Last Minute Updates
Thank you for registering!
We are enjoying watching the interest in this event grow. We hope you have a good time at this year's event.
Mark Your Calendar for May 19, 2012
The We Walk! Marathon is held on the 3rd Saturday in May. In 2012, the date is May 19th. Registration for 2012 will open on July 1, 2011.
Bib Numbers
Bib numbers should be placed on the front of the chest. This helps our water stop workers identify you as a part of the event, makes it possible for our photographers to identify you in the pictures, and makes it easier for our finish line crew to get the timing and the awards done quickly.
We provide each walker with 4 identically numbered bib numbers. We do this because we want you to put a bib number on each layer that you have on. If you have fewer than 4 layers, please place the remaining bib numbers on the back of the layers you think are mostly likely to be on the outside during the last part of the event.
Excess Clothing
We provide bags at the start line, and at each staffed water stop, to hold any clothes that you no longer need. We will write your bib number on the bag. We plan to have each bag at trail head building at the finish line before you cross the finish line.
Weather??
Even though it snowed on the trail on May 1 and May 2, the trail is now totally snow free.
On the other hand, the longest day of the year is only 30 days away, so the sun is quite high overhead (much like July-August). This means that even though it may seem cold, the risk of sun burn is high. Please take appropriate precautions.
We are prepared to bring your excess clothing to the finish line for you. Please dress in layers so that you can be comfortable walking as you warm up from exercise and the sun (hopefully it will be out) warms up the day.
I recommend checking the weather before you dress for the day. Here is a link to a fairly reliable weather service for central Minnesota:
http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/hdfForecast?query=56374
Issues Along the Trail
If you have an emergency, dial 911 first.
We have an EMT covering the event. Contact a staff member at a water stop or call the race director (this phone number will be in your packet with your bib numbers) for assistance.
Each staffed water stop has a self-help first aid kit. band aids, sunscreen, vaseline, and other basics are in the kit. Ask the staff member at the water stop if you wish first aid supplies.
If you see anything of concern along the trail, or encounter an issue where you need assistance, please contact a staff member at one of the staffed water stops, or contact the race director (this phone number will be in your packet with your bib numbers) .
When
Pre-Race Dinner |
6pm-8pm Friday | |
Costume Contest |
7pm Friday | |
Packet Pickup |
6pm-8pm Friday 5am-6am Saturday (Marathon & 50km) 6:15am-7:45am Saturday (Half Marathon) |
|
Bus to Start |
6am Saturday (Marathon & 50km) 7:45am Saturday (Half Marathon) |
|
Start |
7am Saturday (Marathon & 50km) 8:30am Saturday (Half Marathon) |
Directions
To the Event Hotel - The event hotel is the College of St Benedict in St Joseph, MN. From I94, take exit 160 St Joseph. Turn north onto County 2 towards St Joseph. Before you get to the first stop sign, turn right onto 3rd Ave SW into the College of St Benedict. Follow the We Walk! Marathon signs to the Gorecki Dining & Conference Center. Pick-up your room key inside.
To Pre-Race Dinner - follow the directions to the Event Hotel. We don't know where the dinner will be on campus, so ask inside the Gorecki Center where you would pick up your room key.
To Friday Evening Packet Pickup - Packet pickup is at the same location as Pre-Race Dinner.
Convenience - the Bus Pickup Point, Saturday Morning Packet Pickup, Parking, and the Finish Line are all located just north of the white water tower.
To the Bus Pickup Point
The Bus Pickup Point is north of the white water tower in the parking lot of the Resurrection Lutheran Church. You cannot park your car in the church lot. Please follow the signs to parking.
from I94 - Take exit 160 St Joseph. Turn north onto County 2 towards St Joseph. Drive into town, past the road to the event hotel (3rd Ave SW) to a 4-way stop at College Ave S. Turn left (north) onto College Ave S, continuing straight at the stop light at County 75. The white water tower is on your right a little ways past the stop light. Please follow the signs to parking.
from the Event Hotel - retrace your path through campus back up 3rd Ave SW to the stop sign at County 2. Turn right (east), continuing to the 4-way stop at College Ave S. Turn left (north) onto College Ave S, continuing straight at the stop light at County 75. The white water tower is on your right a little ways past the stop light. Please follow the signs to parking.
To Saturday Morning Packet Pickup - follow the directions to the Bus Pickup Point. Saturday Morning Packet Pickup is in the trail head building between the white water tower and the Resurrection Lutheran Church. Please follow the signs to parking.
To the Marathon & 50km Start - From I94, take exit 135 Melrose. Turn north onto County 13 towards Melrose. Turn right onto 4th St. Turn left onto 5th Ave. St Mary's School will be on your right. Inside the main door are the goodies and coffee for the marathon and 50km. The start is on 2nd St, just north of the school.
To the Half Marathon Start - From I94, take exit 147 Albany. Turn north onto MN 238 towards Albany. At a stop sign, turn right onto Railroad Ave. Drive through town. On the east edge of town, the road will bend slightly left, then strongly right (south). Turn left (east) onto Schwinghammer Dr. Take the first left (north) onto Whispering Oaks Dr. Follow Whispering Oaks as it bends to the right (east) and go all the way to the end. Public trail access is on your left, just east of 137 Whispering Oaks Dr. The start is on the trail, about 25 yards west of the public trail access.
To the Finish Line - follow the directions to the Bus Pickup Point. The finish line is on the trail on the west side of College Ave, just west of the trail head building between the Resurrection Lutheran Church and the white water tower.
To the Water Stop in Freeport - this is the first staffed water stop for the marathon & 50km (5.8 miles completed). From I94, take exit 140 Freeport. Turn north onto County 11 and drive into town. Immediately after crossing the trail (and before you cross Main St), turn right into a parking area. The water stop is on the right, directly across from a small pavilion.
To the Water Stop in Albany - this is the second staffed water stop for the marathon & 50km (13.1 miles completed). Follow the directions to the Half Marathon Start.
To the Water Stop in Avon - this is the third staffed water stop for the marathon & 50km (18.1 miles completed) and the first staffed water stop for the half marathon (5 miles completed). From I94, take exit 153 Avon. Turn north on County 9 into town. Turn right at 1st St N. Turn left on Barracuda Ave. There is a large parking lot on the right, and an observation tower on the left. Further left is a pavilion, which hosts the water stop.
To the Water Stop in Collegeville - this is the fourth staffed water stop for the marathon & 50km (18.1 miles completed), the center of the loop the 50km walkers must traverse, and the second staffed water stop for the half marathon (10.4 miles completed). From I94, take exit 156. Turn north, then turn right (east) onto Collegeville Rd (the frontage road on the north side of I94). Turn left at Old Collegeville Rd. The trail crossing is just ahead. Parking is extremely limited at this location. Please do not park in any of the driveways.
50km Walkers
Since you start and finish with the marathoners, somewhere we have to make you walk an additional 7805.012 meters. Centered around the Collegeville waterstop is such a loop. After passing the Collegeville water stop you will walk to Lake Wobegon Trail mile marker 83.5, then turn back west. You will walk past the Collegeville water stop going against the flow of the other walkers until you get to the stop sign at Norway Rd. Without crossing the road, you will turn back east, walking with the flow of the other walkers. You will procede past the Collegeville water stop again, and on to the finish line. There are signs at each of the turn around points.
If you decide to not walk the additional distance to make 50km, that is fine. Just tell the people at the finish line that you did not take the 50km loop. We will change your event.
Good Luck!
Please let us know if there is anything we can do to help you. We are especially interested in making the event safer and more enjoyable.