When all the pieces come together
Posted on Jul 18, 2024, by Admin
By: John Wirth
As a new resident of Austin, Texas, summer running just isn’t the same. Growing up in Greenville, Wisconsin, I remember running on hot summer days. But now that I live in the south, those temperatures have become the usual, and with no local races from May through late fall, it’s easy to get out of your training habit.
That’s one of the reasons I love taking advantage of the Fox Cities Marathon’s September weather to keep me motivated to run.
This year, the marathon will give me a great excuse to come home and visit family and friends. It will also connect me with a few old teammates from my high school track team, who asked if I wanted to join them on the full marathon course – my first time. On top of it, the marathon takes place the day before my 24th birthday, so what better way to celebrate?
That alone would have been enough to convince me to hit the pavement, but on top of it all, in making travel arrangements, I learned that the Appleton International Airport offers direct flights from Dallas, Texas, just a few hours drive from me. While I personally am flying out of Austin and have one connecting flight at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, I am glad to see direct flights are being offered not far from where I live. As all the pieces came together this year, this marathon seemed meant to be.
While the distance does seem a bit intimidating, especially training in the peak summer heat, I know it can be done. Earlier this year, I did the Ascension Seton Austin Half Marathon, but running alongside my friends to the cheers of a fantastic community hometown crowd will be a great extra push.
When you are a runner who lives in a climate that is extremely hot for half the year, it is nice to have an opportunity to keep up with your running and participate in races in the northern part of the country. September in Wisconsin can’t be beat! Not only are there a ton of great trails that are perfectly designed for running, but the running community is also really well supported in the Fox Cities. There is a strong sense of community and pride in the region and it is those small things – like how people unfamiliar to you come out to cheer you on along the course, and how fellow runners are helping you keep going while you’re out there – that make running in the Fox Cities a blast.
I am looking forward to seeing you all on the full marathon course this year. Good luck everyone!
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