
Be Free. Stride out the door – no looking back. Be Determined. Put yourself first, for a morning, a day, and maybe forever. And that’s a good thing. Photo by Carrie Highman-Dream Lens Media.
Be Strong. Crisp fall mornings – blue sky, sparkly frost – are made for trail running. Run away and come home to yourself. Immerse yourself in the beauty of restored prairies as you bound along the Trail. Expanded lungs, expanding possibilities.

Be Self-Care. Running is great for that. Jonnah Perkins, a busy mom of two, makes time to run in her happy place, the foot hills of the Baraboo Bluffs. Photo by Jesse Perkins.
Ultrarunner, Jonnah Perkins, a podium regular who competes in 50K, 50-Mile, and 100K races in Wisconsin and the West Coast, will introduce you to a hidden gem: The Verona Segment in Dane County. This suburban segment makes good use of three county parks and links up to a variety of additional hiking and biking trails.
She’ll be joined by seasoned trail runner and Yogi, Brenda Bland (currently teaching yoga with the YMCA), who has fourteen 100-mile races under her belt, including Leadville Trail 100. Nora Bird, running coach behind Team Bird Training will also add to the available expertise. She competes in ultramarathons in the Midwest and around the country including Leadville 100 and Wasatch 100. Nora loves helping women find their passion on the trail.
Runners Kelly Tyrrell and Lysianne Unruh will round out the support so no one is left behind and we all have fun.
Kelly is a science writer and has competed in several 50K and 50-mile races in Wisconsin, including finishing 3rd female at the Ice Age 50 in 2017. Her first 50-mile race was in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. Lysianne, IATA staff member and life coach, is a happy, mid-pack runner who accidentally signs up for 50K races while sipping chardonnay and paging through Trail Runner magazine.

Be Delighted. Kelly Tyrrell, surrounded by a sea of green, hits the trail on an early season run.
Welcoming both beginners and seasoned trail runners, a 3.5-mile loop or a 6.5-mile distance is available. An easy pace will be set and no one will be left behind.
Jonnah, Brenda, Nora, Kelly, and Lysianne will share stories about why they love running, why the Ice Age Trail inspires them, and answer questions about trail running, once we’re all back at the shelter.
Celebratory refueling snacks available at the end of the run provided in part by Organic Valley, especially their Mighty products made with 100% organic beef. Yumbutter will also be on the premises with their mouth-rockin’, world-changing nut butters. One Barrel Brewing Company will have beer on hand for you too, and Wigwam will be giving away a pair of free socks to each participant!
NOTE: Runners, please wear Blaze Orange and bring a change of warm clothes for post-run yoga/stories/celebration.

Be a Leader. Brenda Bland leads the pack out of the woods at the Voyager 50 Mile Trail Race.
Be FREE Schedule:
6.5-Mile Distance
9:00 a.m. check-in at Holiday Inn Express, 515 W. Verona Avenue, Verona, WI
9:45 a.m. bus ride to the Start (PD – Ice Age Junction Area) for runners running 6.5 miles.
10:00 a.m. Start
11:00 a.m. – 11:40 a.m. arrive at end point (Wesner Road) where the bus will take 6.5-mile distance runners back to Badger Prairie Park.
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. everyone back for mini-celebration
3.5-Mile Distance
9:00 a.m. check-in at Holiday Inn Express, 515 W. Verona Avenue, Verona, WI
9:45 a.m. Start (leave from the shelter to run the 3.5 mile loop)
10:15 a.m. – 10: 45 a.m. arrive back at Shelter 1, Badger Prairie Park board bus back to hotel
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Yoga for Runners yoga session led by Brenda Bland
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. everyone back for mini-celebration
NOTE: The Verona Segment for the Be FREE event is located in DANE COUNTY.
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Resources:Verona Segment description from 2017-2019 Guidebook pages [PDF] Verona Segment map from 2017-2019 Atlas [PDF]
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