Heroes on Hines 2018 Photos 2.2 Mile Drive Jason was in Atlantic City during the 2018 Heroes on Hines. I took the kids with me to packet pick-up the day before the run at Nankin Mills.  The kids loved seeing the aquariums during packet pick up.  I had no idea there were live creatures at Nankin Mills.  I got creative with our pictures of the reptiles and amphibians.  I got to see my great RF friend Jodi!  During registration I was asked what hero agency I wanted to run for.  I choose the Plymouth Police because I lived in Plymouth.  I wanted to find a few Plymouth police officers for the running aIbum.  I met two police officers who were doing a drive-by down our street.  They liked Corky.  I got a picture with them.  I also went to the township hall and got a picture with another police officer.  I didn't know about Sgt. Lee Smith and was heartbroken to hear about his tragic hit and run on Hines Drive while he was running.  He was only months away from retirement.  I saw the

   Quarry Challenge 2018 Photos 30 Mile Drive The 2018 Quarry Challenge was the most challenging course to date for me, but also one of the most memorable and amazing. We ran down and back up a 200 foot hill out of the quarry! The kids did a fossil hunt while I ran. The course was all gravel with many up and downs. It had amazing limestone views. I even saw waterfalls! There was a party at the library following the run. They raffled off gift cards and had hot dogs, face painting and bounce houses. I won an awesome adult book package from the library and a third place pint glass in my age group. I got to high five a blow-up dinosaur at the finish. We rode a bus in and out of the quarry! I have stats comparing the elevation gain of the Quarry Challenge and Mackinac Bridge Run. South Rockwood Page

 Golden Harvest 2018 Photos 6.1 Mile Drive The 2018 Golden Harvest Run was my first dual costume and age group win (first place!) at Plymouth Orchards!  I found a great costume idea online with a lawn bag.  I borrowed a lawn rake from Chris.  The rake was the heaviest part.  I found a bunch of plush apples at Gymboree on sale that I pinned together as a headband.  Dad took us to the run.  I signed all three boys up for the kids quarter mile.  This would be their first run.  I was glad it was really short.  Luke and Ryan did great and enjoyed their run.  Will got upset and didn’t want to finish.  We took pictures with a good race backdrop up by the cider mill.  The course was great.  We ran all around the orchard.  I saw a lot of apple trees.  The ground was really uneven at times.   I had a slight costume malfunction and had to hold the lawn bag up without suspenders. I still made out with good race photography pictures. We got cider and donuts afterward. We met some awesome dogs, saw

   MNA Turtle Trot 2018 Photos 17 Mile Drive The 2018 Turtle Trot had so many cool turtles! We learned a lot we didn't know about turtles talking to the turtle keepers. This was my first Michigan Nature Association Run!  I’ve been wanting to run a MNA Run for awhile.  I am most interested in their moose run but it’s quite a distance in the U.P.  Gallup Park is beautiful.  I love goat island!  I didn’t know that not only can goats eat poison ivy, they really like poison ivy.  The course had constant water views and bridges over water.  There was a short dirt trail segment.  I got a cool soft shirt and backpack with more information about turtles and the Michigan Nature Association.  I saw awesome running dogs with bibs.  They had a very energetic man doing a stretching session.  The kids enjoying playing at the play area in the park. Ann Arbor Page

   Run Wild at the Zoo 2018 Photos 26 Mile Drive The 2018 Run Wild at the Zoo was a blast!  There was a massive line of runners at the start on 10 Mile Road.  I didn’t expect the run to be that packed.  We found a parking spot in the lot even with the crowd.  The course wasn’t through the zoo as I had hoped, but in surrounding neighborhoods.  We did run a few hundred feet into the zoo to the finish line.  They had pre-filled zoo water bottles for waiting for us.  That was totally unique for finish line swag.  I love the animal medal.  They change animals on the medal every year.  We spent the day at the Zoo afterward with our membership. They had kids crafts, a live band and great food after the run. One of the otters wanted our snacks very badly and tried to get them through his exhibit glass multiple times.   Royal Oak Page

   Celtic Warrior Run 2018 Photos 24 Mile Drive 2018 was the first year of the Berkley Celtic Warrior Run!  The Irish Festival in Berkley was amazing.  We loved the fairy door hunt, green bagels and amazing Artisans.  We spent an hour finding all the fairy doors in town.  While fairy door hunting we found an awesome chocolate house.  The kids made Irish crafts.  I absolutely love the scarf I got instead of a shirt.  They had a photo booth. I loved the people in Irish warrior and Irish priest costumes.  They had a parade of bag pipers walk down the street.  Their medal display was one of a kind in a cone shape.  As always, I did not drink the post-run beer, but I had to get a picture of it because it was the Celtic Run.  This was one of my favorite runs.  The course was flat.  It weaved through neighborhoods.  I ran well.  I was really motivated for reasons I cannot explain.  I’ve been to Berkley a lot because of my stepdad’s work at a veterinary clinic downtown.  I have never spent tim

   Labor Day Bridge Run 2018 Photos 289 Mile Drive Calling all Michigan runners!  The Labor Day Bridge Run is a bucket list run of a lifetime!! A hotel is a must as the run starts at 6:30am in St. Ignace.  It's very hard to find a hotel and they are very expensive.  I got very lucky when I found the Bridge Vista Beach hotel for a great price a few weeks before the run.  The hotel had an indoor waterpark that we went to Monday after the run. Our room was on the bottom floor with a patio facing Mackinac Island.  Lake Michigan was right out our patio door. I was terrified to take the bus to St. Ignace in the morning.  Jason and the kids drove me over the bridge with plenty of time to get back across the bridge before it closed.  There is something about being that high up in a bus and looking over the edge in the dark that freaked me out.  Running over the bridge didn't bother me at all. I stood with a massive group of runners in St. Ignace waiting for the bridge to close and the

   Milford Labor Day 30K 2018 Photos 23 Mile Drive The 2018 Milford Labor Day 30K was AWESOME!!!  It was dad's first official running event. We both did the 6K.  It was the smallest distance option.  They have a huge cycling race too!  I went to packet pick-up the night before at Baker’s of Milford, the restaurant where the run start would take place.  They had a great setup for pick-up.   I got really soft cotton race shirts and personalized colorful bibs.   The day of the run I saw Kristin, Mike, Chris and met Jake Henriksen a.k.a “The SPEEDY SLOTH!”  It was so inspiring meeting Jake and hearing his amazing weight loss story.  His tattoos and helmet were so cool.  He loves sloths as much as I do.  The course started on pavement, went into trails, dirt roads and ended back on pavement.  The trails were very narrow and it was a tad congested on them but I still enjoyed the trail sections the most.  The finisher medals were huge and very heavy!  There were hamburgers grilling with a