2009 Belle Isle New Year’s Eve 4 Mile Race

Posted on January 8, 2010December 4, 2022 by GeorgeK

Who: Me
What: 4 Mile Race
When: New Year’s Eve 2009,
Where: Bell Isle, Detroit Michigan
Why: Darn good question

The Belle Isle 4 mile race celebrated it’s 40th anniversary this year which must put it up there for one of the older races in the Detroit area. The activities such as packet pick up, restroom and then after race result posting along with food and drink are all held in the Belle Isle Casino… which apparently hasn’t been updated since the first year of the race. It is no longer really a casino, just a building with two floors and various rooms. It if truly was an active casino at one time, it was certainly small compared to modern day casinos such as Motor City or the MGM. According to the article below it was at one time an operational casino.

Wikipedia entry on Belle Isle.

An article published by the Friends of Belle Isle which lists the attractions of the island.

It is actually a nice place to visit during the summer, although as most venues in Detroit, it may not the the safest place to be on a hot summer night. The various attractions on the island unfortunately show their age, and also reflect the current financial situation of the city of Detroit.

One comment on the casino, the referenced article mentions the casino was built to take advantage of the cooling breezes before air conditioning was invented… well that certainly is true! This year, as last year, the weather was chilly, wet and with a brisk river breeze!

“The 2009 Belle Isle New Years Eve 4 Mile race Photo Album is complete!”

The official bib number.

The days activities include a one mile run, a four mile run/walk and a four mile race. I am always impressed by some of the one milers, mainly kids under 12 (I think) some run some pretty good times. There are pictures available for purchase, which you don’t have to do, but there are a lot of good shots taken of the race you might like to see, including the kids run. These include some of a friend that ran the race, but not me… but I have my own photographer(s).

This also has to be one of the flattest races you could imagine. The island can’t vary more than a few feet in altitude at any point. The “adjusted” track from the Garmin FR 305. The track is adjusted in SportsTrack software by updating the gps points against an official topographical map with the altitude.

As was mentioned race day was wet and blustery! Earlier in the afternoon it was still fairly nice, not sunny but at least warmer and drier. Just before race time a light drizzle started and that seemed to cool everything down rapidly. Nothing like last year’s conditions though!

The race grew quite a bit since last year with about 400 more runners registered this . Maybe because the race is seeing a little more advertising and publicity. Last year I only heard about it by noticing a flyer at the Detroit Turkey Trot race. No web site was found on it, maybe a few of the running web sites listed it, but in general it was a secret race. This year it was on several of the news channels the day before, and can be found via Google or other search engines. Also, and I think a BIG plus is this year had online registration! Prior years required a paper entry from be completed and mailed in, then either verified via email or trusting they got it and you just showed up and hoped your packet was ready. There is no early packet pick up, everything is done the day off the race. Notice to late comers… you can register right then fairly painlessly if you suddenly decided to come out and freeze your tuskus with the rest of the crazies.

Last year they gave each participant a wooden plaque, this year was a medal.

The online stats listing was published pretty quickly after the race.

You can see the full details on the running stats web page.(Index) or this specific race.

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

Until the final resolution is kept,

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

Road Ends 5 Mile – 2009 Running

Posted on April 27, 2009September 1, 2022 by GeorgeK

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.

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

Posted on February 12, 2009May 3, 2022 by GeorgeK

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.

Until the final buffalo hot wing is consumed,
George

Detroit Turkey Trot 10K 2008

Posted on November 27, 2008July 14, 2022 by GeorgeK

Another race in the books! Today was the Detroit Turkey Trot. I entered the 10K race, there was also a 5K and a mile run.
The day started off pretty good, meaning we all got up and in the car right on time for the drive into Detroit. Very little traffic at 6:30 am on all the expressways so had smooth sailing. gyümölcsös nyer?gépes játékok That is until we got to the final off ramp to Cobo Arena Parking…. It seems when 10,000 people all try to get into the same parking garage inside of maybe an hour, it just doesn’t work so well. Finally we were down to 15 minutes to race start. I am SO glad I went the day before to pick up my bib and chip!! nyer?gépes játék letöltése ingyen Really!

I was in the wrong lane to get to most of the garages, but my two copilots noticed a small sign for public parking at the GM Renaissance Center – on the right – three lanes over… so, around the u-turn, back the other side of the median, another u-turn (I never saw that sign that said “No U-Turn here”, honest.) Into the correct lane, into the garage, up a couple of floors, grab the backpack with gear, down to the street, and we all hustled over to the start line. Getting there with about 4 minutes to spare! I stripped off the warm ups and jacket, added the ear warmers and jumped into line. tippmix sportfogadás szelvény
Whew.
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Kensington 15K – Ann Arbor Track Club – AATC

Posted on September 28, 2008May 7, 2022 by GeorgeK

A first for me, a 15K or 9.2 mile race. Longest race to date! Having done a few training runs of 10-12 miles I decided I could tackle this race. I am happy to say the ambulance did not carry me off, and while I would have liked to finish higher in my age group, overall I am in the top 50% (48% actually). Again this shows the fitness level of 55-59 year olds that I am up against! In that group I was 17 out of 20 which puts me in the bottom 15%! A big difference.

Kensington Metro Park is one of the larger, if the not largest in the area. It encompasses the large lake and is quite a nice setting. Lots of activites we may try some time, horseback riding, biking and maybe even some walking. You can see the pictures of the park and the race Since the path loops the lake there are not so many of the actual race.

By the numbers:

a) 15 Kilometers = 9.2 miles.

b) ran at a 10:02 per mile pace, 1:33:24 total time.

c) finished 229 out of 473 overall, so finished in the top 48% of all runners.

d) finished 17 out of 20 in my age group.

e) had a great time, which was the real race goal!

The race went great, a new PR for me, and a pretty good pace.

From Last Post:

You know, I am sorta getting an urge to try a half marathon… but trying to resist until next year. Just barely doing the 5 mile thing right now. Maybe I will try a 10 miler before I make the jump. There should be some coming up yet this year. We’ll see.

Okay, that’s done, now do I go and try the Detroit Free Press Half Marathon in October?

The race is in it’s 25th year and is presented by the Ann Arbor Track Club. https://www.aatrackclub.org/

Until the final winding path is run and the hills are all level,

George