The Grand Rapids Half Marathon is a race that I spontaneously added to my schedule two and a half weeks before the Sunday, October 15 race day. I knew I should be due for some downtime after I finished the Holland Haven Marathon in September yet I still chose to run the Ann Arbor Half Marathon a few weeks later. When my first week back to running after Holland Haven seemed to go smoothly I figured I could manage to add one more race. Maybe after THAT I’d really take a break!

When I did the Grand Rapids Triathlon this summer, I talked to Don Kern, the race director for the Grand Rapids Marathon. I mentioned that his marathon had been my first 10 years ago and he told me they’d be celebrating 20 years this fall. He said that I should come, but I was skeptical because I knew it wouldn’t be a great idea for me to try to run a second fall marathon when I typically only run a couple a year. I started to question if I ought to consider the half though…

Don Kern is very inspirational and also very influential, and I blame (and thank) him for putting the idea in my head. His book, and the adventure continues, is filled with great stories of a self-proclaimed ordinary guy doing extraordinary things. He has run hundreds of marathons and I’d love to reach a level of fitness at some point where I can do that without battling injuries. Don truly is an inspiration to me. I couldn’t resist the idea of marking the tenth anniversary of my first marathon back where I started.

I had run the half and full marathon in Grand Rapids one time each. The half marathon in 2017 was especially memorable because it took place in the pouring rain. What a relief that the rain came the day before the race this year and cleared out by race day!

I drove a couple hours to Grand Rapids the day before the race and resisted buying anything at the expo. Even as I left I kept thinking about how I really wanted a jacket. The Brooks Canopy jacket is my favorite when it’s wet outside. I thought about how often I’ve wished I had another while my two have been sitting in the dirty laundry basket. I decided that I would pick one up after running the race.

I spent some time at a mall then made the same stops I did before the Grand Rapids Triathlon – Noodles & Company for dinner, then treats from Detroit Cookie Company to enjoy after the race. Maybe I snuck one for dessert that night too though.

A number of “velocity-challenged” people started the race an hour early at 7:00 but 8:00 was the official starting time. Arriving at 6:45 was just right for parking and I watched the remaining spots in my lot fill just minutes later. 

I am very appreciative of the great YMCA facility that hosts the expo and opens its doors to the runners before and after the race. It was a chilly morning in the 40s and even with a little bit of a line, I was glad I could wait inside where it was warm to use a real bathroom.

I stayed warm outside by running just under a mile before parting with my warm clothes at the bag drop. Once I got to the starting corral I was able to use the sidewalk to work my way around the crowded street until I found the appropriate place to line up based on my pace. 

One thing I love about this race is the use of celebrity pace teams. Paces are based on the finishing times of celebrities who have run marathons. On this day I hoped that I would run a little faster than an 8:00 pace so I lined up just in front of Gordon Ramsay’s Bleeping Pace Team.

We hit the streets of downtown Grand Rapids and ran through some residential areas and past some businesses for a few miles. I enjoyed running across a bridge about three miles into the run that took us more into the heart of downtown and past places like the DeVos Place convention center. The crowds really lined the street there and made it a fun stretch of the race. 

Spectators that caught my attention included a person with a cat on a leash and a guy with an acoustic guitar who played the “Seven Nation Army” riff from the White Stripes. Both definitely made me smile.

After 2-3 more miles we got to Butterworth Park. It’s out in the open and since it was a cloudy and cool morning, I had no concerns about the sun beating down.

I remembered that the half marathon would break off to the left at some point and turn onto some trails. I spent a mile or two thinking that turn would come sooner than it actually did. There were a few slight hills to climb before that but nothing too taxing or difficult.

The turn finally came somewhere between miles eight and nine and the half runners split from the marathoners. I had remained pretty consistent with a pace in the 7:40s-7:50s the whole time. I was hopeful that I’d be able to run faster than the 8:08 pace I had averaged a couple weeks prior in Ann Arbor so things were going well. The Grand Rapids course is flatter and the weather was cooler, but I still didn’t know what to expect from my fitness level. I haven’t been running anything faster than an 8:00 pace lately and wondered how I had managed to keep it going for that long. Somehow being in a crowd of people made it feel easier.

Once I made it through 10 miles I figured I could give a little more effort for the last 5K. Since I still felt okay at that point I hoped I wasn’t likely to crash by the end. The flat trails provided some nice scenery with the beginnings of some fall colors in spots.

We turned back into Butterworth Park and I was disoriented for a few seconds when I saw people running the opposite direction. I realized where we were and that some people were on their way out. It was a nice distraction watching some of the other runners/walkers.

When I made it back to the streets for the final mile or so I tried to push as much as I could. I heard someone playing “Hurts So Good” by John Mellencamp which seemed especially appropriate. I realized the person was dressed as the Grim Reaper with a sign that said, “The end is near.” That was a good way to make me smile even as I was really feeling my effort. My left hamstring that has been problematic for the past year tightened up during the last couple miles but I still managed to keep pushing. I thought about how I may as well give it all I had since it might be my last race for a little bit.

The final straightaway was kind of long and I could see the white finishing banner off in the distance. That motivated me enough to drop down close to a 7:00 pace for the last quarter mile or more. I knew I had been averaging somewhere around a 7:47 pace by the later miles, but once I started pushing I didn’t look at my watch. I didn’t play my usual game of trying to calculate what my finishing time might be. When I finally checked my results a few minutes after crossing the finish line, I was pretty excited to see that my time was 1:42:32. I had run 1:46 in Ann Arbor and kind of hoped I’d run a 1:45 or better at this race. I was very happy with 1:42! That was about a minute faster than my 2017 rainy run on the course.

It took a couple minutes to catch my breath then I went over to Don Kern who greets every one of the finishers. He really adds a great personal touch to this race.

A few minutes later I thought about how I wanted to get a selfie with him since he was the whole reason I had shown up for this race. I waited for enough of a break in the finishers so I wouldn’t interrupt him from congratulating others. You can tell from my grin that I was happy that he humored my request.

Then it was time to work my way through the tables of food. This race does it the right way! Chocolate milk, bagels, fruit, fruit chews, string cheese, yogurt, chips, Culver’s frozen custard – anything you could want! THAT’S what I like to see at the end of a big race! They also had a tent with New Holland Beer and hot dogs by that tent. I had so much food that I needed to find a place to set it all down and get situated! 

My next mission was to get to the gear check area as soon as I could. I was sweaty and got cold quickly in the 40-50° temps. Even with my warm clothes I was still shivering. Eating frozen custard at that point probably didn’t help! 

Again, I was thankful for the YMCA. It probably would have been wise to bring stuff to shower there since they allowed it. I noticed that some people took bags into the locker room first thing in the morning so it would be there waiting for them after the race. At least I was able to warm my hands under hot water for several minutes until I got the color back in my fingers and the numbness faded. That’s always a big problem for me when I cool down too much after running. I put my gloves on and felt fine for my walk back to the car so I could head home.

It may have been a questionable choice to run two half marathons within five weeks of running a marathon but fortunately it all worked out. After running a couple of hill repeats during the week leading up to this race, I felt a strain in my quad. I was lucky that taking three days off of running seemed to fix it and I was able to do this race without worrying too much. Still – as much as I’d love to be one of those runners who can do a bunch of marathons a year, I also know that I have to be careful and make sure my body has time to heal. I have raced a lot this year which has been a blast, but I think I should back off for a little bit. At least until it’s time for some turkey trotting!

– Janet

Follow me on Instagram @janetboltz and Twitter/X @reidphotography

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

When I registered for the Holland Haven Marathon last November I signed up for the half marathon. It was a race that had been on my to-do list for a while and I decided to make an early commitment to the 2023 race to make sure I would finally do it. By Memorial Day weekend I decided to transfer up to the full marathon and make it my twelfth marathon.

