With runners from 49 states taking part in today's full, and half marathons, it can be easy to just become another face in the crowd.
That's why, for runners and those cheering them on, it's about doing what it takes to stand out.
For Matthew Gross, of Waupaca, today is a first--even for a spectator like himself.
"I came to see my girlfriend run in the half-marathon," says Gross, "[and] I've never been to a marathon."
Gross is here with his girlfriend's parents, but it's not the only sign of support he's brought with him today, though he admits she's good enough without it.
"The Fox Cites Marathon," lists Gross, holding a sign cheering his girlfriend on, "she won that last year in the women's division. She says she's on a good pace right now."
Other runners agree that today was a good day for a marathon.
"The weather was a lot better than last year," says runner Matt Barrett, who came in to run today's half marathon from Verona. "I think last year was 62 (degrees) when i started at 7 a.m., and this year it was… 55 at 8 a.m."
For Barrett, months of training with a coach helped him prepare for a course he says he wasn't expecting.
"I thought it was deceptively tough," says Barrett. "Actually, [it was] a little hill-ier earlier than I thought… longer, gradual hills."
Barrett would finish today's half marathon in 5th place.
"The humidity is down, so that has helped," says race director Toni Jaeckels. "We have some breeze. That's been really great."
Jaeckels says, this year, strength was in numbers.
"Over 2,000 volunteers to make this magic happen," adds Jaeckels, "we get smarter in our approach to things, [and] that number seems to be getting bigger."
While the course stayed the same this year, she says slight tweaks to the expo, like yoga for runners, and hands-only CPR training, will likely come back stronger next year.
"We'd like to add a little more of that next year," says Jaeckels, "something sometimes might happen on the course, and the first responder is the runner."
Leaders say the marathon helps bring in close to $2 million dollars over its 3-day weekend.
Race leaders say plans for 2017's marathon will get underway in September.
