Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon; runners take in the sights

MILWAUKEE - Runners are rocking medals after completing the Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon on Sunday, Oct. 6.

They trained for months. They woke up early, hydrating, pushing their bodies.

And on Sunday morning, it all paid off.

"I’ve been thinking about four months from now. It’s felt so nice to cross the finish line," said Noah Kihmm, one of the Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon finishers.

SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News

A perfect day to run

Throughout the 26.2 miles, he trusted his training.

"100%. I feel like it paid off. I kept trying myself, believed in my training. I can finish the race," Kihmm added.

That belief helped half-marathon runners too.

"There were mornings we didn’t want to get up and go for a run, but we made it fun," said Tara Metcalf, who ran with her friend Callie Rayn.

Tara Metcalf ran with her friend Callie Ryan.

"This was my second, and I was very happy to have the beer at the end because the first I couldn’t do it," said Callie Ryan.

Runners took in the sight of a scenic Lake Michigan.

"The views when the sun was coming up over the lake. Yes, that was the best part," added Metcalf.

The Hoan Bridge brought beauty and a challenge.

The Hoan Bridge was full of runners

"Going over the bridge was tough. And the worst part was knowing you had to do it again. Coming back on the end," said Michael Marchese, who ran the half-marathon.

"Once you hit that bridge, and you saw the light at the end of the tunnel. It was all systems go at that point," said Jason Precia, who also ran the half-marathon.

Runners shared plenty of training advice.

"Just find a plan and try to stick to it," said Marchese.

"Have a friend who pushes you and tells you to keep going when you want to stop," said Ryan.

FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX6 News app for iOS or Android

The finish line

They made it to the end. Now it's time to have some fun.

"Eat…just eat. Eat everything in sight," said Kihmm.

"We’re going to go to lunch and drink some mimosas, but that’s probably it," said Precia.

Months of training were over in hours. This was a day runners won’t forget anytime soon.