If you're looking for a race to run, this is the one. Hands down. No question about it. For the past 11 years, I've had the privilege to run the Door County half marathon. And for the 11th year in a row, I did not leave disappointed. Did I run a PR this year? No, I didn't. But the sun was shining all weekend and it was unseasonably warm (which isn't a surprise....the weather always seems to cooperate) making it a perfect day to run a half marathon.
I've always described the Door County half marathon course as "humbling". Year after year, I train hard with the hopes of running a PR, only to somehow forget how challenging the course is and how difficult it is to "race". The easiest part of the course is by far the first 4 miles. It's relatively flat, which helps runners gradually warm into the run. But it can also be a bit of a trap. Ask any experienced runner about how to approach a race, and they'll probably start by telling you not to go out too fast. Go out too fast, and you'll burn up halfway through the race. I see it every year in Door County. People see how easy and flat the first few miles are and they sprint out for the first mile or two, only to hit the wall 4 miles in. That wall being Sven's bluff, which starts just after mile 4. It's a hill that is almost a mile long, starting very gradually, before the road turns ninety degrees and heads straight up to the top of the bluff. Don't get me wrong, it's a beautiful view from the top. But you have to earn your way there. If a runner is able to avoid the "flat" trap at the beginning of the course, this is the next obstacle. Hit this monster too hard and too fast, and you'll spend the rest of the race trying to catch your breath. My goal every year is to stay calm going up, control my breathing, control my heart rate, so that I can push the pace for the next 7 miles.
The next few miles are hilly, with a lot of small sprinter hills, but nothing too difficult. For me, the hardest incline of the course is not Sven's bluff, but the long hill that seems never ending around mile 9. The first thing that makes it a struggle for me is the placement of it. At mile 9, I've already been running for an hour or so, so I'm starting to feel the effects of Sven's bluff, the sprinter hills, and the mileage in general. The long hill slowly starts to grab the air from my lungs, so by the time I'm at the top, I'm breathing heavy. Thankfully for my lungs, the next mile is all downhill, racing back down towards sea level and Green Bay. But unfortunately, running down hill trashes my legs! Every year I get to mile 11 planning on and hoping to pick up the pace and sprint the final two miles. And every year it's the same scenario: I've just run 11 miles, I'm still breathing heavy from the hill at mile 9, my legs are heavy from coming down the hill, and I really have to focus and work hard to maintain my pace, let alone run faster. Physically speaking, this is hardest part of the course. From a mental standpoint, the hardest part of the run is just around the corner. Around mile 11, near the historical Eagle Bluff lighthouse, there is another small sprinter hill that doesn't take long to get up and over, but it always seems to zap any energy, will or hope I have left of sprinting to the finish line. At this point, I'm just hanging on, hoping with every turn of the road that I'll start seeing a crowd of people and the finish line.
Exhausted but happy to be done, the post race party on the beach is usually where I start to forget about the run. Chocolate milk, oranges, bananas and some awesome chocolate cookies will do that. A free beer from Door County brewing doesn't hurt either.
So what keeps a runner coming back, year after year, to run the same race? People sign up for a half marathon because they want a challenge. And as I've just illustrated, this course is a challenge and then some. But whether you're a competitive or casual runner, this run gives you plenty of reasons to keep coming back. It's obvious that the course itself is beautiful. The race winds its way through Peninsula State Park, hugging the shores of Green bay before heading up, inviting the runners to several breathtaking vista views of the bay and surrounding islands. Miles of rolling hills bring the runners past golf courses, lighthouses and old cemeteries. The entire race is run through the woods, so at times it feels more like a nature hike than a road race.
But it's the people and community of Door County that makes the weekend so special. Shops and galleries open their doors. Restaurants have runner friendly food and menu items. And many of the establishments offer a free beer as their way of congratulating the runners! The race itself is meticulously organized, and the volunteer support is top notch. If you're looking for your next race or challenge, give the Door County half marathon a try. Chances are you'll keep coming back, too.
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