whats the deal with the photos taking so long this year? Time frame, please

Wow! At first I thought I was going to kill myself by registering for this, but it turned out AWESOME! I just wish the last 4 miles or so weren't so darn rough. That was the worst part. After Lemon Drop, that is. I beat my goal time that I thought was totally unrealistic, so that was pretty sweet. And I was so happy to see cookies in the building after the race! Thanks!

When will Team results be available?

Photos will be put up on the site very soon. You will be able to view them here, http://www.northshoreinline.com/tour/ Thanks!

Are there going to be photos this year? More chairs at the start, even though it looked like you had more this year.

the race is so much fun!!! thankyou to all involved...especially the volunteers!!! this year i have finished my 5th and look forward to more!!! our family is becoming more involved...joining myself, brother,and niece... thank you all very much!!! marilyn t.

This race is wonderfully done. Great job to all the staff and volunteers. I would agree that the awards were drug out, but believe strongly that the number of awards given is correct. Perhaps less banter and door prizes would have helped tremendously. But all in all you all do a wonderful job. Thank you.

Every aspect of the Northshore Inline Marathon is professionally run and exudes "BIG TIME EVENT" with the exception of the awards. Besides starting 30 minutes late... it just drags and drags... this aspect of the event... the last thing... needs to be examined.

Thanks to the board for a awesome race again!More chairs at the start is all I would change.Thanks again!

This was a great event. It was my first inline marathon and probably one of the coolest events I have been a part of. I started in Wave 3, and was part of a few different 20-30 skater draft lines. I beat my goal time by over 21 minutes and unless there is some other major event in my life, I will be back next year.

Agree about the awards ceremony--it started late and too much lag time between age categories and divisions.

Chuck, Keith and everyone who participated in pulling off NSIM 2008: Thanks - you are still very much Large & In Charge. See you next year! Chris Howley

Great race, the weather was way better then last year. Only thing I would change is the door prizes. It took over 2 hours to get through the marathon awards. So many people left that they had to call multiple names for door prizes because people kept leaving. Speed up the awards portion or draw the door prize winners some other time and post them on a board. The people who have no shot at winning an award shouldn't have to sit around for 2 hours plus with their kids to see if they won a door prize.

woohoo!!! What an awesome event. personal best time dropping like flies Big pace lines!! I'll be back!

This is number 6 for me and every race is great. I want to send many thanks to all the police, medics, volunteers, and all you great folks cheering us along the way. THANK YOU!! And we will see you next year!

Thanks for another great event and for the Bones Reds bearings as a door prize!

Will there be any photos avalible online to purchase?

Wave 2 was awesome today

Thanks to all the wave 2 skaters in that huge draft line! It was an awsome group to skate with today!

Will this be aired live on internet?

Any question about the kids sprint results you can call Joanne Fay.. Thank you

Norshore Kid Sprints Results 2008 Continue Girls age 12-14 1st Place Priscila Camerara Gatano 27.25 2nd Place Grace Doens 28.39 3rd Place Emile Bingham 28.93 Boys age 12-14 1st Place Phil Luckai 26.90 2nd Place Matt Otte 29.99 3rd Place Austin Campbell 32.22 Thank you to all the great volunteers who make the NorthShore Kid Sprints a success. Joanne

Girls Age 8-9 1st Place Callie Hoff 14.59 2nd Place Julia Betsta Adriais 15.78 3rd Place Ryley Graham 18.31 Boys Age 8-9 1st Place Ricky Lyle 14.59 2nd Place Nick Schwarz 15.14 3rd Place Thomas Shea 15.48 Girls Ages 10-11 1st Place Reilly Albert 13.00 2nd Place Hannah Fransway 13.54 3rd Place Kathryn Plett 14.11 Boys Age 10-11 1st Place John Shea 12.75 2nd Place Jared Pederson 13.33 3rd Place Linden Kirscht 14.06

NorthShore Kid Sprints Results 2008 Girls Age 5 & Under 1st Place Maria Cleda Soosa De Aneida 14.85 Boys Age 5 & Under; 1st Place Elijah Kramer 13.80, 2nd Place Nathan Pederson 16.28 Girls Age 6-7 1st Place Makayla o'Neil 10.50 2nd Place Cassidy Stumo 11.47 3rd Place Hadley Brigham 12.26 Boys Age 6-7 1st Place Brandt Pederson 10.96 2nd Place Parker Thomas 11.71 3rd Place Cade Richards 12.01

A few years ago we skated in the rainfor about 10 miles or so. It wasn't too bad just a little slippery on the smoother road surfaces. Also, just a little uncomfortable with wet feet.

Doesn't sound like the course will be wet...So far!? The rain today is supposed to subside and will dry out for Friday and most of race day!

Thanks to all who replied about the wheels! Yes, they will be the same size (84mm....sigh) and hardness. How I wish 100mm+ would fit! I'll have to get my wheels at SkiHut tomorrow. What is the expo? As for the Question about a wet course, I hear it will be nice and dry (but you might know that by now). Thanks again!

