This is one of my favorite races. It’s not the best course out there, but the overall race is so much fun. Even last year when I was injured and couldn’t run I signed up to volunteer so I could be there to hang out with everyone. It’s always the first Saturday in November and doesn’t start until 11:30am. Now this year, because of how the days fell, it wasn’t until November 7. Remember how I ran a near PR 6 days prior? Yeah, my body did too, but it wasn’t going to stop me from running this. Plus, some of my favorites flew in from DC to run it.
With an 11:30 start time and a drive a little under an hour, it’s kind of a leisurely morning. We spent most of it deciding how many layers to bring. We arrived in Lake Mills and found the others, who were already saving a table. Packet pick-up takes about three seconds so that was nice and easy.
We hung around in the tent where people obsessed over layers some more and then the half marathoners were off. Mo, Sara and I ran it together, all of us having raced six days earlier. We all know the course pretty well so know where to expect the hills and where to find the unofficial beer stop.
Now I tend to not usually partake in beer stops along the course. I remember why. It made me burp for the next mile or so. I can do without. I felt surprisingly good through about mile 9/10. It doesn’t help that miles 10-12 are horrible miles through an industrial park/uphill, but not really a hill just a long incline. I so wanted to be done when we reach the top, but it’s another mile to the finish from there. I really started falling apart there and kept trying to keep up with Mo and Sara, but felt really off so pushed as much as I could and came in only a few seconds after them and only 5 minutes slower than six days prior.
We got our giant plates of lasagna and beer and celebrated a fun day. Lots of my friends had good races which is always excellent.
As always it was a fun day and I absolutely love this race. I’m pretty upset the Milwaukee Run Fest is the same weekend next year. Tyranena is just a great day and event. I love seeing all my running friends and hanging out after the race.
It’s too bad the beer stop isn’t in the later miles.. I’ve had beer at mile 16 of a 20 mile race and I thought it helped me for those last few!
Tyranena has been one of those must-do races for me too, at some point I’d like to do the Running Festival one, but race day packet pickup at Tyranena will win me over. Maybe it won’t sell out so fast now!