Wisconsin Archives

Ice Age 50k Race Report – Natalie Weeks

May 18, 2023

Race: Ice Age 50K

Runner: Natalie Weeks

Race Date: 05/13/2023

Location: LaGrange, WI

Results: 5:18 – 7th woman overall

3 Bests – What aspects of the race did you like the most?

Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?

This race is so well organized, a well-oiled machine with the best aid stations, beautiful course and great swag!

At 10 months postpartum I was able to come within 4 minutes of my personal best at this distance. I was so pleasantly surprised in my ability to perform at this race with trying to navigate a full time job, training, and being a new mom.

Difficulty – Is it a tough course?

Lots of hills, but not very technical for the 50K course.

Competition – Is there a strong field?

Very strong field, people come from all over to do this amazing race.

Logistics – Does it require a special handshake, registration a year in advance, hotels all booked? Give us the low down on the nuts and bolts of making the race happen.

The registration fills up within minutes sometimes, you have to be sitting on your computer!

How’s the Swag?

Amazing. Cool keychain for 50K and belt buckles for the 50M.

The Overall Score – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it?

5/5

The Fall 50 Race Report – Zach Ziesemer

January 2, 2023

Race: The Fall 50

Runner: Coach Zach Ziesemer

Race Date: 10/22/2022

Location: Door County, WI

Results: 1st place overall, 6:11:38

Strava Activity Link: https://www.strava.com/activities/8003444909

3 Bests – What aspects of the race did you like the most?

Race crew friendly
Beautiful fall colors and lake views
Awesome post-race party!!!

Not so much – Aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you

Volunteers were still setting up the water stations at the solo tents for the first couple of aid stations by the time the first runners got there. Wasn’t the biggest issue but did put you out of your flow slightly (could get water from the tents geared for team runners).

Weird factor – What’s the weirdest thing about this race?

Not necessarily weird, but the event does tend to highlight the team offering of the event. However, it doesn’t seem to overshadow those competing solo.

Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?

The first 30 miles went great and were on parr with what I expected averaging a sub-7:00 minute mile. Despite the latter portions of the race having opportunities for improvement I’m not complaining, coming within 11 minutes of my goal time for my inaugural ultra. The last 20 miles it was nice competing with two other athletes which kept each of us honest to the finish line. We all finished within five minutes of one another.

Lessons for others – Share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner

Pace yourself! With it typically being a cooler start you may be inclined to go out faster than you should. Also, if you’ve integrated hill repeats into your training you should be fine as you do tackle four climbs during the first half of the route.

Lessons you learned that will help you next time around

Fueling is key! Being my first ultra I had researched fueling strategies prior to the race and had planned to take an energy gel every 45 minutes. However, I soon realized having the same consistency and sweetness over and over was going to pose a bigger challenge than I anticipated. Fortunately, just prior to mile 30 there was an aid station outfitted with broth and PB&J’s that hit the spot! In the subsequent aid stations, they had Cliff bars (among other items) that I relied on to get me through the remaining 20 miles. Prior to my next race I’ll be introducing fueling into my training, which I’ve omitted in the past.

Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race

Between mile 32-38 you’re open to the elements and there was a decent north facing wind which of course was the opposite direction of the course which served as a challenge. The remainder of the course you do have decent coverage on either side with tree coverage.

Aesthetics – Is it a pretty course?

It is a beautiful time of year as it takes place at the peak of the fall colors. This combined with the fantastic lake views make it that much more enjoyable.

Difficulty – Is it a tough course?

Being virtually all pavement (outside of a small section in Door Peninsula State Park) your legs certainly take a pounding over 50 miles. The course has about 4,000 feet of elevation changes throughout the entire race with four decent climbs. The last 20 miles are relatively flat and open.

Organized and well run – Did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?

Outside of a couple water station glitches at the first two aid stations everything else was organized wonderfully.

Competition – Is there a strong field?