The main motivation for making the swap was due to my concern about getting accepted for the 2024 Boston Marathon. The qualifying time for my age group is 3:40:00. After running 3:37:18 in Boston this past April, I began to question if a 2:42 buffer would be enough. 

In 2022 and 2023, all qualifiers who submitted times for the race were accepted. I wondered if that was partially due to fewer people traveling to the race following COVID-19 or fewer people having run marathons during pandemic times that allowed them to qualify. In 2019, runners needed a time that was 4:52 faster than the standard in order to be accepted because so many people had applied. The qualifying times were adjusted to be five minutes faster after that race so maybe that leveled things out more.

I’ve run Boston three times and have had a blast each time. I don’t know if I’ll feel the need to run it every year, but for now, if I get accepted and am able to go, I will probably jump at the opportunity. Holland Haven took place days before the 2023 qualifying window would close so it would be my last chance to try to improve my time.

I struggled through a bunch of warm and humid runs this summer and questioned if I was really prepared to run a faster time. In the days leading up to the race I had to remind myself that it’s rare that I follow a training plan perfectly and things usually work out just fine. Things came together in the final month as I ran a couple of solid races, then my last 20-mile training run was especially strong. I was still acclimated to the heat and humidity and it looked like cool temperatures were going to hit just in time for the race. I was hopeful that this was going to be a good one.

The race took place on Sunday, September 10, and I made the three-hour drive out to Holland the day before. My first destination was Holland State Park so I could check out the beach. It was a beautiful day along Lake Michigan. 

I went to downtown Holland next to check out some of the stores before packet pickup started at 3:00. When I got to Gazelle Sports it was hopping! I picked up my bib and shirt, browsed a little, then drove to my hotel that was about 10 minutes away. I wanted to do more sightseeing but also knew I should be smart and rest my legs. I got some buttered noodles with chicken for dinner at Noodles and Company and was disciplined enough to relax at the hotel after that. 

I left the hotel by 5:30 on race morning after getting some fairly decent sleep. I parked in a lot near Gazelle again and walked a quarter mile up the road to the finishing area by CrossFit Holland. I stood around in the dark for 10-15 minutes until busses came at 5:45 and I was the first one on. After missing a chartered bus when I ran Boston in ‘22, I’ve made a point of being extra early so I don’t run that risk again! This was a point-to-point race meaning we’d start in Grand Haven and run south back down to Holland. The bus was not packed and I realized that a bunch of people probably had family or friends drive them to the start so they didn’t need the bus. That was confirmed later in the morning as the parking lots and roads around Rosy Mound Elementary filled up.

Just before the bus dropped me off to wait outside the school, I began to feel tightness in my chest from anxiety. I race constantly so I don’t know why I still get worked up. Even though this would be my twelfth marathon the distance is still very intimidating. When we got to the school I sat on a curb and read a book on my phone which helped keep me distracted and reduced some of the anxiety. 

I saw a few people tucking their arms into their t-shirts to stay warm and was especially glad that I had layered up. It was in the 50s and I literally had cold feet. As we got closer to the start of the race at 7:30 I ran just over half a mile to try to warm up. I took my warm clothes to gear check then went to line up. 

I was aware that the race would take place on a six-foot path, but when I realized we would all start the race on that path and not out on the road I worried about the congestion factor. The marathon had just under 400 participants, making it the smallest crowd I’ve had for a marathon. Quite a difference from the 30,000 people at my last marathon! Still – get that many people on one path and it gets crowded! I positioned myself fairly close to the front and it all worked out.

The race director Eddie Kline held up the huge medal before we started and told us it was the carrot we were chasing. We’d have to get through the whole thing because he knew we wanted that medal! 

The start was very low-key. No announcements, music, or anything. Suddenly it was time to start and I realized my sunglasses were still in my fuel belt. I fumbled with them as I started to run and felt totally unprepared! 

At least I seemed to start in the right spot. A few people ran past me but I really didn’t have to battle any congestion. Sometimes my first mile of a race is on the slow side as I work through the crowd and warm up. That clearly wasn’t an issue for me this time. I ran the first mile in 7:52 despite telling myself I shouldn’t go below an 8:00 pace. I knew I could get myself into trouble later in the race by starting too fast so I tried to slow down. I ran the second mile in 7:59 then stayed above 8:00 after that.

After running in warm temps all summer, it felt amazing to start the race in the 50s. My hands were actually cold for the first few miles! The sun had just begun to rise but the path had trees that kept us in the shade for the majority of the run.

We spent 17 miles of the marathon running along Lakeshore Ave. It’s the main road that runs close to Lake Michigan but we didn’t get many glimpses of the water. We mostly had a view of fancy homes that DO have that waterfront view.

I didn’t think there would be many spectators but the nice part about running so much of the race down one road was that it made it easy for people to drive along the course. They were able to pull off on the shoulders or side roads, wait for their people to come by, then continue down the road to catch them in another spot. I was thankful for people who cheered for me or lifted my spirits by blaring stuff like Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off” from their cars. I loved when one group hung out of the car windows as they enthusiastically sang along to Tag Team’s “Whoomp! There It Is.”

My spirits were also lifted early in the race when I got to the first aid station and was greeted by my Instagram friend Brandi. She lives in Grand Haven so when she saw that I’d be running the race, she said she hoped to cheer me on. She would be at an aid station with her running club. She saw me coming and ran up to me with a cup of water and yelled “Janet!!” She made me smile then I felt guilty just taking the water and continuing my run! It would have been nice to stop and actually talk but I was on a mission and she had more water to hand out. Still, it made me smile for a bit and I was so glad to see her.

The crowd and the excitement at the half marathon mark must have psyched me up too because that was the one other time I dropped below an 8:00 pace. I ran the next mile in 7:58. So far I have managed to run one marathon around that pace, but I wasn’t convinced I’d put in enough successful speedwork during this training segment to aim for my usual goal pace of 8:00. Leading up to the race I told myself I ought to run around 8:10-8:15 pace. That might be more reasonable and I could push harder at the end if I had it in me. However…it was nice and cool. My Garmin estimated that I could run a 3:30 marathon. Maybe I was doubting myself more than I needed to and could actually pull it off? I knew going for it could be a little risky, but sometimes you don’t reach your potential if you don’t try.

My pace fluctuated a little bit throughout the first 20 miles but I was pretty consistent. I’d run somewhere around 8:09-8:13 for a mile, then drop back down to 8:03-8:04 for the next few miles. The course was relatively flat with what I’d consider a few kind of sidewalk “humps” that created a quick incline followed by a quick decline. There were a few little hills along the way but nothing too bad. Each time I came to one I told myself that it was good to use some different muscles for a little bit.

As I got further into the race, it turned into a countdown. 10 miles left? Less than an hour and a half to go. 19 miles? Maybe only an hour more! I kept talking my way through it. I’d picture certain distances along my usual running routes and tell myself it was just like running from a certain point back to home and I could totally do that. I ran 8:09 for mile 20, but the slowdown became a little more obvious after that. I stayed in the 8:10s for the next few miles, then ran an 8:36 for mile 24 and an 8:41 for mile 25. I really dragged through several long runs this summer and although it felt miserable at the time, it also helped make me stronger. When I slowed down to the 8:30s and 8:40s I was able to tell myself that I was still running faster than some of those long runs. I wasn’t dragging THAT much and I was doing fine.

