by milesflyby

Tri Goddess Tri Recap

At first it looked like I might only do a couple triathlons this season – Island Lake Triathlon at the beginning of June and the Battle of Waterloo at the end of July. I didn’t feel super motivated going into Island Lake because I’ve been on such a roll with my running lately that I didn’t want to disrupt that momentum by trying to add biking to the mix. I had a feeling that once I got back to the race environment I’d come around. Sure enough, once my first tri of the season was over I decided immediately that I should sign up for Tri Goddess Tri which would take place a few weeks later on Saturday, June 28. I’m especially partial to Epic Races because they make the whole race day experience so enjoyable. I had raced the Olympic distance with them at Tri Goddess Tri last year and signed up for the same distance again this year.

*A bike jersey for doing this year’s race*

I’ve really loved the races that are a part of Epic’s Goddess Racing Series because the events really focus on celebrating and empowering women. The races can still be plenty competitive if that’s what people are looking for, but there’s also an extra friendly and welcoming vibe. I knew a bunch of women who were going to be there doing the mini-sprint, sprint, and Olympic distances. There’s something for everyone!

Tri Goddess Tri takes place at the Portage Lake Unit of Waterloo State Recreation Area in Grass Lake. It’s an hour and a half away from me so at least the sun rises early enough this time of year that I had daylight for a good portion of my drive. I got to the park around 6:00 and took my stuff right into the transition area where I was able to grab a spot at the end of a rack for Olympic athletes. I was early enough to check in quickly at packet pickup then I had to go catch the sunrise just before the sun broke over the trees.

*Catching the sunrise is always a major perk of early race days*

When I got back to the transition area my friend Angie (who I met thanks to Epic Races) was there so we got to chat as we set up. I didn’t really have any nerves – I just kind of felt “fine” about the day.

*Getting my stuff organized in transition. I always like having some extra room when I can get a spot at the end of a rack.*

*A great drone shot of the transition area courtesy of Greg Sadler Photography. I see me at the bottom right!*

The pre-race meeting on the beach was due to start at 7:15 and I got into the lake to warm up a few minutes before that. Thanks to our recent heat wave the water was 83° – no wetsuits for this one! That’s actually the same as it was last year, although the heat wave continued on race day. We were extremely fortunate for a little break in the heat and humidity on race morning this year. The air was 67° at the start so I actually wanted to stay warm in the water as long as I could.

*No shock to the system getting in water that warm!*

*The pre-race meeting. All race photos thanks to Epic and Greg Sadler and his team of photographers.*

During the meeting I got to see my friend Mary, who I also know thanks to Epic Races. She was doing the sprint distance and because she was camping at the park, she would hang around and I’d get to see her afterward even though I would finish long after she was done. Sweet Stella sang the national anthem and when she forgot some of the words, everyone jumped in and sang the rest of the song together. It was just another example of the supportive vibe that surrounds this race. When it was time to kick things off with the Olympic race, random women gave each other high-fives along with messages of encouragement. I loved it.

*Race director Eva Solomon standing next to Stella*

Just like last year, when it was time to line up for the swim, no one wanted to take the lead. I KNOW there were some speedy women who belonged up there! When it happened last year, I ended up near the front only to have people pass me immediately. Because of that I tried to hang back a little and ended up starting around the fifth wave with two of us starting together every few seconds. I was near a woman or two for the first few minutes, but eventually I found myself on my own so I think I started in the appropriate spot.

*A great drone shot of the Olympic athletes lined up at the start*

One really nice thing about this swim course is that we were able to swim without looking into the sun! So often we swim toward the sun at some point and it can be really difficult to spot buoys. This was one race where I could finally see all of the buoys without any issues. The Olympic distance had two loops to swim and after the last Olympic athlete started the second loop, the sprint athletes started their race. Sometimes the speedy sprinters will catch up to me before I can finish but it didn’t happen this time.

*I love that Jason, one of the photographers, gets right in the water for some great shots.*

*Kind of trying to smile for photos while still moving along*

*Looking up to make sure I’m on track with the next buoy*

There were 20-some Olympic athletes and it was really nice and kind of weird to swim without anyone around me for the majority of the swim. By the time I was halfway through the first loop, the speedy women were WAY ahead of me, and if people were behind me, I didn’t notice. Earlier in the week I did a frustrating lake swim where I had to pause because kayakers were drifting through the swim area and I had to dodge people playing in the water. I told myself that this was exactly what I wanted from an open water swim – a relaxing experience without anyone getting too close! I didn’t have to look up to sight quite as often either because I didn’t have anyone to run into. Later into the second lap I felt like my cheeks were probably pink from the warm water, but it wasn’t that bad and I really enjoyed the swim. There was a brief little patch of seaweed approaching the shore and it was all calm and clear otherwise.

I don’t always know where the transition starts and when to end the swim segment on my watch, but the official results had me down for 28:07. My watch had me at 1,667 yards. According to the results, I had the second fastest swim?! I realize now that’s because at least one or two of the speedy women must have done the aquabike race (with no run) rather than the Olympic race. I didn’t even know what my time was because I was preoccupied with making the long run up the hill to get to the transition area.

Again, because I didn’t know where the official transition timing was placed, my watch and the official results have two different times. I counted the run up the hill as part of my swim and didn’t start the transition until I got to the actual transition area. In that case, I only took 1:27 according to my watch which is super speedy for me. Not having a wetsuit makes it a whole lot faster! Officially, I was down for a 2:58 transition.

Like everything in the Olympic race, I had two loops of the bike course next, and like the swim, I was on my own…at least for a while. It wasn’t until I approached the turnaround for the first Olympic loop that I finally saw the leaders riding the opposite direction. I was pretty surprised to realize I was in third place at that point. Considering how I’m not much of a cyclist, I figured it was only a matter of time before people caught me.

*When the sun hit me right, I noticed the shadow of my helmet sticker hanging loose and just took it off. The numbers identify us but the adhesive wasn’t so great!*

For the Olympic race we rode an extra mile or two past the main turnaround just for the first loop so we could add extra distance. Unfortunately, that section of road is the worst. It’s pothole central. Sometimes I could go around patches when the road was deserted enough but sometimes there was no avoiding the bumps. I had to brake in one section because a truck went by on my left which forced me right into an awful patch. I’ve been doing races from this park for years and it seems like it’s a given that we’ll hit some rough patches. I wish they would fix the darn roads already!

