LABOR DAY BRIDGE RUN (Mackinaw City - 2018 - 4.2 Miles)

  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 run to start.  The sun was still not up.  Governor Synder came by and said hello to us.  He came within feet of me and I tried to get a picture.  Police cars drove by.  It seemed like every time I 

thought the last car was coming over, a few minutes later there would be one more stray car.  Seeing the Mackinac Bridge completely empty was awesome.  I knew it was a 4.2 mile run up a slow slope and back down.  I also knew about the metal grates in the middle.  I didn't realize we would see the sunrise from the top of it over The Straits of Mackinac.  That was a sight that will be in my memory forever.  Being 200 feet in the air makes for a great sunrise view.  Sunrises over water are some of the most beautiful sunrises you can witness.

The course was challenging and awesome.  There was so much to take pictures of and for once I could actually stop and do it.  The coolest part of the run was standing under the 552 foot tower.  It felt like police officers were stationed every 50 feet.  Many had rifle packs over their backs.  I tried to say "Good Morning" and thank them all.  When we started to come down the bridge I could see the walk starting.  The group of people was massive.  We had three hundred runners and they had thousands.  We were very spread out in comparison.  I came up to a group of runners carrying an American flag and ran next to them for a bit.  I had no idea someone had taken our picture.  It later became the main picture for the Labor Day Bridge Run website for 2018.  I loved it.

When I crossed the finish I got a really nice picture certificate and Mackinac Bridge medal.  I met up with Jason and the kids.  They had attempted to walk the bridge.  The plan was for me to meet them and walk back up with them.  Ryan got scared at the height and they turned back.  We went over to Mackinaw City instead.  I didn't realize my finisher certificate had a number and the shops in Mackinaw did raffle giveaways for the numbers.  We walked past every shop looking for a number match.  I didn't win anything this year but I still think it’s really cool.

After visiting the city we got ferry tickets and went to Mackinac Island.  It was the first time for me and the kids but not the first time for Jason.   The island was crowded with streets filled with horse poop.  I wasn't a fan of the shopping district but I liked the bike trails, beaches with views of the Mackinac Bridge and Fort Mackinac.  We walked around and saw a lot.  We got old fashioned photos taken.  Dogs are allowed on the Mackinac Island ferry.  It's a very animal friendly place.

Things I take away from this run are:  1.  A new Labor Day tradition for our family.  I want to keep running the bridge every year.  I met two ladies that were friends on the ferry.  They had patches all over their jackets.  When I asked about the patches they said they had done the bridge walk together for 47 years and gotten a badge every year.  That was amazing to hear.  This was the bridge run's 15th year.  It is much newer.  Unfortunately, I was told numbers are decreasing.  I hope they continue to have it with the walk.  2.  The stain glass medal design!  They give the same medal design every year in different colors.  I love that you get a certificate that you can frame.  3.  The view of the entire Mackinac Bridge from the Mackinac Island ferry.  You see what 4.2 miles looks like as a whole.   It's amazing.  4.  Finding Gobblers of Waters on the way up near Gaylord.  They had amazing turkey dinner and their staff became our friends.  They were so nice.  We told them we would stop by every year on our way to the bridge run.  We also found Cops and Doughnuts of Saginaw.  I got a giant donut pillow and Jason got hilarious bumper stickers.

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