Green Bay, Wisconsin may be best known for their NFL football team, the Green Bay Packers, but that isn’t the only sport in town. Every May, runners line up near the Lambeau Field Atrium for a 26.2 mile race that some find challenging and most find enjoyable.
Green Bay Marathon is an approved qualifying race for the Boston Marathon, this is one of the most respected marathons held in the United States. It attracts runners from across the country with dreams of qualifying to race in Boston, but remains a great race for those running their very first marathon.
It doesn’t fill up as quickly as some of the larger races in the country. That is a perk for many runners that do not want to worry about making travel plans and hotel reservations months in advance of the race.
Race History
Cellcom signed on as the official sponsor of this marathon right from the start, so it has always been known as the Cellcom Green Bay Marathon. The marathon entered the racing arena in the year 2000, so it does not have the extensive history that some of the other U.S. marathons have today.
Besides the marathon, there is a 5K and children’s race offered every May. It is best known today as a qualifying race for those interested in racing the Boston Marathon.
Marathon Course
The Green Bay Marathon starts near the Lambeau Field Atrium and ends with a final jaunt through the field best known for the trample of football players.
In May, runners are given the privilege to tear across that field in order to reach the marathon finish line, and that is one of the biggest allures of the race.
Before reaching the field at the end, the course wanders over the De Pere Bridge and takes runners through six miles of the paved Fox River Trail. From downtown Green Bay to local neighborhoods, this is a diverse course that is known for being fast and straight without very many twists or turns.
The course is marked off to traffic for seven hours, at which point the race is considered over and no more runners will be permitted to cross the finish line.
Registering for the Green Bay Marathon
You can register for the marathon online or through mail. You can check their website to see how many race day spots remain at any given time. This is not one of those races that sell out within a week or two of opening registration, so you don’t have to rush to secure your spot.
You do, however, need to keep your eye on the website so you can grab a spot if you see the percentage of remaining spots dwindling down.
Once registered, racers can check their status through the website. Packets with race numbers and timing chips are picked up at the expo offered the weekend of the race. Packets cannot be picked up on the day of the race, so it is important to arrive at least one day early and make it to the expo. Runners find the expo to be a lot of fun and a valuable source of information as well.
Whether you are a beginning marathon runner, or a seasoned marathoner, you will definitely reap the benefits of reading my 70 marathon training tips post.
Training for the Green Bay Marathon
Those training for the marathon for the first time should keep the seven hour finish limit in mind. First time marathon runners should train for a race day pace at least a little faster than this limit, ensuring they are ready to keep pace and make it to the finish line.
Those on the other end of the spectrum hoping to make it to the Boston Marathon should turn up the training pace, since they will be competing with some of the best runners in the country at the Green Bay Marathon.
There are pace teams at this marathon, which means you can follow a professional runner who keeps a particular pace throughout the entire race. If you can keep up, you are guaranteed to finish the race at your chosen pace. You do not have to register to run with these teams. You simply find the pace leader of your choice before the race and jump into the crowd.
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Visiting Green Bay, Wisconsin
If you are looking for a more laid back, peaceful race environment, you can find that at the Green Bay Marathon. The race is not as crowded as many other U.S. marathons, and you won’t have to book reservations and travel arrangements months or a year in advance. Yet, it remains a valid qualifier for the Boston Marathon if you are interested in that prestigious race.
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