I thought about my friend Jan who had walked 17 miles on Friday and 12 miles on Saturday for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day in Chicago. I thought about my friend Kurt who had just completed a 100K that weekend! Their feats helped reassure me that I could keep pushing. I saw a woman spectating on crutches multiple times throughout the race. For all I knew she might be an injured runner who wished she could be out there participating. That made me think of a Toad the Wet Sprocket song I had listened to days before the race – “I Will Not Take These Things For Granted.” I am fortunate that I am able to do this and took time to recognize that.

Going into the race I suspected I might be capable of running a 3:34 marathon. It seems to be a sweet spot for me since that’s been my time in several races. I had it in my head to keep pushing in hopes of getting that 3:34. As I made the final turn toward the finish line, I knew I had done it. I was thrilled when I saw my friend Amy in the road cheering me on! Her friend Carmen was out there doing the same and it made me so happy.

I finished in 3:34:19 and was SO excited. The goal of the race was to improve my 3:37 time and I had done it by three minutes! I had nearly a six-minute buffer for my Boston-qualifying time and that should be enough to ensure I would get in! 

I may not have approached race the smartest way but I still got it done. It was risky going a little faster than I suspected I should and I kind of paid for it with a few tough miles at the end. Sometimes you’ve just gotta go for it though and I achieved my goal for the day!

I definitely paid for it when I came to a sudden stop after crossing the finish line. That always feels brutal after moving for 3.5 hours. A volunteer told me it was okay for me to sit on top of one of the water coolers so I did. I called out to Amy who was just outside of the finishing corral and told her I was fine but had to sit for a moment. I got up after a couple minutes and made my way to her and Carmen and celebrated excitedly. I knew I still had to be a little cautious though because I didn’t feel great. I leaned against a wall and felt like I needed oxygen or something. I told Amy and Carmen that it might be smart for me to go to medical just in case. At the very least I knew I better sit because I didn’t want to be walking around if I felt short of breath. I sat on a cot in the medical tent and the woman there was great. I didn’t even know Carmen yet and she was so helpful, finding something that allowed me to make an ice wrap that I could put on my neck and head.

Amy was great about getting food and trying to get me to eat. I tried a fruit chew but my mouth was so dry it was hard to eat. Everyone was kind about getting water for me to make sure I rehydrated and eventually that helped me eat a pretzel or two at least. I was so thankful for their help and patience while I tried to feel a bit more normal. After 10 minutes or so I felt good enough to get up and check out some of the post-race activities.

I was able to eat a bag of Ruffles which helped me get some sodium at least. I very rarely eat hot dogs anymore so those weren’t appealing, and Amy did not recommend the other option of the chicken sausage that she had. A look at it confirmed that for me! My stomach was pretty wrecked from the race so I wasn’t taking any risks at that point. 

There was a “Paws-athon” presented by the Harbor Humane Society and we were so excited to visit with the three puppies that were there and available for adoption. Puppies should be a part of every race celebration area as far as I’m concerned!

Amy checked the results and notified me that I was the female masters winner. What?! I never place in a marathon! I guess that was a bonus for doing a small race. The female winner was in my age group so she placed in the overall category. I was next in line for the 40-44 age group and since I topped all of the women 40+, that got me the masters win! Amy had placed third in her age group for the half marathon and Carmen placed second in her age group for the 8K, so we all went to collect pins.

I got my stuff from gear check and Amy was kind enough to give me a couple of stickers!

Then we went to the merch area and I bought a jacket that I had eyed the day before at Gazelle.

We took advantage of ALL of the photo opportunities next.

It was so nice to hang out with Amy and Carmen after the race and I knew they had been there much longer than me. Amy had finished her race an hour before me! After making sure I was okay, we parted ways. I had hoped to look for some good treats in downtown Holland but my stomach kept giving me problems. At least I ate a protein bar, but just when I thought I was ready to start the drive home, I had to make another stop. The three-hour drive back home seemed a little dicey! Eventually I headed out and drove for about half an hour but decided I better make a stop in Grand Rapids. I went to Panera and had a nice chocolate croissant, and since I knew Detroit Cookie Company was close by, I stopped for a box of cookies to take home. I made another stop an hour later to eat a bagel and snacked on some pretzel crisps while I drove. Thankfully I held up well enough for the rest of the drive.

Now I’m due for a little downtime. I DO have the Ann Arbor half marathon on my schedule which falls three weeks after this marathon. I’ll see how I feel as that gets closer. I certainly won’t have any goals and will just try to enjoy it if I feel up for it. No more heavy training for me though until the end of December when I will start working toward Boston, assuming I get accepted. It’s kind of nice that I’ve completed my fall marathon so early in the season. I usually don’t race until October or November!

Another major bonus about the timing of this race is that as the qualifying window for Boston 2024 was about to close, it was already open for 2025. That means I am able to use my time from this race for both years! The pressure to run a fast marathon is off for next year. That leaves me open to be more flexible with my racing plans. Rather than doing a fall marathon in 2024, I might try doing a 50K or something else.

It’s kind of funny to think about how I spent months and months training and working so hard, and just like that, it’s over in 3.5 hours. I almost don’t know what to do with myself when I finally have a break from my routine. I know it’s important to rest and recover, but I know I won’t be able to resist getting back to it soon.

– Janet

Follow me on Instagram @janetboltz and Twitter @reidphotography

The Crim Festival of Races has become a staple in my running schedule and I ran the 10-mile race for my sixth time on Saturday, August 26. It’s gotten to the point where I can’t remember how many times I’ve done it anymore and have to go back to check! I’m still a long way off from reaching the 30-year club, of which there are many members. I think that speaks to the popularity of the race. I continue to return because it’s a challenging course, a well-run race, and I see so many familiar faces.

I had forgotten that the race used to start at 8:00 in the past and appreciated the 7:00 start. Of course that makes it an early morning, but most of the time it’s best to get out as early as possible during the summer to beat the heat. The humidity, on the other hand, is often a factor we just have to cope with and that was the case again this year.

I arrived at 6:00, walked down to packet pickup, made a bathroom stop, then jogged back to the car. By the time I jogged back down to the start I had a gotten a mile in to warm up.

The wheeler/hand cyclists started at 6:45 followed five minutes later by people who have done the race 30 or more years, then the mass start went off at 7:00.

I was happy to see my friend Don in the starting corral and we chatted until we decided it was time to line up in the appropriate spots. I saw a sign for the 7:30 pacer and since I figured I might aim for a 7:45 pace, I stood a little bit behind that group. Within 25 seconds of the start, I made it across the starting line and was off.

During the first mile it’s always a matter of the crowd working out where they should be. Some slower people start too close to the front and people have to weave around them. Some faster people start too far back and go flying around people. Despite some weaving, it wasn’t too congested for me and I managed to run the first mile in 7:52.

Although it’s always fun to aim for a new PR and really push myself, I knew it wouldn’t be ideal with the humidity plus it was more important to be disciplined this year. With a marathon two weeks after Crim, it was not time to go all-out. The Holland Haven Marathon is my big goal at this point and I didn’t want to risk injuring myself. Training has been challenging at times this summer and I haven’t done as much speedwork as I would have liked so I knew I really couldn’t expect to PR anyway. I successfully ran an 8:00 pace for a half marathon a couple weeks before Crim so at least I knew I could do that. My pace was in the 7:20s for Crim last year, so I wondered if a 7:45 pace might be ideal.

I ran what felt like a comfortable and sustainable pace and it happened to fall in the 7:40s for most of the race. Although it felt like I was sort of guessing what might work, I suppose by now I’ve developed a good feel for what I’m capable of so it was a pretty educated guess!

After doing the race so many times it felt pretty routine. However, some of the spectators I’ve come to look forward to weren’t there. Both the woman who jumps on a mini trampoline and the guy who does karaoke at the end of a driveway were missing and I was kind of bummed about that. There were plenty of other enthusiastic people out there, including people offering Jell-O shots and beer, plus the aid stations had great energy.