Seems that the finishing times have varied from year to year. The last couple of years (2019 & 2021) had finishing times around 7 hours with this last year coming in closer to 6 hours. The course record had been set by Zach Bitter back in 2015 with a finishing time around 5 hours 17 minutes.

Logistics – Does it require a special handshake, registration a year in advance, hotels all booked? Give us the low down on the nuts and bolts of making the race happen.

The team relay option for the race sells out soon after registration opens. However, if you are a solo runner the event doesn’t typically sell out. There is a limited number of hotels in the Sturgeon Bay area so I would recommend reserving a room early. I ended up renting out a room from a motel in Ahnapee which is about 20 minutes from Sturgeon Bay, which worked out well.

Aid Stations – Standard fare or anything special to know about the aid stations in terms of what’s available or when?

There are nine aid stations along the route. Typical fare of items that include gels, bars, fruit, water, and an electrolyte drink. The aide station that’s just prior to mile 30 offers an extended menu to include soup, broth, PB&J, chicken, among other items.

Weather and typical race conditions

October in Wisconsin can always be a hit or miss in terms of the conditions that you’ll get (i.e. rain, snow, sun). This year the weather turned great. Race start temps were in the 40’s and it worked its way up to low 60’s by race end.

Gear – Did you need anything special or is there anything you’d recommend for the next runner?

With it being a road race and having a decent amount of aid stations along the course it’s not necessary to carry excessive amounts of liquids and nutrition, which could weigh you down.

Spectators – Is this a friendly course for your friends?

The course is very conducive to support crews cheering on runners along the course and at the aid stations. If you’re looking at viewing runners within Peninsula State Park a park pass is needed.

How’s the Swag?

The finisher sweatshirts are awesome and comfortable. 50-mile solo finishers also receive nice winter hats that identify you as a 50-mile finisher.

The Overall Score – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it

I’m excited to do this race again as the scenery is beautiful and the event is very well put together. The post-race party is epic and features a band, beer, wine, and pizza under large tents that shelter you for the elements. 5/5 rating is my rating for the event and would say that it makes a nice event for entry to seasoned athletes.

Zach Ziesemer is a coach with Team RunRun. To learn more about him or to work with him, check out his coach profile.

Ice Age 50 Race Report – Roey P

August 11, 2020May 16, 2018

Race: Ice Age Trail 50 Miler

Runner: Roey P

Date: 5/12/2018

Location: Kettle Moraine Park, Wisconsin

Results: 9:13:03

Strava Activity Link: https://www.strava.com/activities/1568017462

3 Bests – What aspects of the race did you like the most?

The atmosphere-The more I get into trail running, the more I love it. The other runners are a huge reason why. They are friendly, talkative and supportive. Its almost like “Hey, we are all in this together”.
The Course-Challenging, with non stop hills. But boy is this a pretty run. Varied terrain, keeps this really interesting.
Aid Stations-16, not including the start and finish. Very well supported, fully stocked, awesome volunteers.

Not so much – Aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you

If I were pressed to come up with something:This race is in the middle of nowhere Wisconsin. The best way I could tell you where it is, is between Madison, and Racine. Don’t expect a wide range of eating/sleeping arrangements.

Weird factor – What’s the weirdest thing about this race?

One loop, and 2 out and backs means you get to see the leaders a few times. Like beautiful gazelles passing you as you plod along. Not so much weird, as inspirational.
Also, the hills NEVER END. Honestly, they don’t. My watch said 5000+ feet of climbing, but none of those was more than 200 feet at a time.

Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?

I feel like I paced this out incredibly well. I was on point with my fueling and hydration, and was able to stick to my plan very well. I handled the hills well, and finished 47 minutes faster than I wanted to.

Lessons for others – Share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner

Seriously, do your hill work. Even though it sounds flat for a 50 miler, they don’t end. I was about half a mile from the finish, and mistakenly thought to myself “phew, no more hills”. But guess what…2 more hills.