Once I made it back to the main turnaround, I finally had other people around. Plenty of sprint athletes were getting to that point so I had both people ahead of me, and plenty to watch on the opposite side of the road still on their way out. I feel like at least one woman passed me who must have been an Olympic athlete but then it was hard to tell if people were a part of the sprint or even the mini-sprint. After that turnaround I was on the lookout for friends and spotted a couple. I tried to smile and cheer for a majority of the women whenever I crossed paths with anyone and so many others did the same. Most were good about announcing when they were going to pass as well. There’s always an exception or two, but the percentage of courteous people was so much higher than it is at most other triathlons. Parts of the course are a bit challenging with some rolling hills and having so many friendly women around brought a really great vibe. It reached a point when we basically took over most of one road with a steady stream of people on both sides. At one point I even had to slow down because I was caught behind a truck that couldn’t pass the bikers.

*A shot that shows how busy the roads got*

I made it back to the park and turned around to head out for my second loop. There were still some people out there, it just wasn’t quite as busy as the later part of the first loop. I was getting ready to eat a Picky Bar a couple miles into the second loop when I realized the photographer was there. I figured it was a good chance for a photo op as a Picky Bars AmBADASSador!

*Ready to eat my Smooth Caffeinator Picky Bar!*

I continued to root for people along the ride and spreading positivity made my own ride more enjoyable. I had my moments of having to work hard and thinking about how it would probably help if I actually trained on the bike more, but I did about the same as I ever do anyway. I ended up with 24.4 miles in 1:27:38 according to my Garmin which says I averaged 16.7 mph. Obviously a few people caught me on the ride because I ended up 7th out of 24 for the ride. That’s way better than I usually fare!

After a quick 33 seconds in transition, I took off for my run with a groan. It simply never feels good to run right after a long ride. I felt one of my hamstrings as I ran up a grass hill and luckily that faded once things leveled out.

A slightly uphill segment heading out of the park is always a bit rough. Like last year, Olympic athletes added some extra distance to the first loop by doing an out-and-back segment on a rolling dirt road. When I headed out of the park, one of the volunteers said he thought I was the first Olympic runner! If that was the case, it definitely meant that some of the speedy women on the bike had done the aquabike, duathlon, or something else! When I hit the turnaround point on the dirt road, I saw several women running toward me. A couple of them looked pretty fast so I figured it was only a matter of time before they caught me.

*A map of the whole course for the day, with the run in blue*

I ate a couple of Clif Bloks during the run and drank some Skratch from my own bottle rather than grab anything from the aid stations. After running along the main road, the rest of the loop was on a single-track trail. Despite rain the night before, it really wasn’t sloppy. There was one quick downhill that I realized I should slow down for, followed by a quick uphill that was steep and muddy enough that I realized I better “hike” it. Aside from those spots, there was some general rolling through the woods with stretches where I could gain momentum and some that slowed me down. Since it was through the woods, it helped keep things a bit cooler too. Fortunately heat really wasn’t an issue for me.

I passed a number of people out on the run course and had no idea if they were doing the sprint or Olympic. I was just surprised that no one had passed me yet. I went out for my second loop through the woods and looked back a couple times as I ran “scared” figuring that someone had to be on the verge of catching me. Still no one! That changed when I came out of the woods and was a couple minutes from the finish. Then I realized someone was just behind me and I tried to pick up my pace to finish strong. She did too. She clearly had a kick that I couldn’t match and I told her she was doing a great job as she passed. As we got to the finish, she was just seconds ahead of me and we had an exciting one-two finish. It was so exciting that I only heard a little bit of what the announcer said, which included how the last name of Boltz was fitting. I’ve gotten that a lot from race announcers and think it’s kind of fun.

*It looks like she was hurting for that win!*

*Maybe I should have been hurting more rather than strolling in with a smile!*

After hunching over to catch my breath while a volunteer removed the timing chip from my ankle, I had to congratulate the woman who is named Kelly. I told her that she had an awesome kick and we gave each other a high-five. I’m so thankful that photographer Greg Sadler captured that moment because it perfectly captures the whole supportive vibe that I felt throughout this entire race.

We didn’t know each other, yet we shared that great moment. We were asked to do it again for more pictures which just made us smile even bigger.

I finished the run in 55:13, and my Garmin recorded 6.49 miles with an average pace of 8:31. Official results show that my pace was slower, but I believe it was calculated based on 6.2 miles.

It was great to be greeted by friends Mary, Jason, Dawn, and Angela at the end. I’ll keep saying it, but Epic Races is the best and I know all of these awesome people thanks to Epic.

*Celebrating with Mary who did the sprint*

*Celebrating with Dawn and Mary. Dawn did the mini-sprint just a week after racing a hot and tough half Ironman!*

After catching up a little bit, I went to get the usual treats – egg and cheese wraps, pancakes, and a cookie. I got an ice cream sandwich a bit later too. Eventually I went to the results table and got a printout that confirmed my second place finish. I was also first in my age group. I was still pretty surprised because I don’t usually place that high overall! It just depends on who shows up, plus I had a solid day.

For this race, Epic had some nice towels for awards. Something different to add to my collection!

It wasn’t until I got home and got to analyze the results in more detail that I realized Kelly had actually won by 29 seconds. I hadn’t even thought about the factor of the chip time and that she may have started the swim behind me. I was even more relieved that she had that great finishing kick because she deserved to get that proper win. It would have been a bummer had I finished ahead of her and it seemed like I was first when I really wasn’t.

*It was still close, but Kelly had much more buffer than those few seconds racing to the finish*

I continued to hang out with Mary, determined to catch Angie when she finished. She’d had a rough time at a race recently and hopefully this one would be a better experience. As time went by I felt anxious for her and hoped she wasn’t miserable out there. We gave her some big cheers when she did come through and we learned that she’d had a flat tire that delayed her by 40 minutes! What a bummer. Of course it was on the same rough patch that I disliked so much. Another woman went flat before her and at least they ended up coping together. I was relieved that she was in good spirits and had a great day otherwise. I’m glad I got a chance to catch up with her and share stories about the day.

