Holiday Hustle 5K – 2009 Dexter Michigan

Posted on December 13, 2009May 7, 2022 by GeorgeK

This weekend was the Dexter Michigan “Holiday Hustle” put on by Running Fit. (The local running supplies store here in Ann Arbor.) A nice brisk day of 28 degrees greeted the runners and kept everyone from getting overheated. Starting right in the center of downtown at the gazebo the couse then winds through some of the nearby housing additions and loops back on itself to the finish line. A few short but steep hills on the way, but they are short enough as to not present that much of a challenge.

This year the race had over 1200 entries, (and finishers) while last years results list only 658 finishers, so it is rapidly growing in popularity. I got out pretty strong and avoided the real crush of traffic and managed an 8 minute first mile. (Way to fast for me, but since it was only a 5K managed to hang on to the end anyway.) The overall time of 26:32 is a new PR by about 16 seconds over the 2009 spring race. May have to start doing a little more (some, any) speed training if I want to keep getting PR’s at this distance.

Lots of people dressed up for the event, including Santa’s, Mrs Santa’s, lots of reindeer and one very complete Christmas tree! The race did sort of go to the dogs, since there hey were more people running with their pets than any other race I remember. Maybe since it is shorter and also was very cool they thought the dogs could handle it better. The pets didn’t cause any problems that I saw anyway, unlike the runner who stopped short right at the starting line to retrieve a glove she dropped causing a lot of evasive maneuvering on the part of the people behind her trying to break out of the starting gate!

The usual photography team accompanied me to the race and took a lot of excellent photos before, during and after the race.

“The Holiday Hustle 5K 2009 Photo Album is complete!”

The official bib number.

The start of the race, off like a herd of turtles!

The race almost doubled in size since last year, with over 1200 runners.

…. and I made it to the finish.

Some results, sixth out of 18 in my age group.

You can see the full details on the running stats web page.

h) had a great time – which is always the goal right?… Right!

Until “The Hustle” becomes a Waltz,

George

Detroit Turkey Trot 10K 2009

Posted on November 27, 2009May 7, 2022 by GeorgeK

The Detroit Turkey Trot for 2009 has come and gone. Although as of right now the results have gone into some digital never-never land. They were there, I got screen shots, went back to check on some other runners and now nothing is available. (Update about 8:30 pm they came back.)

I have to hand it to those people that are willing (and able to) run the entire race in these outfits

This is always a fun race to be part of. Many people come in costume, and there are awards for the best ones. In the photo album you will see some of them, but the photographer felt some of the best were not captured. I have to hand it to those people that are willing (and able to) run the entire race in these outfits, even if it is “only” the 5K. Some look very hot, others just physically difficult to actually run in.

“The Detroit Turkey Trot 10K 2009 Photo Album will be posted when it is complete!” It’s ready now!

This year we managed to avoid the hour long wait in line to get into a parking garage by bypassing all the cars waiting to get into Cobo Hall parking structure. Instead we went directly under Cobo coming out of the tunnel a couple blocks away and went straight to a garage by the Renaissance Center. While that was great, we were now quite early! We hiked over a couple blocks to Cobo Hall and hung out getting some coffee and using the bathroom and keeping warm. Oh, did I mention it was 36 degrees with about a 30 mile per hour wind. Brrr… I had checked the temperature before leaving home and thought I would be okay with a regular shirt and shorts along with arm warmers, gloves and a head band. If I had known about the wind I would have added tights to that list. Since I didn’t have them I ended up leaving the warm up pants on for the race. Ended up okay, legs did get a little warm, but maybe better than to cold and stiff.

The official bib number.

As last year the place was packed! With 14,000 people registered they ended up with 12420 finishers! A lot of people crowding into the same space, both indoors and on the course.

So… after the race was over, without a PR unfortunately, we found each other in the hoards of people in Cobo Hall basement… remembering this year to take cell I phones! (I even wore the SPI Belt to carry my cell phone for after the race!) We took our walk back to the parking garage, where being early had gotten a close parking place, and got into the car, started it up and pulled out into the aisle… where we sat for over fourty five minutes before we moved even one car length. Seems they opened the exit above us, and every car in the parking garage from the higher decks got through the one exit booth before our floor did. Finally after one hour and twenty minutes we were able to pay our money (which included an hour time @ $4.00 waiting to get out) and hit the road for home again. While I felt I ended up higher in the overall and age group standings the time was a couple of minutes off my best effort to date. Maybe the warm up pants slowed me down, or maybe I just have been doing to many “easy runs” and absolutely no speed work in months. The final stats from Active.com web site are below.

You can see the full details on the running stats web page.

h) had a great time – which is always the goal right?… Right!

Until the final gobbler is gobbled,

George

United States Air Force (Half) Marathon

Posted on September 22, 2009May 3, 2022 by GeorgeK

The United States Air Force in Dayton Ohio held the 13th annual Marathon weekend September 19, 2009.