I knew one of my Instagram running friends Lee would be on the course and he said to look out for a 36 (the number of times he’s done Crim) and “Running Architect” on the back of his shirt. Watching out for him helped keep me occupied as I passed some of the 30-year runners who got a head start. I knew he’d run a pretty good pace so I wouldn’t see him too early though. About halfway through the race I was relieved that I happened to be on the same side of the road and spotted him. I was happy to say hi and wish him good luck. It’s always fun to see friends out along the Crim course.

I saw the sign for Bradley Ave. and there was the harsh reminder that the “Bradley hills” start basically as soon as you turn onto the road. I talked my way through them by telling myself that I have hills like those that I’ve been training on and they weren’t any worse. I only slowed down to a 7:49 pace for that mile so they didn’t beat me up too much.

The nice thing about a 10-mile race is that I get used to running half marathons so it seems easier when the end comes several miles sooner! Although I told myself I wasn’t going to go all-out, my effort still felt challenging enough and the humidity contributed to that. I was just relieved to stay steady and strong throughout the race. Sometimes I try to pick up my pace for the last few miles but this time I held off until the last mile. It was a nice touch seeing Flint police vehicles lit up in blue and lining the street right before we made the final turn. THEN I allowed myself to go all-out for the final stretch and the finish along the brick road.

I dropped my pace from 7:40 for the ninth mile down to 7:21 for the final mile. I really picked it up at the end when my watch said I ran a 6:15 pace for the last 30 seconds. In the final stretch I spotted Dave from RunMichigan.com who was taking photos. Despite pushing with everything I had left, seeing him made me smile a genuine smile – something the other photographers didn’t catch!

After that last push, I was pretty spent for a couple minutes after I crossed the finish line.

My official time of 1:17:21 put me at an average pace of 7:44, so I was right on track with where I wanted to be. It was a ways off from last year’s PR of 1:13:54 and it was my second slowest Crim, but I was totally satisfied with how I ran the race.

I collected some water, chocolate milk, a granola bar, and a Clif Bar before going to the celebration area where I got a slice of pizza as well.

I saw more people I knew and chatted a bit until I started to cool off enough to get a little chilly. I figured it was time to head back to the car for a jacket and just take off for home.

I got a solid workout in with this race and apparently my approach was wise because I wasn’t too spent the next day. That’s when I wanted to run my final 20-miler to prep for my marathon. I ran it at a great pace without any soreness which was a big relief. It gave me hope that despite some struggles with training throughout the summer, things seem to be coming together just in time before the race.

COVID led to a hiatus for several years, but the Team Challenge finally made its return this year. While I had run for GM in the past, this was my first time contributing to the Stellantis team at Crim. 17 teams participated and I did well enough to help my Dodge Chargers team come in second place, so that was a bonus!

I always enjoy the Crim experience and expect to keep making it a yearly thing on my race schedule. Only 24 more years to go until I make that 30-year club! 😆

– Janet

Follow me on Instagram @janetboltz and Twitter @reidphotography

Feeling like I haven’t reached my potential is one sure way to keep me motivated and make me want to return to a race to “redeem” myself. I’d been thinking about the Swim to the Moon 5K basically since I finished the race last year. I was a bit disappointed that my race in 2022 was the slowest of the three times I had done it. I thought I’d worked hard in training, yet somehow I continued to get slower each time I did the race.

1:50:00 in 2019
1:57:43 in 2021
2:04:19 in 2022

Why did I continue to slow down?? I was determined to improve my time in 2023 and I had the Sunday, August 20 race day on my schedule for a year.

Swim to the Moon was the big goal that kept me motivated to swim 2-3 times per week throughout the year. It helped me pull myself out of bed stupid early to swim before work since that’s the best time to fit it into my schedule. For the first half of the year I was able to squeeze 2.5 miles in before I had to get to work. My schedule changed in July but I still had time to do a little over two miles most times I swam. I also made a point of going to a lake for some afternoon and long weekend swims.

By the time Swim to the Moon arrived this year I had racked up 158 miles of swimming since January. I had done 91 miles in that time period in 2022, so I hoped that the increased mileage would help me swim a better race this year.

Aside from feeling good about my training, I was excited about the race because my cousin Heather and her husband John were coming from Pennsylvania to swim the 10K. I love having awesome athletes like them in the family and I’ve been very inspired by their athletic endeavors – like completing a full Ironman. I don’t see them very often so it was going to be a special treat to share the day with them.

I got to Halfmoon Lake at the Pinckney Recreation Area at 6:00 on race day so I would have time to pick up my packet and catch Heather and John before they started at 6:30. I found them just as their race meeting started and wished them luck as they got ready to go!

The 10K swimmers would swim out to the beach at North Star Reach (a camp for kids with serious health issues) then turn around and swim back. I caught a bus with other 5K swimmers around 6:45 that took us to our starting point by North Star Reach. When I arrived the sun was just rising over Patterson Lake. The weather was perfect this year. It was a cool morning and would climb to the 80s later in the day.

Typically we wait until the first 10K swimmers arrive before we are sent into the water for the 5K start. The announcer told us that we would start at 7:30 sharp and that we should get our bags to gear check. I packed up my jacket and other stuff and got in the lake to get acclimated and get my goggles situated. Then it was time to wait.

It always blows my mind how fast some of the people are and that they come through the first 5K in about an hour. I waited with the crowd and wondered how I’d know when I should start. In the past we chose different colored swim caps based on the time we expected to swim. That helped create different waves of starting times. They didn’t do that this year though and it seemed like barely anyone was being sent into the water. At some point it was announced that we should start the race based on the pace of the 10K swimmers. If we expected to do it in an hour (most people laughed because that’s FAST) then we should start as those first swimmers turned around. Since it took me around two hours to complete the swim last year, did that really mean I’d have to wait another hour?? As I continued to stand on the beach with a large crowd, I realized it really might take that long.

In 2021, I started about 17 minutes after the first 5K swimmer. However, it only took me 7-8 minutes to start the two other times I did the race because there was a steady flow of swimmers going into the water every few seconds. It didn’t seem like the crowd was thinning very much this time so after half an hour of standing around I decided I should go sit at a picnic table and get off of my feet. I made another porta potty stop too since I had time to kill. I tried not to get too anxious but I was shivering and wished I could just start. It didn’t help that I had gotten into the water earlier and didn’t have anything to keep me warm since my gear was being taken back to where we’d finish.

It made sense to start with people going the same pace so I wouldn’t get in the way of faster swimmers and have them grabbing my feet. I just wasn’t prepared for the long wait. I worried that I’d get hungry because I’d timed my eating and drinking for the 7:30 start. I tried to tell myself that I manage the hours-long wait to start the Boston Marathon somehow and I’d be fine.

After a bit I went off to the side of the lake to get my goggles ready again before going back to wait at the start. Nearly an hour after I expected, I finally started my race at 8:25.

While the water had been around 78° in the weeks leading up to this race, I think the announcer said that it was 71° that morning. The majority of people, myself included, didn’t use a wetsuit. This race follows USA Swimming competition rules which typically calls for swimsuits. There are separate wetsuit divisions offered though and I started to question if that would have been a good idea! I never truly warmed up but I was fine.

I knew that photographer Greg Sadler would be somewhere near a bridge that we would go under and I was on the lookout for him. The pace slows down and it gets a little congested at that spot so I had no problem taking a moment to pose for the camera!

There is a current in that short tunnel which has favored the 5K swimmers each time I’ve done the race. We need to go single-file at that point to share the space with 10K swimmers who were going the opposite direction.

