- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 417,610
- Reaction score
- 43
The Milwaukee Marathon returns to the streets of downtown for another year this weekend — and that means some streets will be closed to traffic.
The sold-out marathon and half-marathon are Saturday morning. The 5K is Sunday morning.
The 26.2-mile marathon and 13.1-mile half-marathon courses start on Harbor Drive at Henry Maier Festival Park and offer views of Lake Michigan, Milwaukee's Oak Leaf Trail and various parks throughout the city. New this year, the 3.1-mile 5K starts and finishes in Washington Park.
Here's a rundown of road closures and other information about the races:
Numerous roads along the lakefront and Oak Leaf Trail will be closed during the races to safely accommodate runners.
According to the Milwaukee Marathon website, the following roads will be closed Saturday:
According to the Milwaukee Marathon website, the following roads will be closed Sunday:
The 2025 Milwaukee Marathon takes place Saturday, April 12. The marathon and half-marathon start at 7 a.m. and are finished by noon. The 5K takes place Sunday, April 13, starts at 8:30 a.m. and is finished by 10 a.m.
The Milwaukee Marathon and half-marathon courses start on Harbor Drive at Henry Maier Festival Park, home of Summerfest.
The full marathon course travels up North Lincoln Memorial Drive, hitting a notable hill on East Water Tower Road around mile 2. Mile 3 takes you through relatively flat east-side neighborhoods before turning onto the Oak Leaf Trail at mile 4.
Around mile 9, the trail features a gradual uphill, followed by a short, steep downhill before you turn around on the trail in Glendale. At about mile 10, you must go back up the short, steep hill. You then take the largely flat trail back the way you came until you hit about 15 miles. You must cover a short, uphill stretch to exit the trail by the Urban Ecology Center.
You then head back to the eastside and through Lake Park. Miles 16 and 17 feature a long downhill on Lincoln Memorial Drive. Mile 19 passes the Milwaukee Art Museum, and miles 20 and 21 take you through Lakeshore State Park, under the Hoan Bridge and into the Third Ward neighborhood.
Miles 22 and 23 take you through the Walker's Point and Bay View neighborhoods. The 26.2-mile race finishes in Bay View's Humboldt Park, where runners are met with finish-line beer and music.
In total, the course has an elevation gain of 648 feet, according to the race website. For a visual preview of the course, check out our time-lapse video.
The half marathon course also features the stretch along North Lincoln Memorial Drive, then up the East Water Tower Road hill. Miles 3 and 4 loop Lake Park; runners then head down the long Lincoln Memorial Drive hill, reaching Lakeshore State Park around mile 7. The half marathon makes its way to the Third Ward and into Bay View before finishing in Humboldt Park.
After Saturday's races, shuttle buses will run from Humboldt Park to the start line at Harbor Drive between 8:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Buses will pick up finishers at South Howell Avenue and Montana Street, in the northwest corner of the park.
The 5K race begins in Washington Park. The first about-1.5 miles takes runners down and back along West Washington Boulevard. The course then loops the park and finishes where it started.
Detailed, interactive course maps for all three distances are available at milwaukeemarathon.com/race-details. The courses are USATF-certified and can be used to qualify for the Boston Marathon.
The Milwaukee Marathon offers discounted parking in advance and on-site through the Secure-A-Spot app.
Use promo code MARATHON5 for $5 all-day parking in the Foxconn Lot at 637 N. Van Buren St., located about 0.4 miles from the start line. You can also use code MARATHON10 for $10 all-day parking at the 280 N. Jackson St. Lot, also about 0.4 miles from the start line.
Reserve parking in advance by selecting a future parking time for April 12, "Event Rate" and entering one of the codes above.
According to race staff, the start line area near Henry Maier Festival Park is a good spot because you can watch runners pass by at the beginning of the race and again around mile 7 of the half or mile 20 of the marathon.
Lake Park ― at around 3 miles in the half and 16 miles in the marathon ― is another good place to see your runner. Additionally, race staff recommend spectating along Kinnickinnic Avenue.
The good news is, other than the Oak Leaf Trail, most of the course is pretty accessible.
Marathon, half-marathon and 5K finishers can celebrate their accomplishments with the Milwaukee Marathon Brewfest at the finish line. Saturday's party is in Humboldt Park, and Sunday's is in Washington Park.
According to the race website, finishers can enjoy live music and a complimentary craft beer from a local brewery. The race-day brewery lineup features Component Brewing, Supermoon Beer Company, Torzala Brewing Co., New Barons Brewing and Vennture Brew Co.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee Marathon will cause these road closures this weekend
Continue reading...
The sold-out marathon and half-marathon are Saturday morning. The 5K is Sunday morning.
The 26.2-mile marathon and 13.1-mile half-marathon courses start on Harbor Drive at Henry Maier Festival Park and offer views of Lake Michigan, Milwaukee's Oak Leaf Trail and various parks throughout the city. New this year, the 3.1-mile 5K starts and finishes in Washington Park.
Here's a rundown of road closures and other information about the races:
What roads will be closed for the Milwaukee Marathon?
Numerous roads along the lakefront and Oak Leaf Trail will be closed during the races to safely accommodate runners.
According to the Milwaukee Marathon website, the following roads will be closed Saturday:
- Park Road from Oklahoma Avenue to Howell Avenue: Closed 8 a.m. Friday to 5 p.m. Saturday.
- Harbor Drive from Lincoln Memorial Drive to Clybourn Street: Closed 11 a.m. Friday to noon Saturday.
- Lincoln Memorial Drive from Harbor Drive to Kenwood Boulevard: Closed 6 a.m. to 11 a.m.
