RED NOSE RUN (Comstock Park - 2019 - 5K)

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  Red Nose Run 2019 Photos

146 Mile Drive




The 2019 Red Nose Run was a completely new experience for us.  I missed the Hines Park Light Show run right down the street from us last year due to my ankle fracture.  I love Christmas light shows.  When we lived in Grand Rapids we went to the Fifth Third Ball Park’s light show in our car.  It was great.  It meant a lot registering for Red Nose Run as one of my light show runs this year. 

Driving out to Comstock Park was a drive.  It was a split 15K day for me.  Every so often I run two 5K’s spaced apart in one day, today I took it to a new level and did a 10K and 5K.  We had a nice break between Wyandotte to relax at Luke’s soccer game and then leave. This was Luke’s last 5K event for the winter, another reason this run was very special.  We made the decision with his age to give him break during the cold running season.  Running can be dangerous and is taxing on the body in warm months.  Outdoor winter running takes even more practice and awareness.  I am still learning correct layering based on temperature. I tend to overdress.  In Walker last year at the Groundhog 1/6 marathon I dressed so warm I started to sweat on my legs and almost got frostbite.  It was terrifying.  Luke just started indoor soccer for eight weeks so the trade from running to soccer is perfect.

Seeing the light show from the expressway was beautiful.  We saw the whole course as we drove by.  The temperature was warmer than Wyandotte which surprised me being on the west coast.  It was a very comfortable temperature.  The line-up starting area of the run was really long and packed tight with runners!  The number of participants was amazing!  I loved that the course was two laps around the light show. I immediately thought two things: 
1. I will enjoy the lights the first lap because I know from Wyandotte it takes 1.5 miles for my hands to warm up. 

2. When my hands are sweating I can take my gloves off and use the second lap to take all the light pictures.

This was one of the coolest courses of all time!  Running through the light tunnels was the best part.  Luke loved the Monster tunnel early in the course.  I really liked the tall light displays at the back of the course in the turn around area.

I thought the indoor registration area was beautiful and decorated like Santa’s wonderland at a mall.  They did a really good job.  I loved that Will, Ryan and Jason got blinking light bulb necklaces as spectators.  It was really sad that they ran out of hot chocolate very early.  Hot cocoa was listed as a post-race treat and we were so excited to get a warm chocolatey drink.  We went to McDonald’s across the street and got hot chocolates for the ride home.  We went to Chick-Fil-A and Culver’s for dinner.  Our favorite fast foods.  It was a very cozy ride back to Detroit watching my favorite Christmas movie, Home Alone.

Sometimes I have a very hard time waking up for runs, but when I get up and get them finished, I always think to myself, “This was absolutely amazing, if you had stayed in bed you would have missed it all.” I loved the 15K split today.  Wyandotte started it off with a lot Christmas spirit and fun and Comstock Park closed the night out on a holiday light high. 

Things I take away from this run: 

1. The feeling I got when I saw all the lights around me and in the distance. I felt completely surrounded in Christmas spirit.  I felt like Buddy the Elf!!! 

2. The music and MC counting down our start before we took off.  It felt like New Year’s Eve in New York City.  It was awesome!!  


I did not get the Comstock Park city sign because it was too dark.  I will get it the next time I am in Grand Rapids and add it to the album.  I am posting my time because I don’t usually post times and I think coming in 15th place is awesome.  Runners need to stay humble.  Running must stay fun.  You aren’t always going to be first, second or even my favorite place, third.  You aren’t always going to get faster and faster, but you can always have a great time.


A little girl came up to Luke and I in line to start and said, "It's okay if you don't win, as long as you have fun.  It's cool if you win, but you just really want to have fun." That's amazing wisdom from a child.

Comstock Park Page

Location: 4500 W River Dr NE, Comstock Park, MI 49321, USA

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