Questions and Answers

You have questions, we have answers! Below is the complete list. Check back often for new questions.

How will registration for the InStep Icebreaker be handled? Registration will open on Sept. 8. You can register in one of two ways: in-person at InStep Running & Walking Centers, 403 E. Buffalo Street, Milwaukee, or by faxing registration to InStep at 414-220-4161. Please note that only our Milwaukee store will be taking registrations. Also note that registration is on a first-come, first-served basis, and once we hit 100 registrants, that's it.

Will the race be a Boston Marathon qualifier? We have heard that the folks at Boston will not allow qualifying times from indoor marathons, but we are still going to beg them to change this rule.

I have seen differing lap amounts for the race. Just how many laps around the Pettit Center make up a full marathon? We think the number is in the 94-95 range, but we are going to get an exact measurement of the track before we are able to determine a definitive amount. The course will be USATF certifield prior to race day.

Will headphones be allowed? No, the running conditions will be tight at the Pettit Center and it will be important that you are able to hear runners coming up from behind.

Are there plans to have a half-marathon as well? Yes, possibly in the future, but not next year.

Will you have runners reverse directions at some point to help reduce the possibility of a repetitive-use injury? No. Since the race will be chip-timed, it would be very difficult to do that. There are plenty of area runners who run 20+ mile runs on a weekly basis during the winter months at the Pettit and have not had injury problems.

What will the temperature be in the Pettit Center for the race? A perfect 50 to 55 degrees at the start and the finish!

What type of clothes should I wear for the race? Even though the temperature is comfortable at the Pettit, due to the ice surface next to the track it can get cold inside the building. Most runners at the Pettit wear a light hat and gloves, at least at the beginning of their run, and a long-sleeved shirt or sweatshirt. Some runners even wear sweat pants or tights. You may want to dress in layers and shed clothes as you see fit.

Will there be finisher medals? Yes.

Will the runners get t-shirts? Yes. We are working with one of the major shoe companies to be a shirt sponsor, and would like to provide runners with a long-sleeve technical shirt.

What other swag will runners get? We are considering making the "goody bag" a nice drawstring bag and filling it with some really cool items from our vendors. Stay tuned for more details......

Will there be awards? We will be giving special awards out to the top three male and female finishers. We are also going to use the Olympic-style podium at the Pettit to present the awards. We will also be giving out age group awards, but are going to wait until we see the age/gender breakdown of the registrants before we determine the age groups.

Will there be food for the runners? Yes, we are trying to line up a food sponsor for the event (anyone, anyone?) and plan to provide bagels, fruit and other things for the runners.

How about water, sports drinks and gel? We will have one drink stop at each end of the track so runners will have over 180 opportunities to drink water and/or sports drinks (please be aware of the dangers of over-hydration). We are also encouraging runners to bring their own drinks (bottles only) and will have tables on which runners can place their drink bottles and gel packets.

Will there be music at the Pettit Center? Yes, we will be playing songs during the race. We will be asking runners to request songs at some point.

How will laps be counted? Runners will have a chip attached to their shoe or ankle, and the chip will relay lap counts to the scoring system. We will also have volunteers who will call out the lap counts to runners at certain intervals (probably every 10 laps). The volunteers will be in communication with the scorer, who will have lap counts for every runner.

Will there be medical assistance at the Pettit Center? Yes, we will have at least two licensed athletic trainers on site as well as EMTs.

What is the time limit for the race? 6 hours.

Where will results be posted? We will post them on this site as well as the Badgerland Striders website.

What does the course map look like? Here is the course map: O

When and where is packet pick-up? Packet pick-up will be at InStep Running & Walking Centers, 403 E. Buffalo Street, Milwaukee, during the week of the race and at the Pettit Center beginning at 6 a.m. on the morning of the race.

What if I am injured or can't run in the marathon? Can I get my money back? Sorry, entries are non-refundable and non-transferable.

Will their be a training program? Yes, InStep will be leading a 16-week training program which will feature Saturday morning runs at the Pettit Center. If you are a first-time marathoner or have not experienced running in the Pettit Center, this program is for you. There is no need to sign up, you can just show up at the Pettit. We have not determined the starting time of the runs yet, but are shooting for 7 a.m. or 8 a.m. beginning Saturday, October 4. We will start each week by answering any questions you may have about marathon training or running in the Pettit Center, and then runners can do their training run at their own pace. Stay tuned for more details......


Feel free to post more questions on this blog or email them to contact@runinstep.com.