In general, the swim went well and was fairly uneventful. When I saw the aid station one mile into the swim I decided I’d rather keep moving. I’ve done plenty of swims where I go for two miles straight without stopping for a drink and figured I’d be fine. There was one lake that got really shallow, and one stretch that had some weeds to navigate through. I enjoyed the areas that were wide open where I felt like I had more space.

I stopped briefly for a cup of water and to adjust my leaky goggles at the second aid station then knew I had just about a mile to go. My watch buzzed every 500 yards and I kept counting down how much I had left. At some point the insides of my arms got sore from bending so often as I stroked, but everything else felt fine and I didn’t get too tired. I kept telling myself that I had trained for this and I was good.

Eventually I saw a large unicorn floating in the water and realized it was the turnaround point for the 1.2-mile swimmers. The lake got a lot busier in that stretch with swimmers from multiple races mixed together. I still didn’t have any issues with crashing into anyone, although the picture below shows that people got a lot closer!

I tried to put in some extra effort as I approached the finish. I’m not sure I gained much in terms of speed but I was breathing harder!

Success! After I crossed the finish line and saw that I was done in 1:50-something I was relieved. I made it back under two hours and was only 10 seconds off of my best time!

That difference between the gun time and the chip time means it took almost 45 minutes for me to start after the first 5K swimmer started! Obviously it all worked out fine. It’s also clear that I’m not especially speedy in comparison to everyone else. I do pretty well during the swim segment in triathlons where many people excel more on the bike, but I’m a bit subpar when surrounded by people who are serious enough about swimming to cover this kind of distance.

Since I never really warmed up in the chilly water, I went to gear check immediately to dry off a bit and get some clothes. I was still cold for a bit until I finally warmed up in the sun and then got TOO hot. It figures!

I helped myself to a variety of treats including an egg wrap, pancakes, a peanut butter and granola wrap, and a chocolate chip cookie.

The post-race area was busy with somewhere around 700 finishers plus family and friends. I was happy that I spotted my friend Kristin who did the 1.2-mile swim. She used a wetsuit and I told her that I’d been thinking about her while I had goosebumps in the water and thought she’d made a wise choice!

I was convinced that Heather and John would finish their 10K before I finished my 5K. They weren’t so sure about that, but my delayed start confirmed it for me! I finally found them and of course we had to get some nice family pictures.

They collected Epic Races cups for age group awards – Heather was second in hers and John was fourth in his. They both did a great job and Heather finished in just under three hours. So awesome! We went out to lunch afterward and got to catch up some more which made the day even more special.

Once again, I felt very accomplished for completing the distance no matter what my time was, but of course I was excited to do 14 minutes better than I had the prior year!

I continue to learn good lessons each time I do this race. The first year I was hungry by the end and got a calf cramp before the finish. I ate a total of three Picky Bars this year (one as I left home, one when I arrived an hour and a half later, and one on the bus ride to the start) which seemed to be perfect. The calf cramp taught me to hydrate more, so I drank at one aid station and had my own bottle with an electrolyte drink prior to the race. Last year I drank Gatorade at one of the aid stations and felt sick for the rest of the swim so I learned not to do that again. Sometimes the concentration of sports drinks is too sweet for me and I’m thankful that my own pre-race mix was enough to get me through without cramping. After I was disappointed in my time last year, Heather had told me that drag from wearing a swim buoy may have slowed me down. I bypassed it this year and maybe that did make a difference in my time.

Lessons learned for next year? Be prepared with some chews and water in case it takes longer than expected to start. It didn’t seem to affect my race at all but that might make me worry less! I also know I should do more speedwork. Just like running, it will make me better even though I dread it. I concentrated on long endurance swims and didn’t push my pace much at all during training. That might help me improve my time even more.

I’ve gone swimming through this chain of lakes four times now and recognize what a unique and cool experience Swim to the Moon is. That is why people travel from all over for this race! I already have it on my calendar for next year and once again it will help keep me motivated to maintain my swimming fitness year-round.

– Janet

Follow me on Instagram/Threads @janetboltz and Twitter @reidphotography

Whenever people ask what my next race will be, I preface it with, “I THINK it will be…” knowing very well that I could randomly add a race to my schedule at any time. That’s exactly what I did with the Bridge to Brew Half Marathon in Port Huron. 

The Holland Haven Marathon is only a month away and I’m feeling more and more skeptical about whether I’m prepared to run a marathon at my goal marathon pace. I know other parts of the country have been MUCH hotter than it’s been in Michigan but it’s been warm enough for me to struggle through plenty of runs this summer. I feel like I’ve been dragging a lot and I’ve been much slower than I’d like to be. I’ve racked up lots of miles and should have the endurance aspect covered but the pace aspect is questionable. I thought it might be good to find a race this weekend to help me get through my long run and possibly help me find a little more speed. 

RunMichigan.com‘s race calendar is the first place I go to hunt for races and I found the Port Huron half marathon listed there. My training schedule called for a weekend long run of 16-20 miles with 6-8 of the miles at marathon pace OR the option of racing a half marathon. It seemed like jumping into this race might be a good choice. For several years I’ve wanted to do a sunrise run along the St. Clair River and Lake Huron by the Blue Water Bridge and Fort Gratiot Lighthouse. This race would allow me to check all of those boxes! Plus, the weather looked nice for race day and I knew the course should be flat. Two days beforehand I decided to go for it. $50 was an especially reasonable price for a last-minute half marathon registration!

The race took place on Sunday, August 13 at 7:00. I decided I should aim for 18 miles for the day so I’d get a full long run done. Since I really wanted to catch the sunrise by the water and it would take somewhere around two miles to get from the race location to the Blue Water Bridge, I settled on five pre-race miles with a 5:30 start time. That was so early that only a couple other people had arrived to start setting up.

I wore my headlamp and light-up vest since it was totally dark when I started. I made my way to the waterfront and found a few people fishing in the St. Clair River. A few boats went by and it was really peaceful and pretty.

As the sun rose it was everything I had hoped for. I get so energized by runs like that with such awesome scenery. The hour-long drive had already been worth it before even running the race.

I headed toward the Fort Gratiot Lighthouse but I hit 2.5 miles just before I got there so I had already gone far enough. I knew I should also watch the time, so I headed back.

Once I got back toward the downtown area where the race would start, I decided to hit Main Street for part of the run. It looked pretty with lights strung across the street.

I made it back to the starting area just before 6:30 and hit the porta potty line before it got too bad. There were only four of them and I knew that line would grow quite a bit as we approached 7:00. I collected my shirt and bib, swapped to a dry shirt and hat, and changed into my special carbon plate speedy running shoes.

At 7:00 we started with a short stretch through downtown before heading to the St. Clair River. We ran on the same path I had run earlier and of course it was pretty during the daylight as well. I was definitely glad I chose to do this race.

Sometimes I’m a little iffy about signing up for a first-year race because they can have kinks that need to get worked out. However, I saw that the event was tied to the Elite Feet Running Store so I trusted that they would host a good race. They had a ton of volunteers along the course to make sure we followed the correct route and they were wonderful. It was a quiet run without music or any spectacles along the way, and there were a few groups of spectators in spots.

It was an out-and-back course with several miles along the river and by Lake Huron, a nice path by a cemetery that was along the Black River Canal, then by a high school and golf course. We ran on the road at times and on some sidewalks, where I was a little concerned about how that might work when we had people running in both directions. By the time I got back to the sidewalks there were only a few people still on their way out though, so it worked out just fine. It was a small race with just under 200 people running the half. Although small, I always seemed to have someone close enough within my view to help me keep my pace going.

When we got to the halfway point and ran around a circle in a neighborhood I was able to scope out how many women were in front of me. At that point I was the eighth woman and I was curious to see if I could move up at all by the end.