*With Mary again as well as Angie who did the Olympic, and with Angela who plays a big role in making Epic Races so wonderful!*

I did more analyzing at home and compared my results from this year to last year’s. Last year was extra hot so that definitely was a factor. It’s also hard to compare races because the distances tend to vary a bit, especially with the swim. Still, I finished 10 minutes faster this time! It looks like the swim was a bit longer last year, but my average pace was still better this time. The bike distance was the same and I was a couple minutes faster, even with my lack of training. The run was about a tenth of a mile longer this year but my pace was faster. Aside from the weather factor, the distances kind of balanced out and I either felt better or actually did improve a little bit. That’s always a good feeling!

I went into the race without any real expectations and told myself that no matter what, it’s always a good training day for whatever is next. The Battle of Waterloo is next and I’ll be back at the same park in a month. That race takes me about double the time of this one so today was definitely some good training. I felt good enough the day after this race to do a swim/run/swim/run workout for BOW prep as I already look forward to the next one. That one will be a fun adventure itself and I know I can look forward to having a great experience with Epic again. For now, I want to savor and remember just how supportive, friendly, and welcoming this race was and know that I should definitely register to do it again in the future.

– Janet

Follow me @janetboltz on Instagram

06.26.25

by milesflyby

Corporate Cup Relays and 5K Recap

Saturday, June 14 was the fourth time I participated in the Corporate Cup Relays, which is a friendly competition between Detroit’s Big 3 automakers. The event has a long history and has taken place since the late 1980s. Once again, Stellantis (aka Chrysler), Ford, and GM recruited employees, contractors, interns, and retirees to compete. Those companies made up division I, and this year Nissan and Rocket Mortgage also participated in division II.

*Getting ready for an exciting day of running*

I competed with the GM team in 2015 and 2018, running a 10K in Lathrup Village my first time and both the 5K and 10K around Belle Isle my second time. The event didn’t take place the first couple years I worked for Stellantis because of COVID, then the 5K was canceled by the city of Berkley in 2022. I got to double up with the 5K and 10K again in Berkley in 2023, but then the whole event was canceled in 2024 due to construction on the track. It’s been an on and off kind of ride, but I was happy to run again this year at Anderson Middle School in Berkley. This time the city was fine with the 5K but not the 10K because there was another big event that day and they didn’t want to close roads for us too late into the morning.

Although I was happy to contribute to the team by running the 5K, I usually favor distance running. I can be intimidated by 5Ks because I’d rather run longer distances at a slower pace than shorter distances at a faster pace. Knowing that the event was coming, I was disciplined enough to finally do a few training sessions with shorter bursts of speed. Considering how I was already concerned about being properly trained for the 5K, you can imagine how I felt when I was asked to run a couple of 800m events on the track. That question came a couple weeks before the race when our team captain Ron told me that we didn’t have enough women for some of the track events. I told him that I’d never raced on the track and it terrified me! There would be a lot of downtime between the 5K and the 800s and I was scared I would stiffen up and tweak something by trying to run so fast. Ron told me there was no pressure to say yes, but of course I started to impose that pressure on myself anyway. I knew I was physically capable, I just didn’t WANT to. At the same time, I knew it would be better to have someone in the events for a chance at scoring some points rather than taking a zero because we didn’t have enough people. I wanted to help the team. I reluctantly decided to attend track practice a couple days later to see what I thought.

I ran a time trial at our practice to see what I might do for an 800 and ran it in 3:15. When I actually do speedwork and run 800 repeats I usually aim for 3:30. At least I was faster than that. A few people stuck around at the end of practice to learn about the baton hand-off for the relays. All of this was new to me and I was a bit overwhelmed by the logistics of planning when the front person should start running as their person came in and how to slap the baton into their hand all while staying in the lane. I was paired with a guy who was so fast I couldn’t catch him to hand it off! We practiced enough to get a feel for it and I was sore for several days after this session.

We had another practice a couple days before the big event and took it easier. I learned that since I’d be doing the 800, the hand-off would be a bit slower and easier than what the true sprinters were practicing. Still, this track aspect of running had me totally out of my element. I may be able to run a marathon but this felt like a whole different world. At least I learned that I was not alone in my discomfort. Several other people at the practice were long-distance runners like me. One woman was a swimmer, and one guy initially signed up to walk the 5K and decided to try something on the track even though he doesn’t run. If they could do it, surely I could too.

I took it easy in the days leading up to the race in hopes that I would be fresh for the 5K. I got to Anderson Middle School around 7am to check in at our team tent and did a few laps around the track to warm up as we got closer to the 8am start.

The race started on the track then ran out into the neighborhood for an out-and-back route. One great thing about the course was that it was 100% flat! That sure helped me run a fast time. There were 121 runners and five minutes later 29 more people started the 5K walk.

I basically ran hard and hoped I could hang on – my typical approach to a 5K. I managed to average right around or just below a 7:00 pace which is about the best I ever run for a 5K. The competitive nature of wanting to help my team gave me some extra motivation whenever I saw women in front of me. It all comes down to placement in age groups and I suspected some of the women could be younger, but I kept pushing because I didn’t know. I basically ran with a grimace on my face for much of the race as I tried to hang on to that speed. When we hit the track for the finish I really pushed to get ahead of a woman who was just in front of me. It didn’t matter in the end because she was running in another division for Rocket Mortgage, but she still helped me give it everything I had at the end.

*A screen grab from Happy Pace Timing’s video. They have pretty cool technology!*

My time of 21:47 was good for first in my age group and I was actually the second woman overall! It was the fastest 5K I had run since 2017 so I was thrilled. Happy Pace Timing did a great job with the results, even including the company logos.

We had some snacks at our team tent then I went back out to the track to cheer for teammates who were still finishing. I found my baton partner from practice and took pictures with some of the team.

*Shivkumar walked the 5K and was patient with me at our practices as we learned how to hand off the baton!*

When everyone was done we got a big team photo with the morning group since a bunch of people were just there for the 5K. I usually take off after the morning road races but this time I had a much longer day ahead of me. Since we were done with the group photo by 9:15 and I wouldn’t run again until after 1:30, I had some time to kill.

*We always have a larger group in the morning with the 5K race*

My friend Marty lives in Berkley so I had checked in with him prior to the race. He told me that Art Bash was taking place in the city that day and that his wife Cheryl had a booth. I wanted to make sure I didn’t stiffen up after the 5K and thought a nice walk to see them at the art fair would help.

