New Years Eve Family Fun Run 2017 Photos 31 Mile Drive The Belle Isle New Year's Family Fun Run had stunning water views of Detroit and Canada with beautiful fountains!  I used my winter spikes for the first time in the snow and ice.  There was a lot of ice and it was much colder on the island of Belle Isle.  I saw running friends. Belle Isle has amazing post-race food. The hot chocolate and pie slice were wonderful. We came home with so many apples!  They gave us three bags when they saw our kids.  They had great seating and space in the Belle Isle Casino.  The inside was really comfortable and warm with great views of the course.  I liked the historic staircases indoors.  I love the history of The Belle Isle New Year’s Family Fun being the longest run held in the state of Michigan. The late afternoon start time helps with the day being New Years Eve. I hear they give the same medal out every year in different colors.  Belle Isle Page

  Playmakers Holiday Classic 2017 Photos 73 Mile Drive Playmaker's Holiday Classic on Christmas Eve was dogs, dogs and more dogs with great holiday themes and a scenic river route!  I'll never forget the site of all the people standing in Rynearson Stadium. They had MSU cookies. I saw fireman Santa and an took a picture with an amazing decked out lady! We hung out with Sparty!  The course ran alongside the beautiful Red Cedar River.  The entire course was on Michigan State University’s campus.  There were no official medals or shirts.  They gave out a really nice medal MSU ornament with Christmas colored MSU athletic socks.  I put a lanyard on the ornament and hung it on my medal rack.  It looks like a normal medal on the wall.   East Lansing Page

   Pancake Run 2017 Photos 3.1 Mile Drive The pancake run was not an officially timed run.  We left from the store as a group ran along Ford Road and immediately turned onto Morrison Boulevard which we took to Flodin Park.  We took the Fellows Creek Nature Trail in Flodin Park to Cherry Hill Road where we turned around for the 5K without having to cross the fancy crosswalk at Cherry Hill.  It was a scenic course.  I had never run on Canton’s new trail system.  We were very close to Jason’s house on Fair Oaks.  A part of the trail runs through their backyard.   When we got back to the store we took an awesome festive group photo.  I won a Hydro flask from my holiday costume!  I’ve always wanted a Hydro Flask since learning about them while working at Cabela’s.  I bought clearance shoe spikes for winter. The hot pancake and sausage breakfast they had waiting for us was delicious.  The store workers were a lively fun bunch.  Canton Page

   Caribbean Christmas 2017 Photos 266 Mile Drive Caribbean Christmas is an awesome run to do in Carmel, Indiana!  It was totally worth the longer drive, especially since we had time to site see in Indianapolis. The medal was what caught my eye online.  It was a HUGE pair of holiday sunglasses!  Come to find out they can actually rest on your face.  The kids slept the entire ride to Carmel.  We passed the Nestle Manufacturing plant in Anderson, Indiana and The Timber Road Wind Farm in Payne Ohio.  The run had awesome music, snacks and back drops to take pictures.  I loved the Reggae music.  It was perfect for the theme.  Santa was present in shorts.  The area near the start was really festive.  It had a nice little gazebo with big evergreen trees.  There were a lot of participants costumes and even a Grinch...which went against the run's costume rules.  ^_^  There was a lot of construction going on downtown Carmel. I've bought virtual runs from 131 Events before and have always

   Holiday Hustle 2017 Photos 28 Mile Drive The Holiday Hustle was at 4:30pm which was a big change from morning running.  They recommended wearing reflective lights.  I put glow wear on since it was my first event in the dark.  I combined my elf costume from the Santa Hat Hustle in Royal Oak and my old high school homemade elf costume for this run.  I got to meet a great couple dressed as Buddy the Elf and Jovie.  They have a few really cool vender tents in the park that we stopped at after the run.  I got kennel corn and Aleah bought me a 5K keychain gift.  They gave out awesome beanies and had great medals.  If you got all three medals for their Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas run they connected magnetically.  This was my first time not getting a race shirt.  I brought home other trinkets in place of the running shirt.   Dexter Page

   Santa Hat Hustle 2017 Photos 27 Mile Drive The Santa Hat Hustle was a whole bunch of elf costume and Woodward Avenue fun! I met some awesome Christmas themed race mascots!  I signed all three kids up for their kids dash.  Santa was out to start the kids race.  Luke finished, Ryan and Will got overwhelmed.  We have a video from it.  My run took off down towards 696 before weaving in and out of subdivisions.   The post-race food was in the awesome Hop Cat Bar.  There were racing coupons for drinks.  We ate a great lunch there and then walked around Royal Oak.  The anime shop with huge food plush was fantastic. I took a picture with Santa! Royal Oak Page