- Terrace Avenue from Wyoming Place to Wahl Avenue: Closed 6 a.m. to 8 a.m.
- Wahl Avenue from Terrace Avenue to Lake Drive: Closed 6 a.m. to 8 a.m.
- Lake Drive from Wahl Avenue to Kenwood Boulevard: Closed 6 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
- Newberry Boulevard from Oakland Avenue to Lake Drive: Closed 6 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
- Oakland Avenue from Park Place to Geneva Place: Closed 6 a.m. to 10 a.m.
- Park Place from Oakland Avenue: Closed 6 a.m. to 10 a.m.
- Kenwood Boulevard from Lincoln Memorial Drive: Closed 6 a.m. to 10 a.m.
- Erie Street from Young Street: Closed 6 a.m. to 11 a.m.
- Pittsburgh Avenue from Erie Street to Water Street: Closed from 6 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
- Water Street from Broadway Street to National Avenue: Closed from 6 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
- National Avenue from Water Street to First Street: Closed from 6 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
- First Street from National Avenue to Kinnickinnic Avenue: Closed from 6 a.m. to noon
- Kinnickinnic Avenue from First Street to Oklahoma Avenue: Closed from 6:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
- Oklahoma Avenue from Kinnickinnic Avenue to Howell Avenue: Closed from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- W Interstate-794 ramp at Milwaukee Lakefront: Closed from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m.
According to the Milwaukee Marathon website, the following roads will be closed Sunday:
- Olmsted Wayfrom Vliet Street to State 175 off ramp: Closed from 5:30 a.m. to noon
- Washington Boulevard (eastbound only) from Olmsted Way to 55th Street/Hawley Road: Closed from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
- Ramp at State 175 and Washington Boulevard: Closed from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
When is the 2025 Milwaukee Marathon?
The 2025 Milwaukee Marathon takes place Saturday, April 12. The marathon and half-marathon start at 7 a.m. and are finished by noon. The 5K takes place Sunday, April 13, starts at 8:30 a.m. and is finished by 10 a.m.
What is the Milwaukee Marathon course? Is it hard?
The Milwaukee Marathon and half-marathon courses start on Harbor Drive at Henry Maier Festival Park, home of Summerfest.
The full marathon course travels up North Lincoln Memorial Drive, hitting a notable hill on East Water Tower Road around mile 2. Mile 3 takes you through relatively flat east-side neighborhoods before turning onto the Oak Leaf Trail at mile 4.
Around mile 9, the trail features a gradual uphill, followed by a short, steep downhill before you turn around on the trail in Glendale. At about mile 10, you must go back up the short, steep hill. You then take the largely flat trail back the way you came until you hit about 15 miles. You must cover a short, uphill stretch to exit the trail by the Urban Ecology Center.
You then head back to the eastside and through Lake Park. Miles 16 and 17 feature a long downhill on Lincoln Memorial Drive. Mile 19 passes the Milwaukee Art Museum, and miles 20 and 21 take you through Lakeshore State Park, under the Hoan Bridge and into the Third Ward neighborhood.
Miles 22 and 23 take you through the Walker's Point and Bay View neighborhoods. The 26.2-mile race finishes in Bay View's Humboldt Park, where runners are met with finish-line beer and music.
In total, the course has an elevation gain of 648 feet, according to the race website. For a visual preview of the course, check out our time-lapse video.
The half marathon course also features the stretch along North Lincoln Memorial Drive, then up the East Water Tower Road hill. Miles 3 and 4 loop Lake Park; runners then head down the long Lincoln Memorial Drive hill, reaching Lakeshore State Park around mile 7. The half marathon makes its way to the Third Ward and into Bay View before finishing in Humboldt Park.
After Saturday's races, shuttle buses will run from Humboldt Park to the start line at Harbor Drive between 8:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Buses will pick up finishers at South Howell Avenue and Montana Street, in the northwest corner of the park.
The 5K race begins in Washington Park. The first about-1.5 miles takes runners down and back along West Washington Boulevard. The course then loops the park and finishes where it started.
Detailed, interactive course maps for all three distances are available at milwaukeemarathon.com/race-details. The courses are USATF-certified and can be used to qualify for the Boston Marathon.
Where to park for the Milwaukee Marathon
The Milwaukee Marathon offers discounted parking in advance and on-site through the Secure-A-Spot app.
Use promo code MARATHON5 for $5 all-day parking in the Foxconn Lot at 637 N. Van Buren St., located about 0.4 miles from the start line. You can also use code MARATHON10 for $10 all-day parking at the 280 N. Jackson St. Lot, also about 0.4 miles from the start line.
Reserve parking in advance by selecting a future parking time for April 12, "Event Rate" and entering one of the codes above.
Where are the best places for spectators to watch the Milwaukee Marathon?
According to race staff, the start line area near Henry Maier Festival Park is a good spot because you can watch runners pass by at the beginning of the race and again around mile 7 of the half or mile 20 of the marathon.
Lake Park ― at around 3 miles in the half and 16 miles in the marathon ― is another good place to see your runner. Additionally, race staff recommend spectating along Kinnickinnic Avenue.
The good news is, other than the Oak Leaf Trail, most of the course is pretty accessible.
Milwaukee Marathon post-race party
Marathon, half-marathon and 5K finishers can celebrate their accomplishments with the Milwaukee Marathon Brewfest at the finish line. Saturday's party is in Humboldt Park, and Sunday's is in Washington Park.
According to the race website, finishers can enjoy live music and a complimentary craft beer from a local brewery. The race-day brewery lineup features Component Brewing, Supermoon Beer Company, Torzala Brewing Co., New Barons Brewing and Vennture Brew Co.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee Marathon will cause these road closures this weekend
Continue reading...
