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Wisconsin > Rails to Trails Marathon, Half Marathon
& 5K
Norwalk, WI
Date
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Event
Details
Known for its steady and challenging uphill stretches that await
runners along the first few miles of the course, the Rails to Trails
Marathon, Half Marathon, 5K & 1-Mile Fun Run takes runners and
walkers on a tour of the Elroy Sparta State Trail, a former railroad
that's been converted into a 32-mile paved recreational trail that
winds through the small towns and countryside areas of southwestern
Wisconsin between towns of Elroy and Sparta, and features three long
tunnels that hikers, walkers, bikers and runners can pass through --
one of which runners will run through during the race.
All four races in the event start and finish at the Norwalk Village
Park on State Highway 71 in the town of Norwalk. From there,
participants follow the course along a northwestern route up and out of
the center of town out along the trail, and encounter what are perhaps
the course's most significant hills in the first four miles of the
race. From the starting elevation of just over 1,000 feet above sea
level, the course reaches nearly 1,400 feet above sea level by the time
runners reach the mile 4 marker. There are a few short downhills along
the way but otherwise it's a long, steady uphill stretch from the start
to the fourth mile.
Shortly after crossing the mile 4 marker, runners enter the longest
tunnel along the entire Elroy Sparta Trail, which is roughly three
quarters of a mile long. As they're about to enter the tunnel, course
volunteers hand every runner a flashlight to carry with them through
the tunnel to light their way, which they can drop off on the other end
and pick up once again on the return during the second half of the
race.
Open to both runners and walkers, the half marathon starts at 10:00 AM,
and follows an out-and-back route that
turns around at about the half-way point of the full marathon course,
and then runs back through the tunnel a second time for the finish in
Norwalk Village Park. The one-mile "Fun Run" also starts and finishes
in
Norwalk Village Park, and features an 11:00 AM starting time.
Race
Weather & Climate
Located in the southwestern corner of the state, just over 40 miles
from the border with Minnesota and about 2 1/2 hours from Madison, the
town of Norwalk typically experiences cold weather conditions in the
mid-fall season, with occasional wet or frozen precipitation. In
November, average monthly temperatures range between 40°F and
26°F, while precipitation totals average around 2.54 inches for
the month.
Fees
$35 for the half marathon, if registered before August 15, 2009
$45 between Aug. 16 - September 15
$60 after Sept. 15
Registration
To reserve your spot in the fall 2009 running of
Wisconsin's Rails to
Trails Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K, register online at Active.com
or print out and mail in this downloadable entry form.
Websites
www.railstotrailsrace.com
Elroy Sparta Trail
Half
Marathon Course Map
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Your Race Story
Ever run in Norwalk's annual Rails to Trails Marathon, Half Marathon or
5K?
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and tips for the event.
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