My real goal for the race was just to see if I could run a decent number of miles at my goal marathon pace, which is around 8:00/mile. I ran eight miles at marathon pace on July 13 and here I was a month later without having run any real marathon-paced workout since. I attempted a workout on a day when it felt like 90° and only managed three miles that were a little faster and not even at my goal pace. The concern about aiming to run that pace for 26 miles was the motivation for doing this race! I’m not sure if I can reasonably attempt to try that without doing the proper training.

My pace for the first five miles of the race was between 8:01 and 8:05 so I was on track and my breathing wasn’t too labored. I didn’t realize it until I looked at my splits after the race but I managed to run a sub-8:00 pace for the rest! I was in the 7:50s for nearly half of the race. My breathing DID start to feel a little more labored and I kept wondering if it would catch up with me at some point and I’d struggle through the final miles. I got into a good rhythm though and felt pretty strong. It really helped that even though it was a bit humid, it was in the 60s. That was a nice break from the 80s I’ve been running in too often lately.

I managed to catch up to a couple of women and believed I was in sixth place with a few miles to go. Seeing the fifth place woman ahead of me helped motivate me to keep pushing when I had a couple miles left. It was fun to run on the riverwalk again on the way back, and one great thing about this race was how flat it was. I was able to maintain my speed somehow and caught up with the woman in front of me. She was running strong so that helped push me to give it my all. I finished the last mile in 7:26!

My official time was JUST under 1:44 with a 1:43:59. It turned out that the woman I passed near the end had started the race farther back than I had, so she actually beat me by eight seconds. So close! I was thankful for her because when it got hard to keep pushing in the final miles, it helped to have someone else around to keep me going. I was still pretty happy to come in sixth place out of the women!

I don’t think this race had any photographers so this single selfie is the only picture of me from the day!

We received a pint glass after we finished. There was a place serving beer (thus the Bridge to BREW part of the name) plus they had snacks like watermelon, bananas, oranges, chips, Pop Tarts, granola bars, mini Rice Krispies Treats, and some fruit chews. Plenty of options!

I ate my snacks down by the water and thought about how my boat-loving dad probably would have enjoyed hearing about this race.

I stuck around long enough to hear that they gave awards to the winners of the 5K age groups so I figured I didn’t need to stick around for the half marathon awards since I was third in my age group. I wanted to head out for some sightseeing before I went home.

I went to Lighthouse Park so I could see the Fort Gratiot Lighthouse. I learned that it is the oldest in the state of Michigan!

There was a nice beach with some pretty scenery and I loved taking it all in.

Although this race was somewhere around five minutes slower than my half marathon PR, I was really happy with how it went. It was such a relief to finally have a good workout at marathon pace. Based on the effort it took, I’m still not sure if it will be the best idea to try to maintain that pace for 26 miles in a month. I might try to aim for a slightly slower pace come race day. However, I still have four weeks to put in more work. I have the Crim 10-mile race in a couple weeks where I will surely push the pace again. I can hope for cooler temperatures soon which could help. At the very least, this was a confidence-booster and a really nice scenic run on a beautiful day. I would return to this race again in the future!

– Janet

Follow me on Instagram / Threads @janetboltz and Twitter @reidphotography

I had such a blast racing the 10-part Battle of Waterloo triathlon for my first time in 2021 that knew I had to do it again in the future. When the July 30 date was announced for this year’s race I registered right away. The crazy adventure race is such a massive undertaking that Epic Races hosts it every other year. I call it crazy because it involves running, biking, and swimming 42 miles in the area of the Waterloo Recreation Area and carrying the necessary gear throughout the adventure. Here’s what the race entails:

It’s a great event for people who have fun doing a traditional triathlon of swimming, biking, and running and want to make it even more challenging! While transitions can be viewed as the fourth discipline in the sport of triathlon, that’s especially true in this race. It’s important to really think through the logistics of transitioning between each stage and know what gear will be required. I use checklists to make sure I remember everything for normal triathlons. As I prepared for this race, I had so many notes that it felt like I was studying for a test!

Following a week’s worth of heat, humidity, storms, and air quality issues, we lucked out with a great morning in the mid-60s. The race started and finished by Portage Lake at the Waterloo State Recreation Area, which is about half an hour west of Ann Arbor.

Since I successfully completed this race a couple years ago, I didn’t have too many nerves going into it this time. As soon as the 2021 race was over I started to think about what I’d tweak to make it go more smoothly in the future. I had used a swim buoy that converted into a backpack which worked well enough, but I didn’t like how I wasted a bunch of time clipping and unclipping the backpack straps and the waist tether between the swim and run segments. I wanted something with a more secure fit during the run because the buoy bounced too much and it annoyed me. I browsed through the race photos to see how others did it and thought about a better method over the past couple of years. 

I’m the type of person who over packs because I want to be prepared for anything. That approach doesn’t make it easy for me to transition quickly in this kind of race. I wish I could race more minimally like some of the athletes. The fastest people stuff their shoes in the back of their jerseys for the swim and just go! Then there’s me with my buoy that was big enough to hold my socks, shoes, a little towel for my feet, a hat, sunglasses, extra goggles, and a running vest with a couple of flasks for hydration. Far from minimal!

Instead of using the buoy backpack, this time I squeezed a buoy into the back of a Camelbak running vest while I ran and biked. Sometimes I struggled to fit the buoy into the tight pocket but it worked. The vest was snug and didn’t bounce, plus it had pockets for my drinks and some chews.

Once the 7:30 start time rolled around on race day, I was ready to go!

We started with a quick run through a parking lot and onto the trails that came out to 1.5 miles on my watch and took me 13:11. A solid run helped me get a little bit of a head start that I knew I would lose during the bike segment.

After the run, I put my helmet and running vest on in transition and started the ride less than a minute later.

I made the same questionable decision that I did for the Ann Arbor Triathlon a couple weeks earlier and opted to use my mountain bike for the race. The problem with the mountain bike is that it’s heavier and slower. Most people aim for the lightest weight and skinniest tires they can get and I went for the polar opposite. I made that choice because I hated the first bike segment of this race SO much last time. Some of the roads were in such poor shape that I rattled around uncomfortably for a good chunk of the ride. I even had to get off of my bike twice to go collect my bottle from the road when bumps launched it out of my bottle cage that was obviously too loose. I told myself that the next time I did this race I would bring my mountain bike…so I did! I learned during the pre-race Zoom meeting that the first bike course would actually be six miles shorter this time because of the poor road conditions. It’s too bad the roads continue to deteriorate without getting fixed, but I was relieved that the ride shouldn’t be as rough.

We rode the rolling roads out in the country and it was a nice ride. More enjoyable than last time! I was thankful for my mountain bike in a few stretches where it was a little rough. I wasn’t as thankful for it during one climb when I felt like I could barely get moving. I think I need to toughen up and try to feel more secure on the bike because everyone else managed to cope with their thinner tires somehow. Most of the roads were okay so maybe next time I’ll switch back to my lighter bike.

I ate my third Picky Bar of the morning during the ride in hopes of maintaining enough calories for the long adventure ahead. I drank the electrolyte mix in my bottle as well to stay hydrated. I finished 14.5 miles on the bike in 52:35, which was around 16.6 mph. Not so bad for being on a mountain bike I suppose, but I’m sure I exerted more effort than I needed to by using it. As usual, a whole bunch of people caught up and passed me!

We came to the transition area where we could leave our bikes and helmets for the majority of the race while we rotated between swimming and running for the next six legs. Since I biked in my running shoes it was a breeze for me to quickly run nearly a quarter mile down to the beach. Between my run to the beach and taking time to swap to my swim gear, I spent just under five minutes transitioning from the bike to the swim.

