Labor Day Weekend found us in Wisconsin for the Minocqua No Frills Marathon! We had never heard of the town of Minocqua before, and assumed no one else had either. We expected it to be a desolate northern wilderness area, but in reality it was a packed-full, bustling city. Race morning I started out with the 4:15 pace group and they kept me entertained for the first 20 miles. The pacers were nice, but they were continuously asking for money. They said they live off of the tips they get. They were just joking (I think.) It was a pretty course running through the woods on the Bearskin Trail. I hit "the wall" after mile 21. The last five miles seemed to last forever, and my legs just didn't want to keep going. My time ended up as 4:47:20. Those last miles were slow! The reason for the race name "No Frills" is it is designed to be simple and affordable. It's all about the race, with no extra frills!
The next weekend found us in Danville, Indiana for the Fair on the Square Marathon! I was still limping from the last race, so my goal for this one was just to get across that finish line. It was cloudy and cool, but also humid! This course went out of town on rural roads featuring scenic farms. Horses pranced in pastures, and roosters crowed. "This is so peaceful," I thought to myself. My mind suddenly changed as I came upon a farm house surrounded by police. There were perhaps four or five sheriff cars parked in the driveway. My first thought was one of extreme curiosity. I could go up and investigate. My next thought was I should run as fast as I could to get out of the area! To this day I still don't know if a major gunfight was about to ensue, or if the officers were simply meeting on the farm for some Saturday morning coffee. I crossed the finish line at 4:41:51. Other years this event has had a half marathon and a 5k, but with so many other races cancelled they chose to include a full marathon this year. I'm so glad they did!
If you ever find your way to Danville, make sure to stop at the Mayberry Café, like we did for our pre-race meal, especially if you're an Andy Griffith Show fan! An old squad car is featured, and the show plays on the restaurant TVs. The décor and the menu is based off of life in Mayberry as well!
"Life is like a marathon. It’s full of ups and downs that take your breath away.”