Fort Atkinson Half Marathon
Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin
Saturday, June 15, 2013

When I race walked the Fort Atkinson Half Marathon in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin on June 15, 2013, I once again lucked out with the weather. The weather called for 80% chance of rain and thunder storms, but all that happened was a slow, slight drizzle for most of the event with a slight breeze and cloudy skies. The course had many small hills, a few of which were fairly steep. There was 12 miles of roadway and 1 mile of bike paths for the approximately 375 finishers. The roads were opened to traffic; however, the participants had a dedicated space that was for them exclusively. Police and other volunteers stopped cross traffic at intersections and kept the participants safe. The traffic also seemed to cooperate extremely well. Water/Gatorade stations were located every 1.5 to 2 miles and were manned by plenty of enthusiastic volunteers. Surprisingly there were quite a few spectators under umbrellas or wearing rain gear throughout the course cheering the participants. The Chamber of Commerce hosted the event which was extremely well organized and enjoyable. The City of Fort Atkinson and its 13000 citizens made the participants feel that they were appreciated for coming to their City and competing in their event. I also was pleasantly surprised when I discovered that I finished in 3rd place in the 65 and over male runner age group despite the fact that I walked the entire half marathon. I had a wonderful time in Fort Atkinson.