It was a bit cloudy at the start of the morning and there was fog coming off the water. The water was warmer than the air and it made for a nice swim across Clear Lake.

I should have inflated my buoy more because I was very aware of the weight that I was dragging behind me. I know that slowed me down and I got through just under half a mile of swimming in 18:06.

It helped that there was a nice area with some chairs set up to make the transition to running easier.

Then it was time to run on dirt roads and trails to get to the next lake. I really enjoyed running on the trails but some of the dirt roads had pretty tiring climbs! My watch came up with just over 3.5 miles which I did in 31:53. I spent about 3:30 transitioning to my swim gear and then it was time to take on Mill Lake.

Mill Lake is not a lake where any reasonable person would swim. It’s filled with weeds and lily pads and is not inviting at all! I survived it a couple years ago so I knew I could manage again. Somehow it seemed worse than I had remembered this time though. Lifeguards in kayaks helped direct us where to go to avoid the thickest sections. There weren’t many clear sections anywhere though! At least I did a better job of inflating my buoy so that didn’t add an additional challenge. I knew that breaststroke worked best for me last time because it was smart to stay as close to the surface of the water as possible. Still, I snagged weeds with every stroke and my usually strong breaststroke kick felt worthless as it seemed like my legs were just sinking. For someone who is a pretty decent swimmer, I started to worry a bit! I also thought about people who say they don’t like swimming in lakes because of weeds and other things in the water. This lake is DEFINITELY not for them!

I came across Alise from Epic Races in one of the kayaks and chatted with her for a moment. That was possible to do since I was essentially treading water at that point. She was awesomely supportive and shot some photos and video of the struggle. I loved getting to see how ridiculous I looked trying to swim through that. After I passed her I thought about how all of us are clearly insane. As someone said when I finally got out of the water, that’s why it’s called the “battle” – it’s not easy!

That swim was supposed to be around a quarter mile long and it took me 13:46. I probably racked up additional time with my slow exit from the water. It was pretty rocky when it was shallow enough to stand up and I couldn’t exactly run out of the water.

At that point I ended the first half of my Garmin recording. The watch will not record 10 legs as a part of one activity so I split it into five and five. Some of the timing might be a little off because we didn’t actually cross timing mats along the way and there was a time or two when I finished a swim and realized I didn’t hit my watch until a minute or two into transition. I also missed tracking a few minutes between the first and second halves as I saved the first activity and got the second one started. It didn’t have to be totally accurate but I wanted to give myself a rough idea of how it played out.

The run from Mill Lake to Crooked Lake was supposed to be around 3.4 miles and my Garmin came up with 2.8. Since we were on trails it’s possible that my watch wasn’t totally accurate. It was another run that had a couple of challenging climbs. I seemed to get into a routine of seeing the same people in transition where they moved faster than me then I’d catch up during the run. I grabbed a quick cup of water at a couple of aid stations but I was self-sufficient for the most part and kept moving. It worked well having my electrolyte drinks in my running vest and I ate some Clif Bloks every now and then.

When I got to a downhill stretch of the trail that was especially rocky and a little tricky to navigate, I remembered that I’d pop out at Crooked Lake soon. It was time for the final swim which would be much nicer than the swim through the lily pads! It was also the longest swim of the day – around .7 miles.

At that point it had turned into a beautiful day and I enjoyed looking at puffy clouds and waterfront homes during the swim. However, I was a bit too lax about jumping right into the swim without doing a leak check to see if I had secured my goggles tightly enough. They started to leak shortly after I started the swim but I wasn’t going to stop and try to fix them. Instead, I was annoyed by water getting into my eyes which probably wasn’t ideal since I wear contacts. I would have enjoyed the swim a lot more without that issue! The water was calm and felt great. At least I could still spot the buoys but I was a little thrown off at the end because I couldn’t tell where we finished. Most of the swims started and ended at random spots where there wasn’t exactly a big beach. I was lucky that someone was in front of me so I could see where they went. It also helped when I spotted one of the photographers in the water. He gave me a heads up not to trip on a branch that was in the water!

I finished the Crooked Lake swim in 27:03. My transition took close to four minutes and the next run had more hilly dirt roads to battle. The hills certainly wore on me throughout the day. I realized that even though I struggled with the climbs, I’m a strong runner and it may have helped me build some distance from others who weren’t quite as strong at running.

I knew that we’d run through the gravel pit during this run and I was on the lookout for photographer Greg Sadler. He took some really cool photos there last time.

At least the stretch through the gravel pit was nice and flat. It definitely provided the opportunity for some unique race photos!

I remembered that things would get tough as soon as I passed the photo opportunity. There’s a steep climb to get out of the gravel pit and it’s pretty miserable. I saw a guy nearing the top of the climb and he was walking. That reminded me that it’s okay to walk. I would exert so much energy trying to run without making much headway anyway. As I walked my way to the top I was relieved that I didn’t see anyone coming behind me. When I got out to the dirt road there was another tough climb. My legs were pretty tired by that point of the race which didn’t make it any easier. While I was frustrated by some of the climbs earlier in the race, after swimming through the lily pads I told myself that I couldn’t complain about hills anymore. Nothing was as bad as that swim!

Greg had told me that I was doing great and might be in the top five women. I didn’t realize I was doing that well and it gave me a little extra motivation. I hoped that if I was struggling with the hills, maybe they slowed other people down even more. I got through that run of about 3.5 miles in 35:10.

The run took us back to the transition point where we had left our bikes. A bunch of drummers were playing both times we were there and it was a nice touch to get us fired up. I quickly put my hat in the back pocket of my running vest, put my helmet on, and ran the bike out to the spot where we could mount.

I had 5.6 miles left to get back to the park for the final run. It wasn’t going to be easy though – my legs were pretty shot when I got on my bike and it was a slow struggle for a minute. I knew I wasn’t going to be one of the top finishers but I was hoping that I could maintain whatever lead I had over the women behind me since the bike is where I always lose ground. A few guys passed but I don’t think any women did. I finished the ride in 20:43, averaging around 16.3 mph.

I ran my bike into the transition area where I swapped my helmet for a hat, grabbed my race belt with my bib, and shed my running vest so I wouldn’t carry any extra weight for the last 1.5 miles. I pushed hard for that final run which was nearly the same route as our first run. I knew I was nearly done and it was time to give everything that I had left! I completed the final run in 12:50 and finished the race with a final time of 4:37:51.

I drank some water and paced around with a cold, wet towel around my neck as I recovered.

Eventually I was ready to see what treats were available. They offered hot dogs, chili, mac and cheese, chips, cookies, ice cream, and more.

When I finally got my results to load, I saw that I had won my age group! Epic allows people to choose from a variety of prizes like glasses, coasters, etc. I saw that backpacks were an option so I chose one for my prize.

I browsed through the merchandise while chatting with Reese from Epic Races, who I have seen at a few races this summer. It’s been fun doing so many Epic Races and seeing the same familiar faces who help provide such a great experience time after time. I couldn’t resist a hoodie that makes it especially apparent how crazy this event is.

Since it was a beautiful day I went down to the beach for a few minutes to enjoy the scenery before heading home. Plenty of families had shown up to enjoy time by the water.

I had a great experience doing this race. Clearly, it was very challenging which provided me with a great sense of accomplishment, but it was also a lot of fun. The segments are broken up into small enough chunks that it ends up being very manageable. Rather than running a half marathon all at once, it feels much easier running no more than four miles at a time before breaking to do something else.

