Holiday Hustle 5K – 2009 Dexter Michigan

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 Holiday Hustle 5K 2009 bib.

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

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

…. and I made it to the finish.
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Some results, sixth out of 18 in my age group.

The official final stats.

The official final stats.

    • …. and this breaks down into these numbers for the race:

 

    • a) 5 kilometers = 3.1 Miles

 

    • b) finished 402 out of 1237 overall in the 5K. (Top 32.5%)

 

    • c) finished 6 out of 18 in my age group – M60-64. (33.3%)

 

    • d) finished 249 out of 483 men. (51.5%)

 

    • e) had a 8:30 pace, 26:23 total chip time.

 

    • 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!

Until “The Hustle” becomes a Waltz,

George

Big House Big Heart 2009

The Big House Big Heart 5K – 2009 running “The Big House Big Heart photo album…. will be here some day” with a finish on the 50 yard line of the University of Michigan football stadium.
The Big House Big Heart FlyerT

he Big House Big Heart Flyer.

The official bib number, and a picture of the course captured by the Garmin FR 305 during the race.

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The age group results for the race…

The official final stats.

… and the total stats.

The official final stats.

    Some stats for the race:
    a) 3.1 Miles
    b) finished 1692 out of 3752 overall
    c) finished 30 out of 71 in my age group.
    d) finished 960 out of 1538 men.
    e) had a 10:01 pace, 31:06.2 total.
    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!

The course started just North of the University of Michigan stadium, winds through nearby neighborhoods, then returns to the campus and enters the tunnel to the football field. Once through the tunnel a half lap of the field is made coming back up to the 50 yard line to finish.

Until college football is extinct,
George

The Legend 2009, a 10 Mile Trail Race

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!

The Legend Publicity Flyer

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 Start of The Legend

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

The Start of The Legend

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 Final Results

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

The Legend Tee Shirt

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

Flirt with Dirt – 2009 Running

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!

The 2009 Flirt with Dirt 10K Trail Race

“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!

The full results.

The official final stats.

    Some stats for the race:
    a) 6.1 Miles
    b) finished 200 out of 600 overall
    c) finished 6 out of 8 in my age group.
    d) finished xx out of 130 men.
    e) had a 9:44 pace, 1:00:31 total. (Not a pr for this distance… but the hills, the hills…)
    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!

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

Road Ends 5 Mile – 2009 Running

Every year the local Running Fit stores hold what is called “The Road Ends 5 Mile Trail Race” also billed as “No Wimps Allowed!” race in Pinckney Michigan. This is the short version of the Trail Marathon and half marathon held the following day at the same location.

The Team Toe-Jammer Bib #145.

The start line before and after!

    • Some stats for the race:
    • a) 5 Miles, not a 5K
    • b) finished 325 out of 467
    • c) finished eight out of eleven in my age group.
    • d) finished 194 out of 238 men.
    • e) had a 11:16 pace (56:21) compared to (55:44 last year)
    g) had a great time – which is always the goal right?… Right! ….er, of course it is.

The course is at the State Park in Pinckney Michigan. The area is relatively hilly, and the course takes great advantage of that. There are a couple gentle hills to sort of warm up on, and then a couple monster “never ending grades” that make the thighs burn and the lungs ache!

Until the final hill is conquered,
George

Super 5K Race – Super Bowl Sunday 2009

The second race of 2009 is now history and in the books. The Running Fit Super 5K is run on Super Bowl Sunday “The Super 5K” gets your metabolism moving in the morning so you can indulge in Hot Wings, Pizza and Libations quilt free later that night!”

Held in Novi Michigan it is an out and back on Eleven Mile road. Nice course, with a few easy hills on it to keep you working.

I also volunteered to work the packet pick up the day before the race. This was the second time I have done this, the first being for the Holiday Hustle back in December. I have also volunteered for the Shamrocks & Shenanigans 5K Run & Walk on March 15, 2009. Hey, you get a free race shirt and free entry in a race of your choice, pretty good deal for not so much work. The Shamrocks & Shenanigans packet pick up will be from 3-5 PM on Saturday march 14th… at Connor O’Neils (a popular local Irish Pub) so may even be able to get a brew while working! I will sign up for the race then also using the coupon I get for volunteering.

The race itself was a little windy and a little cool. A running jacket would have been nice at the start. I had decided on only a winter compression shirt with tech shirt over it, and while pretty chilly waiting to get started, once on the road I warmed up pretty well. Gloves were appreciated as was the head band. Some time I should do a review on stuff… I use several different “Halo” brand head bands which have a rubber sweat gutter/guide in the inside front of them. The idea is the sweat from the head and forehead, instead of running into your eyes is directed back along the guide to about your ears, where it is free to run down. It works too! I have lightweight for summer and another with ear flaps for the winter. They are also tech knit fabric, but they get water/sweat logged anyway, but it does keep it out of my eyes. Which can be especially annoying if I leave glasses on when running.

Unfortunately while there were camera crews on site, I seem to have gotten missed by them, so there are no action photos. Only a few taken the day before at the packet pick up, and some before the start and at the end of, the race.

The official Results for bib number 999.

    Some stats for the race:
    a) 5K
    b) Finished 564 out of 1119 overall
    c) Finished 16 out of 32 in my age group.
    d) Had a 8:51 pace (27:28 total time)
    e) Had a great time, even if I missed a PR by 6 seconds.

Until the final buffalo hot wing is consumed,
George