3,500 runners take part in Lakefront Marathon, state's largest marathon: "That's a record for us!"

MILWAUKEE -- On a gray and cool October Sunday, 3,500 runners geared up for the oldest and largest marathon in Wisconsin! It wasn't exactly beach weather along Milwaukee's lakefront Sunday, October 4th, but many runners reported it was a perfect day for the annual Lakefront Marathon.

The 26.2-mile race began in Grafton, and ended at Veterans Park in Milwaukee.

"It started with a couple of guys getting together and saying 'let's put together a marathon,'" Jon Mueller, Lakefront Marathon race director said.

Thirty-five years later, the Lakefront Marathon has grown. It is now the largest marathon in the state, with 3,500 runners taking part.

"That's a record for us," Mueller said.

And that doesn't include the many spectators along the route -- like Casey Fitzrandolph and family.

"We've just been cheering, woo-hoo'ing and ringing our bells!" Fitzrandolph said. "We're always in awe of people that can run 26.2 miles and that, you know, the speed at which some of these guys and ladies do it is hard to fathom."

33-year-old Melissa Burkart, a third-grade teacher from Hudson, Wisconsin had one goal for this race. She was looking to qualify for the U.S. Olympic trials.

"She's an inspiration to all of us. No matter what happened today for her, she inspires so many people and she's just an amazing person," Mueller said.

Once across the finish line, exhaustion overwhelmed her.

"I gave it my all though. It was everything I could," Burkart said.

Unfortunately, Burkart missed the mark by a mere 41 seconds.

"You can't give up on your dreams so -- just kept going for it," Burkart said.

Burkart had to run the marathon in two hours and 43 minutes or less to meet her goal. That's just over a six-minute mile pace for the entire race.

The top finisher, Kyle Fraser from West Milwaukee, completed the marathon in two hours and 27 minutes.