NEW YEARS EVE FAMILY FUN RUN (Belle Isle - 2019 - 5K)
New Years Eve Family Fun Run 2019 Photos
30 Mile Drive
For the past three years running at the Belle Isle New Year’s Family Fun Run has always been really cold and icy no matter what the days leading up to it are like. The 2019 event was no different. Even though winter has been mild in Southeastern Michigan so far, New Year’s Eve on the island surrounded by two countries was freezing. The start and finish areas were extremely icy for about 500 feet. I saw runners lose their footing and thought it was amazing that so many were able to run at full speed. I had to hop-run around black ice patches. I love winter running, but I still play it safe every time even if it means running slower.
I love the Belle Isle New Year’s Family Fun Run for so many reasons. It goes unmatched being the longest race in the state of Michigan. A few other runs come close, but it holds the title. I was sad when the race director announced her departure as race director. She is handing over her race to Hanson’s to run and design it and Enmotive for chip timing. I think it was a great time to leave and I totally understand her reasoning. She left on a high with a big celebration. I was extremely honored to be a part of her last race and the run’s 50th year.
I had been wondering for months what they were going to do for their medal design this year. I was hopeful they would go all out. Belle Isle is known for their classic medal design that is the same every year with different colors. I absolutely loved the 50th medal design!! It was huge with perfect "50th" black and gold colors. The way they incorporated their classic design for the zero was outstanding. In my opinion the medal design could not have been better. This medal is currently my all-time favorite medal out of 115 events. Kuddos to the design team in charge of this medal for 2019, they nailed the significance for a one of a kind take-home memory.
Besides cold weather and blistering winds off the Detroit River that smack your face for a good part of the course, the Belle Isle New Years Family Fun Run always has amazing food with tons of goodies for runners to take home. My first year running this race we got three bags of apples that lasted weeks. This year it was a box of spaghetti noodles and super amazing olive oil cracker samples. Every year we barely make it to the car carrying all the food we get from Belle Isle. The ice doesn’t help! ^_^ I didn’t get hot chocolate this year because they ran out very fast. I said Happy New Years to almost every course marshall/volunteer our on the course this year. It was a nice switch from, “Thank You.” Volunteers were very friendly and two had awesome New Year’s horns you could hear from across the course!
I love the Belle Isle Casino for warmth and registration, it’s beautiful and historic, my favorite combination. Race shirts were amazing this year and super comfy. They brought in National Coney Island hot dogs! That was an amazing 50th celebration addition surprise! Jason loves hot dogs. We all sat down, ate inside and I watched runners out the big casino windows. It was really beautiful with the river scenery in the background.
As we were leaving I saw the best finishing group of all time! It was a group of four awesome walkers all dressed up playing music and carrying two flags. I ran out of our van and asked them if I could take their picture, which they gladly posed for. I’ve said this before and I will say it again...walking in the cold is much colder. Walkers amaze me. I give them even more of my respect in winter months. This group of four was the perfect end to a great race. I had not run for two and a half weeks partly due to being sick but also because there are so few race options available this time of year. The run choices get slim in Michigan in the coldest winter months.
As we were leaving the island a huge wedding party sped past us with people in tuxedos standing up out of sunroofs holding cameras. It was crazy! What a cool place for a winter wedding. We got some great twilight views on the drive home back to our 8th Annual Frye’s Rockin’ Eve. Even though I didn’t run quite as well with an immune system struggling to come back, I loved the run. A native island black squirrel also approved of the Olive Oil crackers. (See pictures!)
Happy 50th Belle Isle!!!
The New Years Eve Family Fun Run started Michigan running events in 1969 and look at how many we have today. It lit the spark.
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