After years of thinking that I should really try running the Ann Arbor Marathon, I finally got around to doing the half marathon for my first time last year. I enjoyed it so much that I decided I should make a point of fitting it into my race schedule whenever I can. Even though I knew I would be running the Holland Haven Marathon three weeks before the race, I was hopeful that I’d recover enough to be able to try the half again. If not, I could always consider switching down to the 5K or 10K instead.

I took a week off following my marathon and had a surprisingly smooth return to running. I still didn’t want to push my luck too much and knew I wouldn’t attempt to “race” it, but at least I felt like I should be able to get through the distance. I made the very questionable choice of attending a concert the night before the race where I stood in one spot for several hours then only got a few hours of sleep. Although it didn’t seem like I was doing the right things to set myself up for a great race, somehow everything worked out.

The race took place on Sunday, October 1, and it was a bit rough getting up that morning to leave by 5:45. It was a beautiful morning though and a great day for a race. While I had parked by Michigan Stadium last year, I ended up in the Kerrytown area this year because the start and finish of the race moved into the heart of downtown Ann Arbor. I loved that change! I walked 4-5 blocks to the race area where I got my shirt and bib, made a bathroom stop, then I headed out to warm up.

The sun was just starting to rise and I headed east so I could enjoy the view. I thought I’d run out half a mile and back so I’d just do a mile to warm up. Once I got to the main part of campus I couldn’t help but extend my run. It kind of blows my mind that it’s been over 20 years since I graduated from the University of Michigan, and every time I get back on campus I love it SO much. I ended up covering a couple miles during my warm up. It was around 50 degrees and I truly did warm up enough that it felt perfect for running.

My only real goal for the day was to enjoy the experience. I guessed that I could finish somewhere in the 1:45-1:50 range but I truly didn’t have a time goal. I saw one of the official pacers who would be aiming for an 8:35 pace in the starting corral and lined up a bit behind him. I figured I shouldn’t start much faster than that but ended up running 8:15 for my first mile. Oops. Obviously I felt better than I had expected to!

While we had started the race on the southern side of town last year, starting half a mile north of that provided a whole other level of excitement and scenery. We ran past shops and restaurants at the very beginning, then went by landmark after landmark – the Michigan Theater, the State Theatre, Angell Hall, the art museum, and the law quad. I LOVED it! 

Since my whole plan was to just enjoy the race day atmosphere, I had already planned to take some pictures along the course. My shorts have a pocket where I keep my phone and it was easy to grab it and take some quick shots while on the move. When I saw how pretty the sky looked, the photographer side of me felt giddy. The sea of runners, the scenery, and the early sun behind the clouds made everything look so picturesque. Combining my passions of running and photography provided a really energizing start to the run.

We did a little bit of climbing in the first mile or so. After a couple miles around campus we went out to Geddes Ave. and Huron River Drive for several miles where we had a few downhill stretches that helped me build some good momentum. Despite plans of “running easy,” I suppose that’s how I ended up running 8:02 then 7:54 for miles three and four.

Next we ran a few miles along the scenic Border to Border (B2B) Trail by the Huron River. I went out there to run once during the summer, plus I had run there during the race last year so there was a level of comfort that came with that familiarity. I enjoyed more scenery which included a few little spots of fall colors starting to appear.

We ran past a field where a soccer game was in progress, then out to Fuller Road which took us toward the hospital. I knew that’s where the course would get more difficult! There’s a bit of a climb going up Medical Center Drive, then things level out for a bit heading into Nichols Arboretum. That’s where I started to see some of the people in the 10K race, which had started half an hour after the full and half marathon.

It was nice to change things up and get a little trail running in, but it also meant we had to climb “the Arb hill” – one of the harder parts of the course. It’s really not THAT bad, but I definitely felt it since I’d run 11 miles by that point. After getting past that hill, there’s a little stretch of false hope where it gets easier followed by one last climb toward Observatory Street.

Climbing toward the medical center, then the Arb, then toward Observatory all within a mile or so clearly affected my pace, taking it from 8:10 for the eleventh mile to 8:31 for the twelfth. Things flatten out around campus though and it was easy for me to pick up the pace knowing that the end was near. The last mile followed the same route as the first mile of the race and I saw some of the faster marathon runners who were headed back out for a second loop of the course. It was fun to run through town again and I felt like I was flying pretty easily as I headed up State Street, down Liberty, then just a quick turn to the finish line. My pace dropped to 7:35 for the last mile – my fastest of the day. There was a bit of a downhill finish that definitely helped!

I have done so many Epic Races this year and will always rave about getting to see my favorite photographer Greg Sadler at the finish. I think I was working too hard to give a real big smile, but he still got some nice shots of me and greeted me with a celebratory hand slap as I ran by.

I finished in 1:46:34 which was within my estimated range of 1:45-1:50. I was about six minutes slower than last year but I was also in peak shape about to run a marathon at that point while I was in marathon recovery mode this time. It’s still probably a little faster than I needed to go, but at least I clearly backed off a little?

I enjoyed the usual great Epic post-race treats of a breakfast burrito, pancakes, and a chocolate chip cookie, then followed up with an ice cream sandwich.

I noticed the tent for Probility Physical Therapy had open tables where therapists were working on people. Nothing felt too problematic after this race but my left side is never really “normal” so I signed up. I mentioned my hamstring that has been an issue for the last year and the therapist worked on that along with identifying problem spots around my hip and glute as well. All of my usual issues! I figured it couldn’t hurt to get worked on a little bit before I started to tighten up.

I scanned the QR code on my bib to find my results and saw that someone who did the 10K had the same number as me. Her results showed but mine didn’t. While I was walking around I happened to see Eva Solomon, the wonderful race director, and stopped her to ask who I could talk to about my results. She told me that a number of bibs had been duplicated and it was a known issue they would have to work out. I knew I hadn’t placed in my age group and was in no rush to get the results, and it was all sorted out by the next day. 

After getting a picture by the podium backdrop, I ventured out to enjoy more time around campus and racked up several more miles by walking so much. Whenever I see that there’s a Detroit Cookie Company close by I try to take advantage of it. I got a few cookies and an awesome cinnamon roll. It was a perfect day to wander around and I spent more time thinking about how much I love that school and town.

Having a great experience two years in a row really confirmed how much I enjoy this race. It felt a little risky and ambitious for me to run a half a few weeks after my marathon but I’m glad I still went for it. A little bit of post-race soreness tells me that I should back off a bit to make sure I recover properly, but crazy me has also signed up for the half at the Grand Rapids Marathon meaning I’ll be back at it in just a couple weeks. Maybe after THAT race I’ll rest a bit more!

– Janet

Follow me on Instagram @janetboltz and Twitter @reidphotography