Lace Up Against Violence 2018 Photos 24 Mile Drive I found the Lace Up Against Violence Kensington Metropark 5K last minute.  It was put on by an organization called Friends on Board.  I didn’t know anything about them.  I think I was the only runner that did not speak fluent Spanish at the 5K.  I was definitely a Hispanic group.   They did a great warm-up workout and had an amazing chip to sweet music.  I felt like I was doing a Richard Simmons tape.  I loved the purple medals and homemade starting line made with bibs!  They seemed to be as fond of purple as I am.  Post-race food had fruit, electrolytes and chips and dip!  I didn't see the white albino deer today. We go to Kensington a lot. It is a beautiful Metropark with all kinds of wildlife.  The course was amazing.  It was early in the morning and fog was still floating on parts of the water.  For a last minute run it was really well done.  ...

  Light Up The Night 2018 Photos 97 Mile Drive Light Up The Night was one of my favorite 5K's.  Saginaw had beautiful medals that lit up when you pressed a button on the top!  They were little light bulbs!  Their race shirts were very colorful with huge writing.  I got an interesting chip tag at registration.  I was told to tie it to my laces.  I’ve never had that kind of chip timing.  I had to return it at the finish line.   The event had amazing family activities from beginning to end.  The kids got to sit in a helicopter and then watch it take off.  They made watercolor art.  They got cool dinner plates.  The danced next to a large stage.  Police officers were playing football with kids in the field.  We took a fun photo booth picture.  We saw awesome horses and a fire truck ladder extended!  They had blow-up slides!  There were endless activities!   The course was a beautiful riv...

  Howell Melon Fest Run 2018 Photos 39 Mile Drive The 2018 Howell Melon Fest Run was part of the 41st Howell Melon Festival in Downtown Howell.  I was sad that they didn’t have finisher medals or t-shirts.  I felt like I left empty handed.  It was a big crowd at check-in squeezed in a small space.  We somehow got a great parking spot in town.  Mom and Sean stopped by and were at the finish with Jason and the kids.  The run was slightly hilly and went past Lakeview Cemetery and Thompson Lake.  A pontoon boat on the lake was blaring awesome dance music for participants.  That was something I will always remember.  I got a free cup of melon ice cream for registering which was so good.  We bought the kids scoops too.  We found great food trucks and a blow-up entertainment area for the kids that was free.  There was another blow-up area but they required pricey wrist bands.  It was a fun night.  I like the logo for th...

   Wings of Mercy 2018 Photos 50 Mile Drive The 2018 Wings of Mercy was my first Runway Run!  It was an amazing night run!  Wings of Mercy is a fantastic organization and community of volunteer pilots and people.  Wings of Mercy pilots fly people needing medical care to hospitals for free.  One man’s wife was flown to her cancer treatments which prolonged her life four months.   The course was the absolute flattest course I will ever run on.  It doesn’t get any flatter than a runway!  The sun was setting as we started.  It was beautiful.  At the first turn they had a speaker that would go quiet and then play loud airplane engine take-off sounds.  It got me good.  I jumped.  We ran through a small neighborhood in the last mile of the course.  The homes were on airport grounds.  They all had oversized driveways and garages.  One house had their garage open showcasing their Cessna and airplane memorab...

   Liberty Fest 2018 Run Photos 5.2 Mile Drive The 2018 Liberty Fest Run was right down the street.  It took us eight minutes to get to the start line driving from our home.  It was a very large race with all kinds of red, white and blue.  RF Events always has great medals and shirts.  This year they had a pair of shades connected to three stars.  The course was on Canton neighborhood roads and a small section of the Lower River Rouge Trail.  My favorite part was the trail.  We loved the pancake breakfast after the race.  The run kicks the weekend of Canton’s Liberty Festival off.   Canton Page

   Beat the Wheat 2018 Photos 5.6 Mile Drive Beat the Wheat is a 5K run put on by the Tri-County Celiac Support Group.  We didn’t know anything about the group prior to this run.  The course is in Hines Park near Nankin Mills.  They had a large pavilion filled with all kinds of gluten-free snacks and info sheets on the tables.  Their registration table and raffle prizes were under two canopy tents.  The raffle baskets had great themes.  We bought raffle tickets but did not win a raffle prize this time.   The start and finish were across the street under an arch in a grass field.  In addition to the table snacks they had another tent setup after the race with a long table inside that had all kinds of gluten-free food.  It was a gluten-free buffet!  Since Luke could eat everything, I grabbed him a bunch of things.  We ate under the pavilion and listened to the awards ceremony.  I came in first place in my age group...

   Burton Race2Grace 2018 Photos 67 Mile Drive The 2018 Race2Grace was my first completely unexpected age group win.  We found I won third place two minutes after leaving the run. It was my first run back from my pelvic fracture.  The course was flat and went through neighborhoods starting from Center Point Church.  They had a wonderful post-race food tent with a separate gluten-free area!!! I was so excited for Luke.  There was so much food!  I won a $100 Meijer gift in the raffle!  They called a woman that had gone home already and I was the re-draw.  I love the lion cross race logo that was on the medal and shirt.  I missed the 2018 Burton Memorial Day Run/Walk just weeks after Race2Grace.  I overslept in the morning.  I felt really bad about it, but on the plus side I only need three of the Burton events to get the series medal.  I like that Burton allows participants to miss of one event and still qualify for the seri...

 Shamrock Race 2018 Photos .8 Mile  Walk The 2018 Shamrock Run was my first 5K walk in the middle of an eight week recovery from a pelvic fracture.  I dressed up the giant plush dinosaur Baxster that I had in many of my recovery photos.  I decorated the kids wagon and made it a mini float with Baxster in it for St. Patrick’s Day.  It was extremely festive, green and shamrocky.  I was the fourth to last female in my age group to finish the 5K and 205/223 overall for the one mile.  Pulling a wagon was tough.  I think an 18 minute mile was pretty good with my unique circumstances.  I was happy to be out walking.  It didn’t cause me pain as running still did.  I took home first place in the costume contest.  I got a race pint glass for the costume win.  I also got two separate shamrock medals for the 5K and one mile.  I got to walk with Andrea for both events.    Plymouth City Page