Lessons you learned that will help you next time around

Squirrel Nut Butter and Vaseline don’t stay forever. Reapply.

Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race

Hills, also hills. Did I mention Hills. Some of the out and backs got a little “pudding like” after 400 runners were on them twice. Try to be the leader. Then you get fresh trails.

Aesthetics – Is it a pretty course?

Beautiful midwest forest.

Difficulty – Is it a tough course?

Being my first 50, I don’t have a whole lot of perspective, but I would say deceptively challenging.

Organized and well run – Did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?

Everything was smooth. Race communication was great. Bib pickup was smooth. Race day events well handled. This race has been going on for 30 plus years, and they have it all figured out.

Competition – Is there a strong field?

Maybe not as much as years past. This used to be a WS Qualifier, but not anymore. Still some strong runners out there.

Logistics – Does it require a special handshake, registration a year in advance, hotels all booked? Give us the low down on the nuts and bolts of making the race happen.

Lots of camping options, only 1 or 2 hotels in the area. I was late to the sign up, but didn’t have any problems getting in.

Aid Stations – Standard fare or anything special to know about the aid stations in terms of what’s available or when?

So many. 16, not including the Start/Finish. They had limited Gu’s, but everything else was fully loaded.

Weather and typical race conditions

40-50 and Humid/Damp. It poured the night before, but was beautiful that day.

Gear – Did you need anything special or is there anything you’d recommend for the next guy?

Running belt should be fine. Lots of places for a crew, and lots of aid stations. Don’t weigh yourself down with a vest or backpack.

Spectators – Is this a friendly course for your friends?

Lots of places for family and friends to cheer you on, and keep you going. If you have family there, Emma Carlin aid station looked like a big party. 40 miles out, and they were rocking and rolling when I came in.

How’s the Swag?

I finally ran a race that gave out a buckle, so great!

The Overall Score – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it?

5 out of 5. Great race for a first time 50 miler.

Ice Age 50 Mile Race Info

January 7, 2022March 27, 2018

Summary: Starting and finishing in the same location and consisting of a loop section as well as two out and backs, the Ice Age 50 is one of the oldest ultras in the country. Though it often has fast times and fast course records, it’s still a tough course, consisting of relentless hills, though none are extremely steep or long. The course is mostly single track dirt, rocky and tree rooted trail that runs through pinewoods, hardwood forests, and rolling prairie lands.

Lessons Learned from Race Reports

It’s a fairly hard cutoff at 12 hours, so be aware of the time limit
First 9 mile loop allows for some more “cruising” miles, with fairly wide doubletrack, but still has some inclines throughout
Be ready for the weather to change throughout the day, so either have a layer to peel/put on while you run and/or in your drop bag
With two out and back sections, and lots of faster runners in the race, there is a lot of 2 way traffic for much of the race, so be ready to share the trail with others going faster/slower the other way
The 3rd section of the course, the 18 mile out and back, is the hilliest of all the sections, and you feel it that much more on tired legs, especially on the way back
Refrain from pushing too hard on the early hills, even though they’re not particularly long or steep, because they will wear you down before you hit the bigger hills later in the race
The relentless rollers make this “fast” 50 miler deceivingly hard; seriously, everyone talks about how this course sneaks up on you and can beat you up!

Elevation

Total gain/loss: 7454/7488

Ft/mile gain: 149

Total climbs: Relentless, too many to count, none super long or steep, but never-ending

Course Map and Elevation profile

Course Map with Aid Station Chart

Aid stations

Total aid stations: 16

Furthest distance apart: 5.1 miles

Locations: Miles 3.9. 9, 10.5, 13.1, 17.3, 19.1, 21.7, 24.2, 26, 30.2, 32.9, 37.1, 40.2, 43.3, 47.6, 48.5

What’s available: Water, HEED and soda (Coke, Mountain Dew and Ginger Ale), PBJ sandwiches, oranges, bananas, pickles, cookies, chips, pretzels and candies, and a limited number of Hammer Gels.