Brew City Marathon

This is what a marathon experience should be. This is a small race, it’s got small race production, so it’s not fancy and that’s what makes it so awesome.

The race itself is beholden to Mother Nature. For 2026 it was quite windy, an average of 13 mph wind which presented a bit of a challenge. The course is on a nice trail and only crosses a few roads so there’s not a huge amount of road crossings to worry about and it’s well marked and the volunteers are awesome. The finish is downhill and on grass so you’ve got a nice place to hang out after the race.

The start corral is very narrow, maybe 2 people wide at most, this is to thin out the starting crowd since all the 5k, 10k, half, and full folks start at the same time and are confined to a normal width trail. It’s just something to be aware of.

The brat at the end is a nice touch and something different. They also had water and gatorade but not much else, low production remember? I was satisfied with the small after race festivities though. A banana would have been welcome though.

There is not much scenery on the course since it’s along a trail, I would absolutley recommend though and use this course if you need a qualifier for any of the majors. I happened to qualify for all 3 US majors in 1 race.

The finisher medal is high quality and the spelling was correct, someone used a spell checker.

This is my current favorite small race and I rate it 5/5 overall, just a fantastic no frills race experience. You can eliminate transportation, gear check, hotel stay, and after race logistics in one race which should help you set a shiny new PR.

Have a pacing strategy for this race. There is about 700 feet of elevation gain, it is gentle and rolling but it adds up at the end if you get some wind, which is always a possibility based on the location next to Lake Michigan. There are no pace groups for 3:00:00 and faster.

Bib pickup is inside one of the best running stores I’ve ever been to, in Wisconsin of all places. Super fast and easy, no huge expo to navigate. Huge selection of anything you could need should you have forgotten it prior to race day.

Parking is a breeze and ultra close to the event, no traffic jams to worry about and no drama if you’re going to find a spot. I parked maybe 3 minutes from the start line. No need for gear check, it is available if you want to utilize it. No traffic issues on the way to or from the event, you can stay at a hotel a little further away and save some money for the next race that way.