How'd you do on Saturday, Steve? Good recovery mile yesterday.
It hurt like Hell.
It took 4:09:00 to finish a half marathon.
The down hills were jaw clenching and a large part of me was wishing I had an option to bail at mile 11.
I've described the half marathon course as 18 miles of hills in 13 miles.
I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
Thousands of our closest friends hit the tails in a weekend long running festival.
Saturday has a 50 mile ultra (that starts in the dark), two waves of a marathon and three waves of a half marathon.
Sunday boasts a 50K ultra and another half marathon.
The overall finisher awards are a work of art.
There are hand painted canvases on a pedestal of molded beach sand.
A silhouette of Michigan in stamped on the right with beach treasures (including an elusive Petoskey stone) embedded into the fixture.
The spectators have an all-day party while waiting for their loved ones.
There were kid movies in the lodge all weekend. Popcorn, applesauce and root beer floats were included at no additional charge.
This year GD Norah went with DW and I to stay in a field with hundreds of our friends. We just got the camper set up and Norah made a friend.
The ultra starts before sunrise.
I need to borrow a bigfoot costume and hide behind a tree just to motivate a runner or two.
My friend, Dan, carried the American flag for 13.1 miles.
A close friend passed away just over 10 years ago. His DD has finished three on these events since. This year her DH entered as well. These kids are terrific.
This is my 10th year participating. We've been able to ohh and ahh over how much the kids have grown since we last saw them.
We met Nicole when she was 4. Saturday, she paced a blind kid in their first 1/2 marathon. They DNF'd at the mile 10 aid station.
Sunday, 14-year-old Nicole was the first female finisher of the 1/2 marathon.
A 14-year-old kid - in their first half marathon - took a DNF in a race she knew she could have finished in order to stay with a friend who could not have finished. IMHO, that says a lot about character.
There's always that one guy.
DW, Norah, DD#3, GS Owen and GD Ellie were waiting for me at the finish.
Norah and Owen did the one-mile kids run.
Back at the campsite, a fella got out a guitar. Norah found and empty bucket, tote and a garbage can lid.
The guitar dude also had a mandolin. Another dude we never seen before said he happened to have a guitar pick. They screed around a bit then found some Bluegrass Gospel songs they both knew. Sorry. No pictures. A gal we've never seen before started playing improvised drums with Norah and taught her how to hold the sticks. Another gal that I've known for 10 years started singing.
I signed up for next year.
SteveP
Great pictures and report. When in Michigan, I was always at the Crim on the weekend of the North Country Trail events but I sure heard plenty from others how tough it was in that race. I'm impressed that you keep going back and participating.
Great RR, Steve! Nice to see all the young folks doing well in life and running. I think it's unusual for a 14yo to win a HM like that!
Doug, runnin' cycling in Rochester, MI
"Think blue, count two, and look for a red shoe"
Marathon Maniac #957
Steve - what an awesome event, in so many ways! Congratulations on completing such a tough race!
Life is a headlong rush into the unknown. We can hunker down and hope nothing hits us or we can stand tall, lean into the wind and say, "Bring it on, darlin', and don't be stingy with the jalapenos."
Great RR, Steve.
I'm sorry your half was such a struggle, but congrats on finishing - and congrats to Nicole for her character and her racing as well. Great photos of all the kids (of all ages).
Jay
Without ice cream there would be darkness and chaos.
Congrats Steve.
Greighta pix and a wonderful event.
MM #5615
Great report and even better pictures! Is Norah running in slippers?!
Tough race but it looks like an awesome event. Thanks for the great report!
Be safe. Be kind.
Congrats on the repeat finish and great pics! Did Norah really run a mile in flip flops? I hurt just looking at it oh to be a kid...
Anne
MM#209 / JapanJoyful#803
Did Norah really run a mile in flip flops?
Steve - tell Norah one of your friends is very proud of her and has an idea for next year. . . ..
Not to give you any ideas but, like I do to my assembly of Japanese wooden, straw, cloth, etc. sandals and thongs, etc. I Shoe-goo'ed Vibram soles to the soles of a pair of Smokey (the) Bear bedroom slippers in order to run a 50K in real bear feet. Unfortunately, there's no one within 2,283.4 miles of here who'd do it in a Sasquatch costume with me. In that regard, it kind of scares me to think of how much fun my running would have been with you.
ps - based on the 58:42 of last week's initial 5K in the Seattle Marathon Summer Virtual Training Series of 5 and 10K and half, your four hours is going to look fast.
pps - not to reinforce Norah any more than she probably already gets from you but the RD of a trail series I used to do around here advocated for low heeled, running sneaker like shoes and discouraged high-heeled, heavily cushioned trail shoes for his course's rocky, rooty, trails as masking the proprioception that warns you of off balance rocks, dips and bumps, etc. and, though he always lauded my Merrell Bahria Trail Thongs to everyone, maybe because he operated a trail running shoe store, never really recommended them. However, please tell Norah you know someone who does.
Congratulations on ten years of fun.
"Enjoy yourself. Your younger days never come again." 100yo T. Igarashi to me in geta at top of Mt. Fuji (8/2/87)
Carolyn
What a great RR, Steve! Looks like a fun weekend with the whole family. Congrats on year #10! Maybe I should look at this race for next year - how about a RunningAhead meetup? Sounds like a distance for everybody!
I hammered down the trail, passing rocks and trees like they were standing still.
Well, that sounds interesting. There was supposed to be a Flying Pig meet up that didn't work out.
Here's a link.
Excellent RR, Steve, thanks. I ran that race twice and remember just how hilly it was. The trails, as I recall, were also very sandy and roots (a.k.a. "grab your foot and throw you to the ground" devices) were everywhere. Sounds like they've added events since. Cool. I have a group photo somewhere in which you and I are both present, long before I knew you.
Great stories all around...thanks. Way to persevere.
Joe
________
I have nothing particularly clever or profound to add as a tag to each message...I just like to run.