The Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon is an annual marathon held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in the United States. It starts at the Italian Community Center on West Wisconsin Avenue in Milwaukee and finishes at Henry Maier Festival Park and has a total elevation gain of . As of 2023, it is the largest marathon held in Wisconsin. The Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon is somewhat unique among American marathons because it does not have a corporate sponsor and is not for charity; instead it is organized by the Badgerland Striders running group on a "for runners, by runners" model.

In 2008, the Road Runners Club of America recognized the Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon as Road Race of the Year.

Race history The Wisconsin Mayfair Marathon, which started at Mayfair Mall, was established in 1972 and was the progenitor to what became the Lakefront Marathon. The 1972 Wisconsin Mayfair Marathon was not a marathon race, but instead was a fundraiser for the US Olympic team on a track set up in the mall's parking lot. In 1972, 1,724 participants ran between June 11 and 17, 1972. The 1973 Wisconsin Mayfair Marathon became a marathon race.

In 1982, the Badgerland Striders running group reconstituted the Wisconsin Mayfair Marathon as the Lakefront Marathon. The 1983 race was known as the Lite Beer Lakefront Marathon.

Chip timing was used for the first time at the Lakefront Marathon in 1999.

In 2005, the Badgerland Striders had to cap the number of participants for the first time limiting entries to 2,300.

Fauja Singh ran his 100th marathon at the Lakefront Marathon in 2008.

In 2009, pace groups were first a part of Lakefront Marathon to help runners meet their time goals. The same year, Wisconsin politicians Jim Sullivan, David Cullen, and Pedro Colón competed in the Lakefront Marathon. There was also controversy in the women's race that year when Cassie Peller, who ran 3:02:09, was disqualified for accepting outside aid by drinking water outside of official aid stations in violation of USATF rules. Peller admitted she took water from a young boy and was handed an unplanned water bottle by a friend around , but claimed she didn't seek to have any unfair advantage. However, the second place finisher Jennifer Goebel was also disqualified for using an iPod in violation of USATF rules from to of the race. This elevated Corina Canitz, the third women's finisher, to be the winner with a time of 3:04:20; Canitz donated the $500 winner's award to a charity affiliated with Jenny Crain.

In 2010, the Lakefront Marathon was the Road Runners Club of America national marathon championship race. The same year, about 100 runners were obstructed by a train about into the race.

The marathon relay race at Lakefront Marathon ended in 2010. Race director Kristine Hinrichs explained the decision by saying the change helped focus on the marathon race.

In 2011, 62 runners tethered themselves together and ran the Lakefront Marathon with a finish time of 6 hours and 18 minutes to set the Guinness World Record for The Most People Linked Together To Complete A Marathon. The previous record was 54 runners. This was done as a fundraiser for elite athlete Jenny Crain, who was injured in a traffic accident, and raised at least $108,000. Crain joined "Team Jennipede" for the last of the race in her wheelchair.

Slight changes were made to the race course in 2011 to better show off views of Lake Michigan.

In 2022, the Lakefront Marathon was canceled due to permit issues. An unofficial marathon and half marathon called Not Lakefront Marathon took place on October 2, 2022, and 700 to 800 runners participated in it from 20 states.

Until 2023, the Lakefront Marathon was run on a point-to-point course from the Grafton High School in Grafton, Wisconsin, to Veteran's Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on a course that was recognized for being flat and fast. The route change was necessitated by road construction on the original course. The new route has more elevation gain on the course including on the Hoan Bridge.

In 2024, the driver of a vehicle experienced a medical emergency and struck a marathon participant.

Race weekend

The marathon and half marathon both start at 7 am.

Past marathon results Date Men's winner Time(h:m:s) Women's winner Time(h:m:s) Steve Benson2:14:09Mary Bange2:55:31 Tom Antczak2:25:38Kris Clark-Setnes3:04:56 Tim Renzelmann2:22:22Linda Walker2:43:15 Lee Zubrod2:26:03Debbie Revolta2:51:39 Randy Damkot2:29:00Liz Krznarich2:56:43 Mitchell Craib2:25:27Ann Schaefers2:47:31 Randy Damkot2:22:35Jane Murphy2:44:31 Rick Stefanovic2:33:52Kathleen Green2:58:13 Brian Pahnke2:33:08Jennifer Holzem2:58:47 Randy Damkot2:25:25Mary Peckarsky2:49:48 Dan Held2:23:22Keri Wells2:49:49 Randy Damkot2:26:07Janeth Salazar-Ohst2:52:24 Randy Damkot2:29:04Kathy Waldron3:01:28 Rick Stefanovic2:41:04Kit McCaffrey3:05.26 Chris Roberdeau2:26:39Rebecca Ward2:56.46 Shane Carr2:35:34Aaron Clark2:58:30 Bob Cisler2:32:22Meghan Macardy3:03:06 Paul Laeseke2:32:26Rebecca Suehring2:53:29 Matthew Lavine2:37:31Corina Canitz3:01:02 Brent Alexander2:28:24Corina Canitz3:00:48 Ryan Meissen2:24.53Corina Canitz3:04:20 Scott Jansky2:31:41Nacole Fredrickson3:01:39 Nick Szczech2:22:17Amber Druien2:54:15 Paul Zdroik2:27:08Jacqui Aubert2:55:06 Ryan Meissen2:28:23Melissa Burkart2:45:30 Nick End2:27:38Melissa Gacek2:43:41 Kyle Fraser2:27:38Melissa Burkart2:43:41 Dave Eckhart2:27:22Brooke Slayman2:51:17 Matt Borneman2:31:44Jenny Zwagerman2:54:11 David Luy2:21:24Kameron Burmeister2:45:21 Sammy Kibet Rotich2:17:10Liz Berkholtz2:45:27 canceled due to coronavirus pandemic Matt Barrett2:22:35Samantha Slattery2:48:00 canceled due to inability to secure permits Seth Massot2:24:51Damaris Areba2:37:39 Abraham Kipkemei2:21:53Alexis Mather2:46:42

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