*It was a gorgeous day for Art Bash in downtown Berkley*

After visiting for a bit I walked back to my car then went to Jimmy John’s. I still had time to kill so I took a sandwich over to my mom’s for an hour-long visit. I didn’t really know how to eat for the day with races five hours apart. If something usually works for me as pre-race food the night before a race, would that mean it could also work the day of?

I got back to the track an hour before my 1:30 relay. Now things were getting a bit more stressful because I was not excited about running the 800. I met up with my relay partners and we were able to practice the baton hand-offs on the turf in the middle of the track. It really wasn’t too bad since we wouldn’t be flying as fast as the true sprinters. One of my teammates was an intern who is more of a swimmer, and my other teammate was my age and also runs longer distances. That meant none of us were super comfortable with the event which reassured me…a little bit. It also helped that Marty stopped by the track with JoJo, his Golden Retriever. She trained with Leader Dogs for the Blind and had a “career change.” It was great to have a therapy dog visit prior to this thing!

My 800 leg started the relay and even though I knew I could move to lane one right after we started, everyone (including my competitors) yelled at me to move over because I hadn’t. I was disheveled from the start! Then there was the issue of battling dry mouth. Trying to run as fast as I could while huffing and puffing was bad enough, but doing so when it felt like I had cotton in my mouth? I had been hydrating but apparently the Jimmy John’s sandwich was NOT the right choice. I had worried about my stomach but never even imagined battling a dry mouth. I was dragging well behind the leaders and it felt pretty hopeless. I knew my teammates would have a lot of ground to make up if we’d stand a chance at all!

*Halfway through the 800. I was only smiling because Marty and JoJo were watching and I was laughing about how bad it was going!*

I got through my two laps without tweaking anything and we had a successful baton handoff so that was something good at least. I ran my leg in 3:12 which was a few seconds faster than my time trial attempt at practice a couple weeks earlier.

Our team came in second out of three and my teammates ran their 400 segments in the same time or a second faster than my first 400 so at least it wasn’t like I was so crazy slow that I dragged the whole team down.

*With my relay partners Jessica and Tricia*

Then I had two hours to kill before putting myself through that torture again. It was fun to hang out by the track and cheer for everyone. It was also fun to watch some of the “real” sprinters at work and see how it should really be done. It was in the low 70s and with the sun beating down in the middle of the day it got a bit warm. I already had enough factors working against me and knew I should probably get out of the sun for a while. I had brought a chair and went to our team tent to rest my legs and enjoy the shade. I continued to hydrate with both water and electrolytes in hopes that I could shake the cotton mouth thing the next time around.

*The team tents were set up just outside the track*

I spent plenty of time throughout the day chatting with other runners. A woman from GM came over to our tent and was super cool. The camaraderie at this event was one thing that was especially great. It didn’t matter that we were “competitors” because when runners get together and start talking about running, it’s easy to relate. The father of one of my relay teammates works for GM and knew that I had been with their team in the past. We also cross paths running on the trail all the time so it was fun to learn that I was teamed up with his daughter. I caught up with GM’s former team captain and he was kind enough to help explain how the track events would work since I was clueless. Although we cheered for our own teams first and foremost, it felt like we were also rooting for everyone in general. Some of us (like me) were not exactly killing it out there, so it was pretty cool when people provided extra support by cheering. It was especially heart-warming when everyone gathered at the side of the track to cheer for a group from the Special Olympics who ran a 100-yard dash in the middle of the event.

*The afternoon group photo was taken earlier than scheduled and I completely missed it! Here’s most of the afternoon crew.*

As 3:30 rolled around I got ready to run 800 again. This time it was a standalone 800 rather than a relay. My legs were not especially fresh as I jogged around the field to warm up. After such a strong 5K and attempting 800 once already, my expectations weren’t very high. My teammate Natalie was also in the women’s 800. Since she’d beaten me by a minute in the 5K, I felt like the pressure was off. SHE could help our team! GM didn’t submit the name of their runner on time so it was just the two of us running against a few women from Ford. When we gathered together they looked at Natalie and me and said, “Ohhhh no.” I tried to reassure them that I wasn’t good at this either. As we took off, I was trailed behind once again. The dry mouth came back immediately too. I had questioned if I should just eat some of my Picky Bars all day to fuel for this and I guess that would have been a better option than the sandwich.

While I had gone out too fast for the first lap during the relay and slowed down by a few seconds for the second lap, this time my splits were more even. I was also several seconds slower overall. However, by the time I hit the second lap, one of the Ford women actually just STOPPED as I passed her. Apparently she had gone out too fast and couldn’t maintain it. While this was not especially great for me, I certainly wasn’t alone. With a time of 3:17, I finished nearly 30 seconds after Natalie, but we came in first and second which was great for our team.

*Round two of the sufferfest was over in 3:17*

There were a couple events left after my race then it became official that Stellantis was the big winner of the Corporate Cup.

The schedule had an awards ceremony listed but nothing actually took place. We did receive medals after each of the events.

It was kind of anti-climatic after the last event with people wandering off the track and heading out. A bunch of Stellantis employees hung out and we posed for a picture with the plaque that will soon feature our name as 2025 winners.

Although I didn’t exactly love my track experience, I’m glad it gave me an excuse to hang out for the full day. The road race part of the event is fun but the camaraderie aspect of hanging out at the track all day was something I hadn’t experienced in past years since I always left after I was done. I would still be very reluctant to do track events in the future because it is clear that I am better at running long distances. If we are short on people I’d probably cave and be a team player again though. If so, I have learned NOT to eat a sandwich and to stick with bars instead! I don’t think I’ve experienced dry mouth like that while running before and I hope it never happens again. I would also hope to have a little more time to prepare. I was a last-minute addition to the track events so I hadn’t done the proper kind of speedwork in my training. I wouldn’t magically turn into a sprinter but I’m sure a little targeted training would be somewhat helpful.

It was a long but successful and fun day and I’m proud that our Stellantis team totally killed it!

– Janet

Follow me on Instagram @janetboltz

06.10.25

by milesflyby

Bark & Brew 5K

Signing up for the Bark & Brew 5K was truly a last-minute decision and it ended up being a very wise decision. I knew the race that benefits Leader Dogs for the Blind was coming up and wanted to do it, but I had a triathlon the day before and didn’t think it would be smart to race two days in a row. Well, I clearly rethought that. My coworker’s wife works for Leader Dogs and they are helping raise one of the puppies. He asked me a couple times if I was going to do the race. He got me thinking about it, then I saw that my friend Steve was planning to do it after racing a 5K the day before. Having so many running friends can warp my decision-making by making it seem normal and reasonable to race two days in a row.

