For the City Times

The Midwest’s premier walking event takes place on Saturday, June 6, in Stevens Point.

Walkers from throughout Wisconsin, along with their friends, family and relatives from around the state and across the country are gearing up for the 11th annual Walk Wisconsin, a non-competitive walking event organized like a marathon.

Participants can choose from four marathon eventsL the full marathon, 26.2 miles. the three-quarter marathon at 19.6 miles, the half marathon, which is 13.1 miles or the one-quarter marathon event, which is measured at 6.5 miles.

All routes take walkers along the Green Circle Trail in Portage County.

Training schedules and registration forms are available on the Walk Wisconsin website at walkwisconsin.com.

This year event organizers included an earlier start time for the full marathon, which allows participants to leave from the Pfiffner Pioneer Park band shell between 7 and 7:30 AM.

Two smaller events- known as the Kid’s Walk Wisconsin- allow younger walkers to participate in either a 2.62 and 1,31 mile event.

The event was initially organized by a group of wellness-minded individuals from Ministry Health Care, the Stevens Point Journal, Delta Dental of Wisconsin, First Law Group, the Stevens Point Area Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and Spectra Print. The event has numerous sponsors each year, and typically has thousands of individuals involved.

Although it’s not a race, Walk Wisconsin is organized much like a regular running marathon. Those involved receive a commemorative T-shirt, sports sack, comfort and nutrition stops along the way, a finish line celebration and medallion, plus Portage County hospitality all day long.

For Walk Wisconsin information call 715-344-556, stop by the Stevens Point Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, or go to walkwisconsin.com.