Race 6 of 40 - Riverview Winterfest Four Mile Race

For my sixth race, I did the Riverview Winterfest Four Mile Race. It was nice! I like the four mile distance!

I added this race last minute when I decided driving to Mt Pleasant for the Ice Cube 10k - five hour drive round trip just to run 6 miles - was a little ridiculous.

This four miler was very no frills, not even a water stop along the route. The race packet didn't include a shirt, it was a knit hat. And the hat was a little ugly. But...hey at least it's something different. The race temperature was FINALLY a little more reasonable (26°!!! Heat wave!!!)

When I first crossed the finish line, I was a little ticked that they only had water, not even a banana. But then I remembered that there was a pancake breakfast included. Since I was by myself, I didn't stick around for the breakfast, but I'm sure it was good.

All in all, this was a fun race. But in reality, one that I did simply because I needed a third race for February. It was a bit of a drive for four miles, a hat, and a cup of water. There was nothing *bad* about it, but I just don't see myself running this one again.

Next up...nothing until Corktown on March 10th. That starts a streak of four weekends in row. The Shamrock N Roll on March 17th will be my first 10k of the year. After that, the Run du Nain Rouge (5k) on March 24th and the April Fool's Run (10k) up in Clarkston (my hometown! <3) on March 30th.

Tonight I also posted my plan for races for the third and fourth quarters. Overall, I'm amazed with how easily this schedule is falling into place. Granted, I still have several registration fees to *pay* for, but I think I have a really nice map for 40 races.

6 down. 34 to go. :)

Even More Tentative Fourth Quarter Schedule

Fourth (and final) Quarter

10.12.2013 - Run Scream Run 5k/10k - Ypsilanti

10.20.2013 - FREEP Half Marathon (My second time - SO much fun)

10.27.2013 - Wicked Halloween Run 10k - medal for this one as well as being the third race of the Kona Running Group's Triple Crown. Which means an additional medal!

11.9.2013 - Ann Arbor Turkey Trot - Iron Turkey

11,17.2013 - Kona Hot Chocolate Run (medal for 10k!!!)

11.28.2013 - Detroit Turkey Trot

Clearly, there is still some planning to be done here. I don't really have December dates yet. But in 2012 I did the Shelby Township Jingle Bell Run as well as the Run for the Dickens in Holly. Running Fit does a Christmas themed race every December as well.

I would really love it if my fortieth race was on New Year's Eve. I think there's a NYE race on Belle Isle every year.
Race 1: New Year's Day 2013
Race 40: New Year's Eve 2013

Tentative Third Quarter Schedule

Even MORE tentative than my second quarter plan:

7.4.2013 - Firecracker 5k - Ann Arbor

7.13,2013 - Bastille Day Race 5k/15k - Fenton

7.20.2013 - Gopher the Gold 5k/10k - Shelby Twp (I ran this in 2011 - it was my first 10k ever)

7.27.2013 - Warrior Dash - my second time - SUCH a blast

8.11.2013 - Stoney Creek Triathlon/Duathlon

8.24.2013 - The Crim (not certain what distance I'll run, ideally the 10-miler)

9.7.2013 - Run Woodstock (probably the 5-miler)

9.21.2013 - Tour de Troit (a bike tour counts as a race, right?! RIGHT?!)

9.29.2013 - Brooksie Way (don't know that I'll be ready for another half - maybe 5k)

There's still some tweaking to be done here. First of all, this is only nine. But this is a pretty good start, me thinks.

Race 5 of 40 - Hamtramck Paczki Run

Race 5 of 2013 was easily my favorite so far this year. I seriously cannot say enough good things about this one! It was SO fun! I ran this with my cousin Melissa and her brother-in-law Ian and we had an absolute blast!

This was the first year for this race and the organizers did an amazing job - it was very well organized and they really did everything they could to showcase the city of Hamtramck. There were several bars and restaurants offering "race bib discounts" and they really encouraged everyone to stay in town and make a day of it.

The course was nice and flat and clear of snow, for the most part.  But hey, it's Michigan in February, there's gonna be some snow! It was cold too. But not nearly as cold as the Super Bowl 5k last weekend. Again, it's Michigan, it's February, it's cold.