As Saturday night rolled around I didn’t seem to be too sore from the triathlon. I didn’t think it would be smart to race all-out and questioned if I could be disciplined enough to take it easy so I wouldn’t tweak something. Online registration was still available as were shirts in my size, so I made it official at 9pm the night before. It would benefit a great cause, it took place two miles from home on a course I know extremely well, I’d see some friends, there would be donuts and pizza, and most importantly, lots of cute dogs! How could I resist?

The race was due to start at 9am on Sunday, June 8. It was staged next to Rochester Mills Beer Company in downtown Rochester and it was nice to leave home at 8am after having to leave home three hours earlier the morning before. They had advised people to go early because the registration line may be long. I waited about five minutes at 8:15 and the line only grew in size after that. Had I registered sooner, there were a couple of options for early packet pickup in the days leading up to the race.

Because I usually need a mile or two just to loosen up, I ran part of the course backwards into Rochester Municipal Park. I had used my foam roller that morning and my warm up jog felt okay, so I was relieved that I should be able to pull this off after all. Knowing the area so well was a benefit because I knew enough to use the restroom at the park before running back to the race site. Sure enough, the lines for the porta potties were out of control by the time I got back!

*People gathering near the starting line*

I love being a part of a community that is home to a resource as valuable as Leader Dogs. I know a number of people who have helped raise the dogs, who work for the organization, and I’ve attended one of the puppy-raising classes where I watched techniques for teaching the dogs how to behave. I am always so moved when I hear stories about the impact these dogs can make on a person’s life and how it can provide them with freedom and independence they may not have otherwise. They do extremely valuable work so that was the main reason I really wanted to do this race. They usually do a race in the winter as well, but sometimes I’m iffy about slippery conditions or I’m due to run much longer than three miles while in marathon training. I’m so glad I finally made it out to one of their events.

I spotted Steve near the starting line and he joked about how he was an “influencer” because he helped inspire me to get out there! He’s an inspiration in many ways. At 72 years old, he was running a 5K on back-to-back days! I hope I get the opportunity to be like him.

I had a hunch I might see some Infinite Multisport Triathlon Club teammates out there, and sure enough, I spotted Stephanie! We saw a couple other teammates as well and agreed to meet up after the race for more photos.

My coworker told me that Gram, the puppy they share, would be there so I was on the lookout. He’s pretty unique because he essentially looks like a black Golden Retriever. I saw a dog that could have been him so I asked his handler who confirmed it. I was so happy to get a picture with that good boy!

The race announced that 1,100 people had registered which was great news. That should raise a lot of money for Leader Dogs. With such a large crowd and knowing that I could be among the faster runners, I made sure I stayed close to the starting line. I loved seeing all of the good dogs, but I didn’t want to get stuck behind people walking.

It was a great morning for racing, but it felt warm pretty quickly once we got moving. We headed into a residential part of downtown Rochester that took us right up a challenging hill. As expected, I got sucked into the excitement of the atmosphere and found myself breathing heavily from the start. So much for being disciplined and taking it easy. Although we had to climb one hill, a couple blocks later we ran back down one and I regained momentum. Next we ran to the park and did a loop there. I got a hand slap from my buddy Joe who was cheering for the runners. I run around the park all the time and enjoyed what is truly my hometown course. “Enjoyed” is relative though – I’m not especially fond of 5Ks! I always want to push myself and running at my threshold pace can be brutal. I’d rather slow down and run longer than do a short race but feel like I’m dying the whole time!

*Running by Rochester Mills at the end of the race*

We ran out of the park to the riverwalk around the library and back to Rochester Mills, where we hit one more incline before making a couple turns to the finish.

I know it was asking a lot to run a fast 5K the day after doing a triathlon that took me three hours. Obviously my legs weren’t very fresh. But still, it’s amusing to me that I ran a faster 5K at the end of the Dexter-Ann Arbor half marathon a week earlier. I think I prefer rolling along at a more reasonable pace for a while then gradually speed up as I go and finish strong. If I build up to the speedy pace it feels more doable. Shooting out at a fast pace right from the start is much more uncomfortable for me.

Despite the discomfort of trying to run fast, this race went really well. I had predicted that I’d finish under 24 minutes and I did. They didn’t hand out age group awards, but I did place second in my category. I found it funny that I was the tenth female finisher at both this race and my triathlon.

*A finishing photo with the blow-up dog was a must!*

After getting a photo with the big dog, I went back to the finish line and saw both Stephanie and Steve.

I didn’t see Gram finish, but my coworker shared this finishing photo and I loved it so much I had to include it.

*Gram’s tongue hanging out of the side of his mouth* *is adorable*

I hung out with Stephanie and Steve at the post-race party, taking more pictures and enjoying donuts and pizza. We got coupons for a choice of a donut or pizza, but someone gave me their ticket so I got one of each!

It was fun to hang out with some fellow “bees” from Infinite Multisport.

Of course one of the highlights of the day was being surrounded by so many adorable dogs. There was a list of rules for people who brought their dogs to participate, such as being leashed, well-behaved, no excessive barking, etc. Plenty of future Leader Dogs were there too.

It doesn’t get much better than that! I’m so glad I finally made it to one of the Leader Dogs’ events. Even though it meant a busy weekend of racing for me, my body cooperated and it was a blast.

– Janet

Follow me on Instagram @janetboltz

06.09.25

by milesflyby

Island Lake Triathlon Recap

*A sparkly and fun medal with such cool details for this year’s Island Lake Triathlon*

Now that I’ve done the Island Lake Triathlon seven times, it would seem like another blog post about it might just be repetitive. It’s a unique experience every time though! I believe I committed to the race as soon as last year’s was over because it’s such a great way to kick off my triathlon season and Epic Races always does a great job.