This was the first time I ever ran the race. I debated for awhile whether to run in this race or the Fort For Fitness the following weekend. Dayton appeared to be a fairly flat course and I was unsure about the Fort4Fitness course. The other reason was they had pace teams for the half marathon that you could join. Since my goal was to try and get under two hours I elected to try Dayton and go with a pace team. Main reason I wanted under a two hour time was to try and get a better starting position in an upcoming race.

At the start I was pretty fresh, and ready to roll and hung with the 9:10 pace for about 4.5 miles, then I gave out. It was just a little to ambitious I guess.

It didn’t take to long to discover that I wasn’t ready to maintain this pace for the distance. Dropped down the pace a bit, but it was to late, the legs had already gone south. I kept hobbling on to the end, but not all that happy with the time. Out of the three half’s I have run this was the slowest.

Still, it was fun. A night at the top of the line Super 8 hotel only about two miles from the race. My photographer learned how to use the “continuous” mode on the camera so got a good series of the finish line, including the good shot with the finishing time showing.

They gave out a really nice finishers medal, some day going to have to do something with them other than toss them into the shoe box.

Some stats for the race:

a) 13.1 Miles
b) finished 2132 out of 3839 overall
c) finished 61 out of 114 in my age group.
d) finished 1347 out of 1930 men.
e) had a 10:26 pace, 2:16:29 total. (Definitely not a PR.)
f) You can see the full details on the running stats web page.
h) had a great time – which is always the goal right?… Right!

You can view all the photos if you are tired of watching the grass grow.

Until the Sky’s of blue are no more,

George

The Legend 2009, a 10 Mile Trail Race

Posted on August 9, 2009May 3, 2022 by GeorgeK

The final race in the “Serious Series” is “The Legend” a ten mile trail race North of Lansing Michigan in Laingsburg. A challenging course, and at ten miles not necessarily a short one!

This is my second running of the race, but the first time I did the ten mile race. Last year I did the 5 mile, and what a difference that makes… well I guess it is twice the distance.

At the start I was pretty fresh, and ready to roll.

The smug look of knowing you are going to eat up the rest of the field… again, before the race.

But when it is all over the results don’t reflect what the plan was. Was a little disappointed in the results, but still I had a good time. I did compare my split time to the 5 Mile results.. I would have placed much higher in the five mile… apparently (as is usual) the people that can really run enter the longer races, so my finish place falls rapidly.

The back of the race tee shirt. And if you click on it you will see the front.

Some stats for the race:

a) 10 Miles
b) finished 330 out of 415 overall
c) finished 11out of 13 in my age group.
d) finished 214 out of 241men.
e) had a 10:52 pace, 1:48:43 total. (I guess it was still a pr for this distance… only because it is the first 10 mile distance.)
f) You can see the full details on the running stats web page.
h) had a great time – which is always the goal right?… Right!

You can view all the photos if is it a boring afternoon.

Until the legend is debunked on Snopes,

George

Solstice 10K Race in Northfield Michigan June 27, 2009

Posted on August 9, 2009May 3, 2022 by GeorgeK

The Northville Road Runners sponsor the “Solstice Race” which has both a 5K and a 10K road race. The feature this year is the start of the race in a lap of Northville Downs a sulky racing horse track.

I entered the 10K (6 miles) race just because it sounded like a good idea at the time.

The course starts with a lap around the horse track, and that is just about the only flat place on the course! It goes through a couple residential neighborhoods, and then through downtown Northville and into Ford Field a local park. Using the data created by my Garmin FR305, downloaded into Sports Tracks, then saved as a jpg file, shows the course winding around from the track, through the neighborhoods and then back through town.

An elevation map, not the biggest hills ever, but enough to let you know they are there.

The final results.

You can see the full details on the running stats web page.

Some photos of the race and Northville Michigan.

Until the final nag in in the stable at the end of the race,
George

Flirt with Dirt – 2009 Running

Posted on June 23, 2009July 31, 2022 by GeorgeK

Running Fit sponsors the “Serious Series” of three trail races every year. The second race in the series is the “Flirt with Dirt” held in Novi Michigan’s Lake Shore Park. This is a nice 10K run though the woods, with some hills, but no killers like the Roads End held earlier this year!

“A few photos from the race.” The Chief Photographer got a few long range photos as I made the first loop around

the area then got in place for the struggle up the hill to the finish line!

You can see the full details on the running stats web page.

The course starts with a nice downhill for 50 yards, loops the soccer field, through the parking lot and then into the woods. In the woods a lot of the trail is definately single track

where passing is very difficult. People get impatient with slower people, but finally get around to pass… ????? ???? ???? me I’m normally happy coasting along until there is enough trail width for me

to sort of slowly creep by the slower person. Doesn’t happen to often though. ???? 21

Until the final muddy trail is run,
George