September Course Connection 2026
Posted on Sep 17, 2026, by Nieko Giuliani
We are officially within the final countdown.
If you’ve been thinking about joining us for our 35th anniversary weekend of events, now is the time to make it official.
Online Registration Deadline For All Events
Thursday, September 17th at 11:59PM
In-person registration continues Friday and Saturday at the Expo, Friday at the Kids Run, and Saturday at the 5K/10K space permitting.
Register Now & Save
Registration prices go up on Sept. 18.
- Community First Fox Cities Marathon
- ThedaCare Half Marathon & Competitive Walk
- Orthopedic Sports & Medicine Specialists Relay Marathon
- Fleet Feet 10K Run/Walk
- Ascension 5K Run/Walk
- Guardian Kids Fun Run
- Huggies® Diaper Dash and Toddler Trot
CHEER FROM ANYWHERE!
Feel the rhythm, feel the rhyme, it’s shout-out board recording time! Get your squad together and those creative juices flowing, then head over to our website to record a memorable and motivating video for your favorite race participants! Your smiles and cheers are just what they need to get through the challenging final mile of their half or full marathon.
Start Them Young!
A love of movement starts early, and there’s no better way to kick off race weekend than with the Guardian Kids Fun Run and Huggies® Diaper Dash & Toddler Trot!
Bring your favorite little runner, crawler, or toddler to Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium on Friday, September 18 for an evening filled with races, games, food, mascots, and plenty of smiles. It’s the perfect way for the whole family to join the excitement of race weekend.
Every participant receives an event shirt and a goodie bag. Guardian Kids Fun Run participants also earn a custom finisher’s medal featuring the same commemorative design as the rest of our race weekend events. Diaper Dash & Toddler Trot participants head home with a Huggies® gift pack of diapers and wipes valued at more than $40.
Register early! Online registration closes Thursday, September 17 at 11:59 p.m. If space is still available, onsite registration opens at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, September 18 at Fox Cities Stadium.
Start their running journey with a finish-line smile they’ll never forget!
GOODIE BAG RECAP
A Little Something Extra
Before our race participants get to enjoy their goodie bags, there’s a dedicated team of volunteers working behind the scenes to make it all happen!
A huge thank you to the amazing volunteers who helped stuff more than 5,000 goodie bags filled with exclusive offers, race-day essentials, fun keepsakes, and sponsor goodies. Their teamwork and enthusiasm ensure every participant receives a warm Fox Cities Marathon welcome before they even reach the starting line.
It’s one more way our volunteers help make race weekend a memorable experience for everyone. Thank you!
Made to Order Swag
Custom On-Site Shirt Printing
Celebrate your finish with some fresh swag! Stop by the Finish Line area on Saturday or Sunday for custom apparel printing. Choose your favorite design, add your name or finishing time, and create a one-of-a-kind keepsake to commemorate your race!
Physical Therapy and Stretching
AFTER RACE RECOVERY!
Crossing the finish line is just the beginning of your recovery.
After your race, stop by the ThedaCare tent, where the experts from ThedaCare Orthopedic Care will be ready to help you recover, recharge, and feel your best.
Stretching specialists from Stretch Zone will be available to guide you through post-race stretches.
Both areas will answer your questions and help ease those well-earned aches and pains.
You’ve put in the miles—now give your body the care it deserves before you head home.
Your recovery starts at the finish line!
Gatorade
RACE DAY REHEARSAL
Your last long run is more than fitness, it’s a race-day rehearsal.
- Eat the same foods the day before
- Use the same pre-run breakfast
- Fuel and hydrate exactly as you plan to on race day
- Don’t forget recovery afterward
If it works here, it’s more likely to help work on race day. You’ll find Gatorade Endurance Formula at all Community First Fox Cities Marathon aid stations on race day.
To order Gatorade Endurance Formula for your training, and to learn more about all Gatorade products, visit Gatorade.com.
Legacy Runner Club
It began in 1991 with the very first Fox Cities Marathon. No one was thinking about legacies—they were simply showing up, lacing up, and having fun.
But year after year, mile after mile, something remarkable happened.
A small group of dedicated runners never missed the start line. Through changing seasons, life milestones, and decades of memories, they kept coming back. Today, they are known as Legacy Runners—a living connection to the heart and history of the race.
MEET LEGACY RUNNER: Gary nettekoven
Persistence, Family, and the Finish Line: A Legacy Runner’s Journey
Gary was never supposed to be a runner. At 5’7” and less than 120 pounds, he was a wrestler—a scrappy, ridiculously tough kid from a farm just north of Appleton. He only took up cross country in high school to stay in shape for the mat, joining mid-season after a dare. But Gary had an obsessive edge.
Some traditions never get old.
As we celebrate our 35th Anniversary, we’re honored to welcome back these incredible Fox Cities Marathon veterans as they set out to complete their 35th consecutive Full Marathon. These local legends have inspired our running community for decades, proving that consistency, determination, and a love of the sport can carry you mile after mile.
Congratulations and best of luck—we’ll be cheering you on all the way to the finish line!
SPONSOR
HIGHLIGHT: ASCENSION
There’s a lot to love about the Ascension 5K Run/Walk—from the scenic course through Neenah to the opportunity to participate alongside your little ones and even your four-legged friends.
What makes this event truly special, however, is the opportunity to give back. Thanks to Ascension’s continued partnership, $5 from every adult 5K registration is donated to the St. Elizabeth Hospital Foundation Cancer Fund. Participants can also continue making a difference by helping create blankets for cancer patients as part of the pre-race experience.
As a returning sponsor, Ascension continues to demonstrate its commitment to building healthier communities and supporting those facing cancer. Together, we’re proving that every step on race day can make a meaningful impact. Thank you, Ascension, for helping us turn miles into hope.
EVENT SPOTLIGHT
5K RUN/WALK
The More, the Merrier!
Your favorite walking or running buddy doesn’t have to stay home!
If your daily miles include your little one in a stroller or your four-legged friend by your side, keep the tradition going at the Ascension 5K Run/Walk. Our 5K is stroller- and dog-friendly, making it easy for the whole family to be part of race weekend.
Whether you’re chasing a new goal, enjoying a leisurely walk, or simply making memories together, everyone is welcome. We can’t wait to see you—and your favorite sidekick—at the starting line!
Mile Marker Sponsors
Cheveux Collective
Club Car Wash
Dairy Queen
Dave VanLieshout Law Office
First American Title Ins Co
Hipke Electric
Jacobs Meat Market
Jennifer Steinhoff, MD – Family Care of the Fox Cities
KleenMark
Lakeside Book Company
Lunda Construction
Marco
Mac Johnson of American Family Insurance
Mend Counseling
Merchants’ Choice
Mr Brews Tap House
Target
Theisen’s Home Farm Auto
TML Auto
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
Walmart
WG&R
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
Zentner’s Auto Service
Water Station Sponsors
ALC Corporation
Appleton Breakfast Rotary
Ascension
Boldt
Community First Credit Union
Dixon Ticonderoga
Essity
Fleet Feet Fox Valley
Fox River Animal Hospital
FTI
Gallagher Insurance
Guardian
Kwik Trip
Lexington Homes
Menasha Corp
Miron Construction
Nutritional Healing
Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Specialists
Security-Luebke Roofing
ThedaCare
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
Velera
Wags & Whiskers
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Neenah, WI 54956