The race takes place on the first Saturday of June, and it’s good that it fell a little later (on the 7th) this year because we needed as much time as possible for the water to warm up more. It seems to magically warm up enough by Memorial Day weekend that swimming in a lake is a reasonable thing, but we just haven’t had as many warm days as usual this year. Friends who have been brave enough to get out there have reported lake temps to be in the low 60s. I prefer closer to 70° so a cold lake and possibly freezing on the bike afterward if we had a cool morning were my biggest concerns this year. Fortunately everything worked out just fine.

*The details on the shirt are a perfect match for the medal*

I followed the usual routine – I left home around 5am, got to Island Lake Recreation Area around 6am, went through packet pickup quickly, then took a moment to appreciate the sunrise.

*I always love catching the sunrise over the lake before the race*

The transition racks were separated by race distance but we didn’t have assigned spots. I was early enough to be able to grab a spot on an end. That gave me more room for my bag and situating my gear.

*The transition area before it got busy. The colored flags made it easy to locate my rack after the swim and bike*

*A post-race look at my stuff crammed in at the end of the transition rack*

It was in the 50s and I was shivering while setting up so I continued to debate whether I should wear a jacket on the bike. It didn’t look like anyone else had extra layers. I decided that if even if I was a little cold to start, I’d warm up. That was a good call – it got up to 60° by the time I got on the bike.

I made it to a porta potty with five minutes to spare before transition closed then headed down to the beach. I didn’t practice in a lake prior to this race and wasn’t sure how I’d do with cold temps. The water was up to 69° on race day which was a big relief. It was still a bit of a shock for the first minute as I did a little warm up swim but I was fine after that. I’ve done enough triathlons at this point that I know what I’m doing in open water and didn’t truly need the practice.

*The pre-race beach meeting. Race photos courtesy of Greg Sadler Photography.*

We had a meeting on the beach at 7:15 to talk through the steps of the race, then my distance (Olympic) lined up first for a 7:30 start. People are supposed to line up based on how fast they think they’ll be, but there aren’t any pace signs so it’s always a free-for-all. When I see a bunch of young guys who look like they’d swim right over me, I just move behind them in the line! In the past I’ve often placed somewhere around the top quarter of the swim results and try to gauge based on that. I haven’t been swimming as often lately though so I didn’t know if that would still hold true. We started two at a time every few seconds to help space people out. Since I’d already been in the water I didn’t have that feeling of shock when I got back in.

Triathlon swims tend to get tricky on sunny days because at some point we’re bound to swim toward the rising sun. This time it was at the beginning of the looped course. I couldn’t spot the buoys and just followed the crowd. After making the first turn, I could see the buoys a little better.

I usually try to maintain a routine of getting in the pool three days a week. My routine has fallen off since the fall as I went through marathon training for races in January and then in April. I concentrated on my running, favored sleep, and struggled to get out of bed so early in the morning. I still haven’t regained my routine and have managed to keep up one day a week. I can do the distance just fine but my pace has been slower since I haven’t been consistent enough. The buoyancy of the wetsuit would help me speed up a little at least!

The swim course tends to vary at this race each year depending on the growth of the seaweed. I think one year we had to do three smaller loops to get the Olympic distance, which is usually just under a mile. Last year we got lucky and the lake was clear enough that we only did one loop. We swam two loops this year, and as I came to the last turn closest to the beach, the seaweed got THICK. It doesn’t freak me out or anything but it was so thick that it was difficult to swim through one stretch as I kept snagging it with my arms. It cleared up though, then it was time to swim the course a second time.

*A piece of seaweed I discovered when I removed my watch later*

Sprint athletes were due to start the swim as the Olympic athletes completed the first loop. A few minutes into my second loop people with blue swim caps started flying through. Congestion is always the one thing that bothers me most during swims. I just want space to do my own thing! I had a few moments of annoyance during the first loop, and now I had to make sure I didn’t get too close to the much faster swimmers.

Aside from the seaweed, I enjoyed the swim. The shallow areas close to the beach were especially murky this time with a mixture of sand, seaweed, and whatever else all stirred up. As I got close to the finish I opted to stand up a little early and “run” my way to the shore rather than keep my face down in that mess.

I wasn’t aware of my time for the swim or what the distance had been until I looked after the race. A friend said that the swim had been extra long for her and my Garmin showed that as well. The distance was supposed to be around 1,500 meters, equivalent to around 1,640 yards. It’s likely that I could have added some distance as I dodged people, and watches aren’t always accurate in open water, but I came up about 400 yards long. That’s fine with me since I enjoy the swim! Plus, most triathlon courses can vary a bit based on what course makes the most sense and they’re not always the same exact distance. Even though I’ve been slacking with my swimming, it helped explain why it looked like I was so much slower than I have been other years – a time of 38:48.

*Open water swims can often look a little funky from my Garmin so I may or may not have zig-zagged that much! Either way, it looks like the distance was longer than usual.*

*Seeing my buddy Greg always makes me smile extra big*

As usual, I screwed around too long during my first transition and spent just over three minutes there getting out of my wetsuit and getting ready to bike. The start of the bike course was extra smooth thanks to repaving over the past year. I wasn’t cold at all so I was really glad I didn’t wear a jacket. It was the same familiar 2-loop course on the roads of the park with some rolling hills to keep things interesting. Like last year when the eastern stretch of the road was under construction, we added some extra distance to the west to make up for it. There’s a nice hill after a short out-and-back stretch, but I still prefer the quick hill over the gradual climb we used to do up toward a parking lot. We would encounter more cars in that parking area too which could make things a little more dicey, so I appreciate the slight change in the course.

It will forever be my pet peeve when the speedy cyclists fly right next to me without announcing that they’re passing. If people give a wide berth, I get it. When they barely give me any space, it’s pretty annoying. My biggest moment of annoyance was when I was gaining on another cyclist enough that I was going to have to pass them. Of course I turned to look before making a move, and a speedy guy was right there and didn’t let me know he was coming. Some people are kind about providing warning, some aren’t, and that’s just how it is. Since I barely consider myself a cyclist as it is, that aspect doesn’t make me feel any more secure!

I didn’t enjoy the squirrels who frantically ran in front of me then couldn’t decide which way they were going to go, but I did laugh when a turkey crossed the road and I liked seeing ducks with some ducklings in a lake. I ate a Picky Bar at the start of the second loop, a Clif Block near the end of my ride, and I went through one bottle of my electrolyte drink. It was a decent enough ride, especially since I haven’t worked much on my bike training. Like the swim, I’ve done enough that I could cover the distance, but nothing exceptional beyond that as I continue to favor running.

