BLAKE'S FROST FEST 5K (Armada - 2020 - 5K)

  Blake's Frost Fest 5K 2020 Photos

61 Mile Drive

The 2020 Frost Fest 5K was a run I almost stayed in bed and missed.  Since November 30th I have had an unlucky streak of illnesses plague me; scabies, stomach flu and a terrible long lasting cold.  I thought I was finally through the fatigue and feeling crappy.  I ran twice this week and felt good.  I went to bed Thursday night and my right eye was in a lot of pain. I thought I had poked it really bad until I woke up in the morning with it sealed shut.  I couldn’t bend over at work Friday. I had to get antibiotics during my first e-visit at Henry Ford.  

I got concerned looking at the weather system moving over the country Saturday and Sunday.  Michigan was set to get the ultimate winter combination of snow, ice and flash flooding.  In cases of severe weather, I don’t put my family at risk when it comes to runs.  I only do that when I am alone by myself.  (Lansing Pie Run joke)  Someone reached out on the run’s Facebook page the night before asking if the run would be cancelled due to the weekend weather.  The race team confirmed the race was on.  When I saw the weather was only rainy from Plymouth to Armada Saturday morning we woke up (not terribly early) and I got us up to Blake’s.  I had 20 seconds to spare walking out with my bib on before they said, "Go!"

I forgot my hat and gloves at home. It concerned me with rain and temperatures in the mid-thirties.  I’ve run in pouring rain and have been soaked with clothes I had to take off and ring out.  I’ve never run in rain with freezing temperatures.  Luke was a sweetheart and gave me his new long winter socks from grandpa and grandma.  The boys stayed warm in the car while I ran.  The socks worked wonders!!  I tied my race shirt around my head to keep my ears warm and to my surprise, it stayed on!  I currently only have my Kona Chocolate Run jacket for waterproof run clothing.  It’s better than a cotton shirt, but it is not truly waterproof.  Whenever I wear it Jason and I always joke about its infamous $55 retail value that Kona Running Company listed it as when they said their 2017 race registration was an amazing value.  It was irony at it’s best when I saw a runner wearing the Kona jacket out on the course. She was giving it a run for its money!

I was soaked by the end of the race, but my second and third layers were not terribly wet, just damp.  The course was everything you would expect it to be, soaked and muddy with puddles everywhere (some very deep).  I knew I was going to run slow so I got out my waterproof Gore-Tex shoes from the Traverse City Bigfoot Snowshoe Run. I haven’t worn them since Bigfoot last year.  They are not great for speed, but they are amazing for water repellency.  Just like my YakTraks worked wonderfully on the snowy trails last week in Shelby Township, the waterproof running shoes were amazing in Armada.  I splashed through a couple of very deep puddles and stayed dry.  I was a photographer’s dream today; wearing child socks for gloves, a shirt around my head and bright blue waterproof running shoes. 

I really enjoyed the Frost Fest course.  It ran around the orchard and pumpkin patch.  Today it was a pumpkin swamp!  The course paralleled Capac Road.  A fellow runner commented, “These cars must think we are crazy!”  I laughed.  We were all indeed crazy, but also determined with an endurance against weather.  It rained the entire duration of the race for every runner and brave walker.  It was cold!  It was windy! It was not ideal.  Could there have been worse race conditions? Absolutely!  This was a sold seven on the bad racing weather scale.  

Running can be pretty badass. Runs typically don’t cancel for rain, snow, ice, wind, mud, heat or negative degrees!  Lightening, thunder and really bad snow storms can cancel runs.  Running has made me realize just how strong I am.  Today I ran 10:46 minute miles. It was slower than normal for me again, but I felt like a running champion.  I made my 70 city birthday goal in early December.  I was determined not to be left at 69 cities before my birthday.  If it meant running in almost freezing rain to accomplish that, nothing was getting in my way of avoiding 69.  

The rain wasn’t that bad when I was out running in it, but it immediately became bad afterwards.  I was freezing back in the tent and in the cider mill.  They had a fire in the cider mill I became best friends with and met some cool people at.  Fires can be a great way to chat and make friends.  Speaking of friends, I saw Mike! Frost Fest was our fourth race together!  Mike ran late and ran without a bib.  He drove almost as far as we did to get to Armada.  He was truly motivated like always to get out and get it done. I love chatting with Mike.  I hope I get to see him at Chili Heart in February.

The post-race festivities and food were great.  I got a donut and cider. I opted for the non-alcoholic cider but had to go on a mini man-hunt to find it.  Alcohol cider was a piece of cake to find.  They had the coolest hot cocoa station.  I did not get any hot chocolate today, but admired it.  They had tons of tables for seating, many had games on them.  There was a stage for awards and music playing.  

The original plan for today was to buy admission into the Frost Fest.  Due to weather we skipped Frost Fest.  Jason and the kids came into the cider mill after I finished my stretching and we watched apple cider being made!  Check out my videos below if you have never watched apple cider being pressed, it was super cool and a first for me!  The apple gun is awesome.  I felt so bad for the beautiful Clydesdale horses sitting out in the rain with no one interested in horse and carriage rides. I was surprised they still had them out.

Things I take away from this cold wet run: 

1. You can do anything you set your mind to.  I wasn’t feeling my best when I ran in cold rain today to get to a person goal.  I have no doubts on running the 450 cities.  I am only uncertain of the length of time it will take me.   

2. The amazing food at Blake’s!!  Not only were the donuts and cider a solid 9.5 (they had gluten free donuts for Luke!) the chicken bites were out of this world.  The kids stole a few.  

3. The awesome swag! I got a really nice metal mug (first metal mug with a ceramic colored exterior) The long sleeve shirt was very practical today as my ear warmer.  It had a great design.  The free blue frosted donut and coupons for cider and donuts were great!  

4.  How flooded Armada was.  It was sad.  I took pictures as Jason drove home.  Armada must be lower in elevation.  We saw endless ponds of water that you could tell were normally grass fields and farms.  Some of the flooded areas got close to homes and cars parked outside. 

5. The course was 2.39 miles after I mapped it out on Google when I got home.  I know I did not miss a turn.  When I saw results my under 26 minute time shocked me.  It was not a PR day for me out in wet chilly Armada.  This will go down as the shortest 5K I have ever done up to this point.  There seemed to be plenty of orchard.  It surprises me that they were so far off on course distance.  

 

Armada is a nice rural farming town.  I love that it has a cider mill open all year-round!  It's totally unique!  Every Michigan city we have been to has unique characteristics I remember them by.  I take home something different and special from every city I run in.  Hopefully these writings and albums showcase that.  

I really hope this eye infection is the last thing I have to go through and that I can celebrate my birthday feeling well and in good health in two weeks.  

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