The best part was the finish - cross the finish line and boxes and boxes of delicious paczki were waiting. If you're not familiar with paczki, it's a Polish tradition on Fat Tuesday. It's basically a jelly donut, but SO much better. As far as fat and calories, it's in the category of "you don't wanna know". Which is why they're only around just these few days. The concept of the Paczki Run makes sense, really. Burn 400 calories running a 5k, take in 1200 calories eating a paczki. It's really all about the math. ;-)

So after we demolished our paczki, we strolled to the beer tent for a post-race beer. I strongly believe that every race should have post race beer. It's got everything you need for proper recovery. And again, can't say enough about the organization here. They had the parking lot of a strip mall blocked off so there was plenty of space for hanging around. Drinking beer. At 10:30 in the morning. ;-)

Next up is the Riverview Winterfest 4-miler - tomorrow! I don't think I've done races on back-to-back days like this before. But, I've got a half marathon in 11 weeks, so running 3 miles then 4 miles is all a part of training for 13.1!

Race 4 of 40 - Super Bowl 5k

Brrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!! This was a cold one!!!! But fun!! I ran this with Becky and Jennifer. Very nice run through Novi. But cold!! Easily the coldest race I've run in a while. And brrrrrrrrr!!! Did I mention it was cold?!? I think it was about two miles in before I could feel my toes!

The best part of this was that we got a pint glass at the finish. And we got a hat rather than a shirt. I like when races give away something different - I like the shirts, but I've got a bunch of them. It's nice to get something out of the ordinary.

Next up - races 5 AND 6 next weekend. The Paczki Run in Hamtramck on Saturday and the Riverview Winterfest 4-mile run on Sunday. Still right on track for forty!

Race 3 of 40 - Polar Bear 5k

Race 3 - DONE!! This one was a bit of a drive, but I didn't have many choices. Due to my birthday weekend last weekend and TigerFest yesterday, my only open date was today. And the only race I could find was this 5k in Okemos! From the beginning, my plan has been to run 10 races per quarter. And I couldn't allow myself to fall behind in the very first month!! So to Okemos I went! Luckily, it started at 10am so I could still sleep in a tiny bit. This race was easily the smallest I've ever done - I don't think there were more than 300 people! It was a very nice little race, put on by Meridian Twp Parks and Rec. No real frills, not even a water stop on the route. Not a real big deal though. The entry fee was pretty cheap and surprisingly, the shirt was a very nice long-sleeved tech shirt.

This was the first race I've done by myself in while. And while I'm perfectly fine running by myself, it makes the pre and post race a little lonely with no one to chat with. I have friends running the next several with me though.This also was the first race I've run since turning 40 on January 17th. Not that it really feels any different to be 40 rather than 39. Just a little surreal to see "age 40" on my race bib!

This race also marks the first of four straight race weekends. Coming up next - Super Bowl 5k in Novi with my friend Becky. They give away finisher pint glasses! But only to the first 2000 finishers. So Becky, if you're reading this, we GOTTA get 'em!!!

After the Super 5k, I have the Paczki Run in Hamtramck with my cousin Melissa and her brother-in-law Ian. We get paczkis and beer when we finish! That'll be...different. ;-)

Then the next weekend will be the Ice Cube 10k in Mt Pleasant. Yes, Mt Pleasant. That'll REALLY be a long drive. But...there's a finishers' medal for that one! My friend Amber is running as well. But she's doing the half-marathon. (Amber's a beast!)

After the Ice Cube, I'll have a couple weekends off before running another four straight weekends in March. March is pretty well set with the Corktown 5k, the Shamrock n Roll 10k and the April Fool's 10k in Clarkston (my hometown, yay!) I just need to pick one more for the weekend of the 23/24. I may do the Mud Dogs 10k (also in Mt Pleasant), or the Run du Nain Rouge in Detroit or there's also a Bunny Hop 5k in Farmington. I may possibly even run 2 that weekend just to get ahead of schedule. We'll see!

Tentative Second Quarter Plan

My tentative schedule for April - June

4.13.2013 - Martian Invasion of Races 10k - Dearborn

4.20.2013 - Run With the Cops, Not from Them 5k - Belle Isle

4.27.2013 - Let's Move Festival of Races HALF MARATHON - Mt Clemens

4.28.2013 - Honolulu Virtual 5k (if only I could really go to Honolulu!)

5.11.2013 - Color Run 5k - Ypsilanti

5.19.2013 - Back to the Beach 10k - Stoney Creek Metro Park

5.27.2013 - Novi Memorial Day Run 5k/10k

6.1.2013 - Rainbow Run 5k - Ferndale

6.2.2013 - Dexter-Ann Arbor Run 5k/10k

6.8.2013 - Kona Run 10-miler - Northville

6.15.2013 - Canton Liberty Run 5k/10k

6.16.2013 - YMCA Father's Day Run - Plymouth 5k/10k

6.21.2013 - First Tri Triathlon

Clearly still some decisions to be made here.

There's also a duathlon I'm considering in August. I'd really like to try some things other than just simply running."