I finished 24 miles on the bike in 1:26:10, and as usual, I was somewhere around 17 mph.

*The bike course. Pay no attention to the ascent – my watch is clearly broken.*

I went through the transition pretty quickly in 57 seconds and headed out for the run. This was the one part of the race I had actually properly trained for. Maybe TOO much, considering how I’d run a fast half marathon the past Sunday and did a track workout on Wednesday that still had me feeling a little sore. When I did a bike/run workout on Tuesday, the run felt pretty awful by the end and I thought about how I like running a whole lot more when my legs are fresh and I haven’t destroyed them on the bike first. Why do I do triathlons again?! That’s how it works though and this run never felt great, but I got through it pretty successfully I suppose.

One good thing about my blog is that I can look back on past races and remind myself of lessons I’ve learned. When I started the run last year my stomach cramped up and my heart rate was way too high for the first loop. I don’t monitor my heart rate while I run so that was kind of a wakeup call. I told myself not to go too crazy at the start of this run and do that again. I was also reminded that the first mile or so is a gradual climb so I should mentally be prepared for that. I didn’t have any cramping and aside from the dead-legs feeling, I was okay. It had gotten up to 70° by the time I started the run so it was a little sweaty and warm. I continued to drink electrolytes from my own bottle which worked well.

My friend Alise, who I know thanks to Epic Races, did the Olympic race as well. I got to see and cheer for her a couple times in passing since we ran two loops of an out-and-back course. It’s always fun (and a nice distraction) to see friends out there.

While the end of the run course always has to take us down a drastic downhill stretch toward the beach, we’ve usually done so on a pretty steep part that can be a mix of rocks and grass. This time we headed down in a different spot that was all grass. It was still a quick downhill, but it felt easier for me to navigate and I liked that adjustment. We got to do that at the end of the first loop and again when going in to finish. At least that makes us feel extra strong at the end!

Like the swim, I didn’t realize I had run 6.3 miles until after the race. It’s supposed to be around a 10K (6.2-mile) run, and most years I’ve come up a bit short. The course seemed to be nearly the same but I got about a quarter mile more out of it this year. I’d rather be a little over what I expected instead of coming in a little short. I was initially shocked that my final time was around 15 minutes slower than I tend to do at this race. When I realized my swim and run segments were a bit longer, that helped explain it. My final time was 3:01:47.

After taking a few minutes to recover, I wandered over to find Alise next to the finish line. I also found another Epic friend Kim and her daughter Sydney, who had done a relay together. It was nice to hear that race day had been pretty successful for everyone.

When I checked my results, it showed that I was first in my age group…out of one! The same thing happened to me last year when I won by default because no one else was in my age group. As the results got updated later I saw that there was actually one other woman in my category.

I enjoyed some great food after the race and chatted with Alise and her husband Eric for a bit until I finally went to collect my award. I opted for a coaster this time. It’s always interesting to see how the different segments break down in terms of placing. It was funny to see that I placed 48th overall in both the swim and the run. No surprise to see that I placed much lower at 98th in the bike.

*Always some great treats at the end of Epic’s races*

*Listening to some music from Lost Voices while eating*

I didn’t have any big expectations coming into this race. Knowing very well that I had been doing the minimum with swimming and biking told me that I shouldn’t expect to break any of my records. I’ve been doing so well with my running lately that I was somewhat reluctant to mess with that momentum by trying to add biking back to the mix. I had even been questioning how much I really wanted to do triathlons this year. I had a feeling that once I actually got out there and did this race, it would help bring back some of that motivation. These things are hard but they’re also really satisfying because I feel so accomplished for pushing through. Sure enough, I enjoyed myself and decided that day that I should add another triathlon to my schedule. I had only signed up for two this summer and this helped me realize that I want to get more out of the season. Now my next one will be Epic’s Tri Goddess Tri at the end of June.

I keep telling myself that it’s okay to change things up now and then. I don’t just have to concentrate on running year-round and it’s not like I’ll totally lose it if I cut back a little during certain periods. If I choose to run hard for part of the year, it’s okay for my swimming to suffer some. When I ought to step up on my swimming and biking for summer events, it’s okay for the running mileage to drop some. Variety helps keep things interesting and I always have fun when I do these triathlons.

– Janet

Follow me on Instagram @janetboltz

06.04.25

by milesflyby

Dexter-Ann Arbor Half Marathon Recap

The Dexter-Ann Arbor Run has been on my radar for years as a race that I might want to try. I think it usually falls on the same weekend as the Island Lake Triathlon so the timing just never worked out. I was listening to Ann Arbor’s 107.1 the Monday before the race and there was a discussion about the Border-to-Border Trail which runs through both Dexter and Ann Arbor. Although the race doesn’t use the trail, the discussion made me check the date of the race again. When I saw that it would take place on Sunday, June 1, I realized I could make it work because the triathlon would take place the next weekend. I made a spur-of-the-moment decision to register for the half marathon and when I mentioned it on Instagram, I learned that several friends would be there too. One of those friends was Lisa, who I know because we are both Picky Bars AmBADASSadors. She lives in Ann Arbor and let me know that the Taste of Ann Arbor would be taking place the same day. That meant I’d get to refuel with food from area restaurants after the race – perfect! The weather looked like it would be great too and I was suddenly looking forward to a fun race day.

The expo took place the day before the race at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor. Since it’s at least an hour’s drive for me, I opted to pay $15 for race day packet pickup. I wasn’t thrilled that I had to pay extra but it wasn’t ideal for me to make the drive two days in a row. I left home around 5am on Sunday morning and had no problem parking in a garage a few blocks from the finish line. I was concerned that downtown Ann Arbor could be busy and parking could fill up, then I found that barely anyone was there. It turned out I didn’t need to be THAT early. I collected my shirt and bib at packet pickup and didn’t really have anything else to do, so I figured I’d catch one of the first shuttle buses out to Dexter. Shuttles ran from 6:15-7:15 and there was a long line of buses ready to go. I walked right on a bus with no wait because I was so early.