A few club members of the Northern Inline Skaters have skated most of the course and here is a report. In the first 4 miles there are a couple of places where the road has some separations. It is not bad and you should be able to avoid them, but if you are looking around and hit one, you may well fall. The hills in the first 5 miles might be the steepest. Somewhere between 6 and 8 miles you climb pretty steady and it is a bit of a relief when you get to Tom’s Logging Camp. In the first 14 miles the road surface is a bit rough. Not terrible, but you wouldn’t skate it everyday either. At mile 14 just past the McQuade safe harbor, the surface is much smoother. This area has mostly horizontal tar snakes. As we probably won’t be worrying about overheating these shouldn’t be a problem and this smoother surface is much preferable to the first 14 miles and is actually pretty nice to skate on. The rolling hills in this area are gentle and the view is incredible. This surface lasts up to the junction with London Road at about mile 18.5. Here you have a bit of an uphill and then you drop to London road, which is nice blacktop and really enjoyable. This lasts up to Lemon Drop and the entry to the Freeway at just over 22 miles. In this area there is one uphill at about 43rd Avenue east up to about 40th avenue east. It really isn’t all that steep, but if you are a bit tired it gets your attention. If you don’t realize you are going uphill you may get the wrong idea about your fitness level. We don’t get a chance to recreationally skate the Freeway, but this surface is not the best. Staying off the cracks is essential. This surface lasts up to the exit at about mile 25 1/2 and then you have a nice little trip around the deck to the finish line.

wHAT DO THEY DO iF IT IS RAINING? i SEE A FORCAST OF 40% SHOWERS. DO PEOPLE SLOW DOWN BUT STILL INLINE?

Will there be a wet course???

It is hard to believe that the race is almost here. I travel tomorrow from Iowa. With the Cedar Rapids floods, June training was practically non-existent (most trails were under water.) July-August I got back in the act and trained pretty hard when the weather cooperated. It should be an awesome race! Yes, expo wheels are very nice.

Anybody need a hotel room Friday night? It's at the Best Western downtown with 2 double beds, non-smoking, $134 + tax. Email me at ms3675@yahoo.com ASAP if interested. I plan to cancel the reservation by Thursday afternoon if there are no takers by then.

I bought new skates the day before the race one year and it worked out great. i know that was taking a chance, but I wouldn't worry about new wheels.

They have great deals at the expo! I have been buying wheels the day before the race for years and haven't ever had a problem. Not that I'm an expert on the matter, but from one skater to another... I don't think that there is any danger in it.

If you need them, and if they are the same size and hardness, I guess I'd do it. I would skate around canal park just to get the feel of them.

OK, so I know it usually is not a good idea to try something new on the day of a marathon, BUT,.......what about new wheels? The only time I can get them is Friday night. Is this dangerous?

For those of you coming form out of the state: weather here just turned colder. The Weather Channel forecast of Saturday is low of 52, high of 64 with a 20% chance of rain. Perfect. Why did I choose to take this one off?

Thanks for the update. Please provide updates if you are able to get further.

Concerning road conditions.......... Well, I've only been about 5 miles into the course so far. However, I do know that the first 4 miles or so are a little bumpy, at least in my standards, but then it smooths out. Oh, and watch out for the tar strips.

Road conditions?

Does anyone know the conditions of the road this year? Any bad areas to look for?

One month to go. Yikes. I better get out there and skate!

I should clarify that I have also been skating my whole life, either on rollerblades or playing hockey. This is my first actual marathon. I am training for it like like I have never trained before too! I am in the gym 5-6 days a week and out skating 4-5 days a week. I found some really nice inline trails in the state at http://www.skateminnesota.org/trails/index.html. I also plan to join M.I.S.C

I have actually been training for four months and have logged many miles on my K2s. All I can say, as I am a first timer as well, by way of offering you words of wisdom or advice is that the more you sweat in training the less you will bleed in the real event. To me it is like anything I take on. If my name is going to be associated with an event I am going to do my best to make myself look good. That being said I would get online and research as well as talk to other skaters and see what they are doing and ask if you can join them in their training efforts. Don't give up or lose interest!

Hey! This year will be my very first inline marathon and I was wondering if anyone could give any kind of advice! I haven't even been skating that much (I know, not a good idea) and I'm kind of losing interest in it. Any advice is much appreciated!

Are there any coaches or experienced skaters in the Grand Rapids area that could give a rookie some pointers this summer? :-) Sean M. sean@seanmartinson.org

Just wondering if anyone has purchased a pair of skates from McDaniel Racing? How are they? I know that he has a booth every year at the fitness expo.

they should have them at the NSIM office. why don't you contact them at 218-723-1503 or nsinline@northshoreinline.com

Anyone know where to find information on the team rules/requirements?