River City RC’s Michael Borst previews this weekend’s La Crosse Marathon

River City Running Club president and ultramarathoner Michael Borst in the WIZM studio to, not just preview the La Crosse Marathon — which happens May 3 — but also just dive into everything running.

La Crosse Talk airs weekdays at 6-8 a.m. Listen on the WIZM app, online here, or on 92.3 FM / 1410 AM / 106.7 FM (north of Onalaska). Find all the podcasts here or subscribe to La Crosse Talk wherever you get your podcasts.

Along with the La Crosse Marathon, the event also features a half marathon, a 5k and a kids race through Riverside Park.

So, we get into that for abit, but also — since Borst is an ultramarathoner, which means he partakes in 100-kilometer races — we talk about all the other events the River City Running Club holds: 

• Hixon 50
• Hixon Trail Series
• 4-mile Hixon run
• Firecracker 4-mile
• 24-hour Rud Run
• Goosebumps 24-hour run
• Mt. La Crosse Summit Series

We also talk how the La Crosse Marathon needs some national stud to win it a couple times, so they become the person to beat.

This is the fourth year that the marathon is back, after it had been on hiatus since 2012.

The events raise money for three causes: Joe was Just Joe, Saint Clare Health Mission and ORA Trails. Last year it raised $34,000 for those groups.

Borst notes that the marathon is also a qualifier for the 2026 Boston Marathon and it’s part of the Wisconsin Championship for Roadrunners Club of America. 

Cost to register for the marathon is $120, the half is $110 and the 5k is $55. The kids’ race is free and will happen around 11:30 a.m. More info can be found here.

They’re also looking for volunteers for the eight water stations, as well as to help tear down.