 years, a lot of things remain the same - our start at Grafton High School, the majority of the course along the same Northshore streets, and our finish at Milwaukee's lakefront in Veteran's Park. As we move into our next decade, we hope to keep all of the things that you like and to make strategic improvements to keep the race fresh.

In 2010 we have invited all of our male and female winners to come back to run the marathon or participate on special "Champions" relay teams. We have had a great response from many of them and hope that we will see them at the start in Grafton on race morning. For those who cannot be here, we hope to get an update to include in the Runners Guide. We would particularly like to locate our male and female course record holders - Steve Benson - 1981 & 1982 winner and Nancy Mieszczak - 1983 winner. We will also again be honored by the presence our three (!!!) runners who have completed every LFM - Jim Bahr, Bill Boehm, and Duane Tate.

Also in 2010, we will welcome our 35,000th marathon finisher home to Veteran's Park - yep almost 35,000 people have finished our marathon, enough to populate a pretty good-sized city. We plan to recognize that special finisher with a special award and to secure some special sponsor goodies for that lucky marathoner.

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Raise $$$ for a Good Cause

We are very happy to welcome the American Cancer Society DetermiNation program back as a charity partner in 2010. Again in 2010, they will host the pre-race pasta dinner - open to all LFM participants, friends and family. Take a look at our Charity Page for information about this program.

In response to the many runners who have asked for the opportunity to run LFM and raise funds for Jenny Crain, Jenny's friends are organizing "Team Jenny". Details are still being finalized - if you are interested in joining the team or finding out more about it, send an e-mail to TeamJennyCrain@gmail.com . As with other fund raising teams, Team Jenny spots will only be available to runners who register before the race fills.

Many of our other runners are also running to support causes dear to their hearts - if you are one of these runners, we'd love to use our Charity Page help you publicize your effort. Simply compose a paragraph telling everyone about your cause, why it is meaningful to you, and how to help you and then send it to our LFM e-mail. We'll post your story.

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RRCA National Marathon Championship

We will be honored to serve as the host of the Road Runners Club of America National Marathon Championships. This is a great honor for our race and will provide us with access to some additional perks for our winners as well as additional resources to benefit the race as a whole.

E-mail sent to runners on October 15, 2009

LFM 2009 is now history. For 29 years, the Badgerland Striders Running Club’s Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon has welcomed marathon runners to the finish at Veteran’s Park from our start at Grafton High School.

I am sure that by now most of you have heard or read about the events surrounding our female winners. In my ten years as Race Director I have done my best to ensure that you – the runners – have been informed of important race-related events and issues. This year is no different. Hence, this very long e-mail summarizing the events and rules that governed the decisions.

The Lakefront Marathon is a race sanctioned by USA Track & Field (USATF). This sanction has many dimensions for us and for the runners. For example, it is USATF that provides standards for certification of race courses – this ensures that you are running the correct distance and that your performances are accepted as qualifiers for other races, most notably the Boston Marathon. USATF has extensive rules for the conduct of long distance races, many of which apply to our race as the USATF State Championship, one that provides prize money and a sanctioned race. What many people don’t know is that in the case of a championship race or one that involves prize money there are really two races going on at the same time – the one for the Open/prize money or Championship awards and one for what might be termed “citizen” runners. In some cases the rules are different for each race. In general, however, the Rules of Competition were formulated by USATF to ensure a level playing field for each race and to ensure that the race(s) are conducted in a safe manner.

I will briefly summarize the process used for addressing potential rule violations. In our case, it is the responsibility of our race management leadership to bring potential issues to my attention. Potential violations can also be identified by other competitors. It is then my responsibility to bring the issue to the attention of our USATF Official – someone who is an expert in the USATF Rules and their application. Once that official makes a determination, the runner involved has the option of appealing the decision to a Jury of Appeals who makes the ultimate decision. It is important to note that there is no mechanism in road racing to allow a time to stand but to be “qualified” by an asterisk indicating that the competitor was not eligible for awards or a provision to apply a time penalty.

In the case of Cassie Peller, a race official indicated that they had observed a vehicle stop halfway between the (approx) 21 and 23 mile aid stations, a woman got out of the vehicle, and then ran with her for some distance providing fluids to her as she continued running down the course. This appeared to be a clear violation of the rule that prohibits receiving aid outside of the immediate vicinity of an aid station. It is important to emphasize that it is not a violation of the rules to take water from a child or citizen aid station so long as that aid is available to any runner who might run by. In this case the aid was for a specific competitor and by any definition outside of the vicinity of an aid station.

Ms.Peller was informed of the investigation of the potential rule violation and did not dispute it. She was then disqualified by the USATF Official and informed of the decision. As Ms. Peller indicated at that time that she would not appeal the decision, Jennifer Goebel was declared the Female Open winner at that time. Ms. Peller, however, subsequently appealed the decision; and the issue was considered by the Jury of Appeals - who sustained the official’s decision.

The case of Ms. Goebel involved the use of an iPod (portable listening device). Many of you will recall all of the discussion concerning this issue in 2008. At that time their use was prohibited for ALL competitors in USATF sanctioned races. This was a rule that I personally opposed and wrote to USATF to support a change that would allow the race to make the decision. In December, 2008 USATF modified the rule - the race now has the authority to allow runners who are not competing for Open/prize money awards or for USATF championship awards to use them. For 2009, the race committee changed the rules to allow them for “citizen” runners (long before Grandmas and Twin Cities made similar changes). This rule, however, still applies to the elite runners competing in the Open/prize money or Championship race and is well-understood by the people to whom it applies.

Some members of the running community identified a photo of Ms. Goebel at approximately the 24 mile mark showing her to be wearing a “portable listening device”. This photo was reported to me, I was compelled to refer the matter to the USATF Official, and informed her of that referral. Again, the official considered the matter and decided that she should be disqualified. I communicated the decision to her and she appealed it. The Jury of Appeals then considered her appeal and sustained the decision of the Official.

Corina Canitz has been named the female open winner and the results declared official.

As we move forward from the 2009 race, it IS important to emphasize that I have the upmost respect for the talent of both of these young women and respect their decisions to move on. I have told them both that they will always be welcome at our race, should they decide to compete here again. As we move on with our planning for 2010 we understand that every experience in life is a learning experience and will learn from this.

Speaking of 2010, we hope that you will all join us in celebrating our 30th anniversary on Sunday October 3, 2010. We will welcome our 35,000th marathoner to the finish at Veteran’s Park – and it might just be you! We will open registration early next year – and let you know via this e-mail newsletter.

As always, we thank you all for your support of our race.

Kri s & the Race Committee