What do you get when you mix baseball, running and sausages?
The Famous Racing Sausages 5K, presented by the Milwaukee Brewers and the Klement’s Racing Sausages, a race that takes participants around and through Miller Park.
We arrived about 7:30 a.m. with just enough time to meet up with our friends, John and Becky, pin on our bibs and snap a few pre-race pictures.
We made our way to the starting line and sidled up alongside the middle of the pack. We listened to the celebrity starter, Brewers third-base coach Ed Sedar, and were off on his count of “on your mark, get set, go!”
The course wound around the tailgating parking lots, down the first-base line, across home plate, down the third-base line and over the bridge from the parking lots to the stadium. It was a really flat, fast course, but it offered little cover from the beating sun.
I felt great through the whole race! I missed the first water stop just past the 1-mile mark but stopped at the second stop just after the 2-mile mark. I even high-fived Brett Wurst, the bratwurst, somewhere between 1 and 2 miles. I hit 1 mile at less than 9 minutes and 2 miles at less than 18 minutes; I was flying, and I had a hunch a PR could be within my grasp.
I approached the 3-mile mark and the bridge that goes from the parking lots to the stadium. I knew I was close to the finish. More and more spectators lined the course and cheered. Volunteers directed runners. I floored it, passing Christopher, passing the Miller Lite Diamond Dancers and crossing at a little more than 29 minutes.
Whew. I actually beat two of the sausages, which legend has it is very hard to do.
Christopher and I met up and watched Becky cross the finish line, and all three of us watched John finish his first race ever! We made our way to the post-race tailgate party, which included complimentary water, Miller Lite and hot dogs. Only in Milwaukee…
We hung around for a while, basking in our post-race glow, downing some grub and some suds and catching up with each other.
We moved our get-together to Café Hollander to celebrate.
(The Beer Mosa, fresh-squeezed orange juice and the house High-Speed Wit beer.)
(The Green Torpedo Omelet, three eggs with fresh spinach and basil and feta and goat cheeses with Hollander potatoes and toast.)
We loved this race! Christopher and I had a great time and would absolutely do it again. The organizers did a great job. (Participants get not only a well-run race but a sweet T-shirt and a voucher for a ticket to a select game.) It’s no wonder the race draws 4,000 runners and walkers and sells out year after year.
Last but not least, the goods:
Distance: 3.1 miles
Duration: 29:01 chip time (29:12 Nike+ time)
Average pace: 9:21 per mile
Sounds like you had a great race! Looks like fun! Although I have to say I am having a hard time wrapping my brain around the beer mosa. That being said, I would certainly try one!
I did have a great race. It was a lot of fun. And trust me on the beermosa: If you use a light, effervescent beer, like Miller High Life, even, it tastes strangely close to a regular mimosa. Try it!
What a fun race! Great time!
Thanks! It was super fun!
WTG, everyone and especially John!
We had a great time — and we’re really proud of John! I hope that wasn’t the last race he ever does…
Wow Girl you and the Hubby are really knocking these races out!! Congrats on the time and especially beating two Sausages. Right only in WI~!!!
Thanks, Ruth! I’m pretty proud of us. We gotta kick ‘em out of the park before the racing season ends and we settle down for the fall. What a fun race and a fun concept, right? I love my home state!
Neither Dan nor I are runners, but we would do this just for the Miller Park + racing sausages, I think!
You don’t have to be! You can walk it. It’s totally fun and totally worth it. Super unique and fun. Do it!