The bus took us to a middle school in Dexter where the start of the half marathon was staged. It was 6:45 and I wondered how I was going to pass the next hour and 45 minutes! I had read a couple of recaps from other runners about their past experiences and thought we’d get to wait inside the school. It wasn’t open and I wondered if we were just too early. Nope – we never got to go inside. I wore long pants and a jacket but I was still pretty cold because it was only around 40 degrees. I hung out by the school for half an hour before I wandered over to the track. I figured that would be the perfect place for a warm up jog before the race started, plus I could sit on the bleachers to get off my feet. I was happy to discover that indoor bathrooms were available by the track too. Lots of people were walking or jogging around the track. Since my feet were frozen I walked a couple laps before sitting on a bench for a bit. Following my usual routine, I ate a Picky Bar an hour before the start and eventually I ran a mile to warm up. My feet still didn’t thaw completely, but by the time I dropped my warm clothes at the gear check and lined up in the starting corral, I felt fine. Being a little cold before the start of a race was a good sign that the temps would be ideal for running.

I ran close to an 8:00 pace for the Pittsburgh half marathon a month earlier, but I was also coming off a marathon at the time and not racing all-out. I still started around the 8:00 pacer at this race but hoped I’d end up faster. Even with the congested start, I ran the first mile in 7:45. I was pretty shocked when I saw that I ran the second mile in 7:25. I hoped it was thanks to some downhill momentum and that I wouldn’t regret it later! It’s funny how that kind of pace feels tough to run for a quarter mile when I’m training, yet it’s magically easy in a race environment. I was still chilly enough when I started the race to wear gloves for a couple miles. The weather really was perfect for some fast racing.

I was familiar with the downtown Dexter segment of the course thanks to running there a couple times prior to the Holiday Hustle race. We had some good spectators along Main Street then worked our way to Huron River Drive, where we ran the majority of the race. I knew it was supposed to be a rolling course and that there would be some hills. The first real climb wasn’t too bad and I just reminded myself that after doing the hills in Boston I should be fine. The climb that came somewhere around 7-8 miles was a bit more intimidating. Still, the downhills helped balance it out and I can’t even tell the difference by looking at my splits.

We ran past a little segment of the B2B Trail, and much of Huron River Drive was lined with trees. It wasn’t conducive for spectators in many spots but I was fine with that. There were little bursts of energy at the aid stations and I just enjoyed running the course. I felt good rolling along in the 7:40s for most of the race. I passed the 10-mile timing mat in just over 1:16:00 and I would have been pretty happy with that had it just been a 10-mile race.

I felt like I could try to pick it up for the last 5K because I was still going pretty strong. I glanced at my watch now and then throughout the race to see what my average was, but most of the time I wasn’t that aware of my current pace – I just ran by feel. I don’t think I was aware that I dropped my pace to 7:24 for both miles 11 and 12. I think we had some good downhill stretches that helped me with that.

*The course and elevation. There’s a nice spike right at the end!*

When we turned off Huron River Drive to Main Street, I realized where I was. It was right where the exit from M-14 spits you out onto Main Street to head to downtown Ann Arbor. The race finished on Main Street so I decided I could push for that final stretch. However, that final stretch was a mile long! Plus, I knew there was still one last hill to come. I managed to keep flying until I hit that hill, which is cruelly placed JUST before the finish line. Looking at the detailed info from my watch, I can see that my pace slowed down for the last two minutes of the race. Fortunately I had lots of momentum leading up to that point, but there was a definite slow down! It was nice to finish in the downtown area where spectators lined the street and provided some extra energy.

My official time was 1:40:21 and I was very happy with that. It was four minutes faster than my time in Pittsburgh. Although it wasn’t a PR, it was in the neighborhood of my fastest times. I have only gone under 1:40 a few times and one of those times was only by a second!

I really gave it my all and it took a few minutes to wind down after finishing. As I lingered in the area just after the finish line, I saw my Picky Bars friend Lisa. She had run the 5K and was there with her husband Jan. Although we’ve been friends on Instagram for years, it was our first time meeting in person. We had to get a picture together to show some Picky Bars love.

*Lisa and I showing off our medals and Picky Bars AmBADASSador shirts*

I got my warmer clothes at gear check then got a piece of pretzel bread and a slice of pizza. I chatted with Lisa and Jan for a while and Lisa discovered that she had been upgraded from third in her age group to second, so she went to swap her award. I hadn’t even checked my results yet and realized I had also placed second in my age group! I went to collect my plaque and we had to take another photo with our matching awards.

The Taste of Ann Arbor had opened by then so we walked over to check it out. We saw the booth for Ann Arbor’s 107.1 and went to check that out first. I knew that morning guy Scott Vertical would be there and I wanted to say hi. After all, it was his interview about the B2B Trail that made me think to sign up for this race! It was nice to chat with him and check out some of the station’s freebies before lining up to buy tickets for food. There were lots of great options!

*With Scott Vertical from Ann Arbor’s 107.1*

Most of the places had small enough servings to justify stopping at multiple restaurants. They tended to have a few choices at each booth and we walked up and down the street a few times as I tried to figure out which treats to get. A cookie, cinnamon roll, ice cream, and brownies caught my attention. I’m always gravitating toward the carbs and sweets, especially if chocolate is involved! I DID get one healthier option from Samba Bowls.

*Some of the crowd gathered for Taste of Ann Arbor*

I was thankful that Jan was familiar enough with Cinnaholic to take me to the actual store and tempt me with the REALLY good options. I saved my plain cinnamon roll to take home and discovered an amazing s’mores kind at the store that I had to get. It was SO good. Having a food festival at the end of a race was a dream! It was a gorgeous day for it too. It was great getting to hang out with Lisa and Jan for a couple hours as well.

I just love the half marathon distance and had to look back at my list of races to figure out how many I’ve done at this point. This was half #42 if I include the three that I ran virtually thanks to Covid. I’m also only counting standalone races, not ones that were a part of a triathlon. I’m glad I picked the right time to finally try this race when the weather was perfect. I know there have been plenty of years when it’s been warm, humid, or wet. Now that I know how enjoyable it was, I’ll have to see if I can fit in into my schedule in future years. Especially if the Taste of Ann Arbor takes place the same day!

– Janet

Follow me on Instagram @janetboltz

Miles Fly By

Janet's training, racing & other stuff

Monthly Archives: June 2025

Tri Goddess Tri Recap

Corporate Cup Relays and 5K Recap

Bark & Brew 5K

Island Lake Triathlon Recap

Dexter-Ann Arbor Half Marathon Recap