2015 offered a creative challenge for our photographers: the Kettle Moraine 100-mile ultramarathon. Race directors Tim “Timo” Yanacheck and Jason Dorgan hired Focal Flame Photography to document the 20th year of the race, which was started in 1995 by husband and wife ultramarathoning legends Kevin Setnes and Kristine Clark-Setnes. Focal Flame photographer Austin Cope (who now lives in Colorado) created this photo essay of the 20th running of the race. He found himself drawn into the rawness of an endeavor that was primal in its intensity, while being imbued with a sense of tranquility from the woodland setting.
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Moms Who Tri : Part 1
Being adept at juggling competing tasks and demands for attention are inherent in the job description for motherhood. So perhaps it's only natural that triathlon is a draw for mothers who are also athletes. In this two-part series, we hear more about the personal stories of Madison, Wisconsin-area Moms who Tri.
Read MoreMadison Marathon Profile: Behind the Scenes with Erin Dougherty
There's more to races than the athletes. Many things have to happen for events like the Madison Half Marathon and Twilight 10K to run smoothly (no pun intended). Erin Dougherty, Director of Operations at Madison Festivals Inc., gives a behind-the-scenes perspective about efforts that are essential for the success of the event.
Read MoreMadison Marathon Profile: Faye Reber
Meet Faye Reber of Madison, Wisconsin. By the time she toes the starting line for the Madison Marathon events, she will have lost about 100 pounds, a journey that has been life-changing. Faye is tackling the Conquer the Capital challenge, a combination of each of the Madison Marathon distances in 2016 (the Twilight 10K on May 28, the Half Marathon on May 29, and the Marathon on November 13). Her best advice? “Be stronger than your excuses.”
Read MoreMadison Marathon Profile: Paul Gill and Abby Evans - Love on the Run
Paul Gill and Abby Evans met and got to know each other through running, so it is only fitting that when they run the Madison Half Marathon on May 29, 2016, it will be a week before their June 4 wedding. We caught up with them briefly to learn more about how running has influenced their lives together, and what the Madison Marathon events mean to them.
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10 Ways for Small Businesses to Use Video
How can you use video marketing for your small business or nonprofit organization? Here are ten ideas to try - accompanied by videos we've produced for our clients.
Read MoreFocalShare Race Photos: There’s an App for That
We're THRILLED to announce the new FocalShare™ app for iOS devices. This free app makes it incredibly easy to find and share your photos from events that include FocalShare free digital downloads of your race photos. Learn more in our blog post!
Read MoreMadison Marathon: A Race Story Rendered in Metal
The 2015 Madison Fall Marathon finisher's medal is a sculpted version of an actual photograph taken at the 2014 Madison Marathon. Learn about how it was made, and what it signifies.
Read MoreMadison Marathon Profile: Lisa Helmuth
The Madison Marathon is the perfect event for Lisa Diane Helmuth (50) of Middleton, WI—it combines running and Madison, two things that have been part of some of the happiest and some of the saddest times of Lisa’s life, including the loss of her son James at the age of 10 due to adrenal cancer. Lisa's family honors James' memory by raising funds for children in need to participate in academic and athletic opportunities. She finds solace in running. For Lisa, “there is nothing quite like the feeling of running in Madison”.
Read MoreMadison Marathon Profile: Stephanie Sprague
After a serious car accident in May 2015, doctors told Stephanie Sprague (25) of Dubuque, Iowa that she’d be in the hospital for the next four months, and even then things were unlikely to be “normal” for her. Remarkably, Stephanie beat those odds - and will be pursuing her first Madison Marathon on November 8, 2015.
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