I can’t truly compare the 2021 race and this one since the first bike leg was six miles shorter, but I can still compare most of my stats. The mountain bike definitely impacted my time a little bit. It was a matter of slowing down to 16.6 mph vs. 17 mph for the first ride, and 16.3 mph vs. 16.5 mph for the second ride. That difference is fairly minor which supports my theory that it doesn’t matter much which bike I use – I’m not especially fast on any bike! When it came to the run, my first and last runs around the trails at the park were slightly faster this time around while the runs on the dirt roads and trails were just slightly slower. My swim times were pretty similar but the weeds and lily pads at Mill Lake may have slowed me down a little more this year. I definitely improved my transition times throughout the whole race by packing the buoy into my running vest rather than dealing with the logistics of a buoy backpack.

This race offers the full Battle of Waterloo as well as “Half the Battle.” 79 people completed the full race and 33 did the half. It’s kind of funny that I placed 27th overall in the full both times! I also placed first in my age group both times and this time I moved up from ninth place to sixth place out of all of the women. I do this for fun and to challenge myself but it’s fun to see that I actually did pretty well overall.

Knowing how much time I put into thinking about logistics of racing this event I can’t help but recognize how much time and effort went into actually hosting it. I am extremely grateful to all of the people at Epic Races who made it possible for people like me to enjoy this crazy adventure. They had to place people along the bike course to make sure we were safe from traffic and that we turned at the right spots. They placed flags along miles of trails so we followed the right paths during the runs. They got in the water to plant buoys that would mark our courses for the swims, and people sat in kayaks out in the sun for hours to make sure we stayed safe. Aid stations were set up all over the place. Photographers hustled everywhere to catch us at the start of the run, then on our bikes, at two different lakes, a gravel pit, etc. Food, water, and medals were waiting for people whether it took them two hours to finish the half or six hours to finish the full. Epic made it seamless for us racers and I am so appreciative of all of their hard work.

This race was probably my last triathlon of the season and it was a great way to utilize all of the hard training I’ve done this spring and summer. I’ll probably start to neglect my bikes for a while now as I concentrate on preparing for a marathon next month, but I will keep training hard in the water so I’m prepared for Epic’s 5K Swim to the Moon in a few weeks. I always have something to aim for!

– Janet

Follow me on Instagram & Threads @janetboltz and Twitter @reidphotography

I work so hard to train for triathlons and the season is so short. Although it’s still possible that I’ll add another race to my schedule, this year it looks like June and July may be it for triathlons. I’m trying to make the most of the short season and put all of my training to use by squeezing in whatever racing I can.

The Ann Arbor Triathlon on Saturday, July 15 was my second Olympic distance race this year. It took place a little north and west of Ann Arbor at the Halfmoon Lake day use facility. I have been there several times for the Swim to the Moon 5K so I knew I would be familiar with the swim location. Epic Races hosts both that race as well as this one. I am thankful that Epic has so many races in this area that I can drive to without having to get a hotel.

At first I was too intimidated by the elevation chart of the bike route to sign up for this race but eventually I decided to just go for it. As I do so often, I started to worry the night before the race and wondered why I choose to put myself through these things. The weather looked questionable and although I don’t mind rain during a swim or run, I worry about traction on wet roads when biking. I decided that I would feel most comfortable taking my mountain bike with thicker tires. The added weight would probably slow me down but it would ease some of my worrying.

I did not enjoy my hour and 20-minute trip on race morning when I had to drive in the dark through rain with lots of construction. However, at least the rain seemed to let up just as I arrived. Maybe it would all work out. It seemed like we had a clear window of time based on the radar!

I didn’t know what to expect from the bike or run segments but I looked forward to the swim. I’ve enjoyed swimming in Halfmoon Lake the three times I’ve been there for Swim to the Moon.

As I walked up to the registration table to collect my packet, of course I caught a little light-hearted grief for my bike. That already happens sometimes with my other bike so I wasn’t surprised to get hassled about my mountain bike. Most athletes are concerned with being as light and “aero” as possible and have really thin tires and fancier bikes. On the other hand, I am pretty insecure on the bike and more concerned with comfort. I still haven’t turned into a very serious cyclist and I just do what works for me. I explained that I would just get a really good workout with my mountain bike!

After I left the transition area I got into the water for a very quick warm up. Wetsuits are legal up to 78° and the water temperature was just under that. The buoyancy of the wetsuit helps enough that I was thankful I could use it.

As usual, Greg Sadler and his team provided a ton of great race photos. Credit goes to Greg Sadler Photography for the awesome shots that follow.

Anyone could do this race, but it also served as the host of the 2023 Michigan State Championships for age group, high school, and clubs, which qualifies people for the USAT Nationals. As a result, it seemed like a slightly different mix of people than I usually see at triathlons. When I lined up for the swim I was a little intimidated because I was surrounded by a bunch of college guys. Sometimes races have separate starts for men and women but everyone lined up at the same time for this start. We were supposed to line up by pace but there were no signs or anything to suggest where to be, so I just guessed that maybe I could start a little back from the front of the pack. I was hoping no one would be too aggressive and swim on top of me. We started individually every few seconds which would help. That’s always so much less stressful than a mass start.

I settled down soon enough from the initial rush of nerves and swam a little to the outside in hopes that it would give faster people room and they wouldn’t get too close to me.

As usual, I worried more than I needed to. I think I started in the appropriate spot after all because I didn’t have anyone on my heels. We had two loops of the rectangular course to swim and by the time I rounded the buoys at the far end of my first loop I realized I didn’t need to stray too far from the path of the buoys. I didn’t have many people immediately around me and it made for a very comfortable swim.

My training swims are usually a minimum of 3,200 meters so the 1,500 meters went by quickly – especially thanks to the added speed from my wetsuit.

I felt like I had a really solid swim. Like my other triathlons this year, I felt especially strong during the swim and I’ve been enjoying it more and more.

I covered the 1,500 meters plus the jog to the transition area in 27:13.

I wasted time in transition as usual when the wetsuit got hung up on one of my feet. Then I was slow to get my bike gloves on with my wet hands. I spent 2:52 in transition before going out on the bike.

Although the standard distance for an Olympic-distance bike leg is 40K/24.8 miles, the distance tends to vary from race to race based on the most ideal way to route the course. This bike leg was a little longer at 28 miles. It was another two-loop course.

We started by climbing a hill on the way out of the park then spent the rest of the time on the road with some rolling hills. Thankfully vehicle traffic was pretty light and I didn’t have any real concerns about that.

The roads were a little wet – enough to spit water up in my face at times. It confirmed why I should wear glasses on the ride no matter what! I’m sure my heavier bike made me work harder but I had plenty of traction which eased some of my worrying. I watched a guy in front of me wipe out as he rounded a corner which was a bit scary. I don’t know if it was from the wet roads or something else, but once again I was thankful I had opted to use my mountain bike. I was relieved that a volunteer and policeman were stationed at that corner and ran to help him.

I was also thankful for my thick tires when one stretch of the road was especially bumpy. When cars or other bikes were behind me it really wasn’t an option to ride on the smoother part in the middle of the road. Sometimes I had to stay all the way to the right where I cringed as I rattled on the bumps. I know it would have been worse on my bike with thinner tires and I can’t help but wonder how people with the really fancy bikes can handle it. Maybe they have more tolerance than I do. As slow as I may have been, I feel like I made the right bike selection for my comfort level.

I realized there may have been a trade-off though. While I felt better going over bumps, my big bike may have contributed to my misery while climbing hills! There were some pretty good inclines that I had to battle. I blamed myself for not riding hillier routes more often in training. I knew I’d get through it, but it wasn’t especially fun!

I had thoughts about how maybe I should have just done the open water swim and been done so I wouldn’t have to bike. I figured I should use my usual approach of trying to put a positive spin on the situation somehow. At least I was getting a really good workout and maybe building some strength for future rides. When I started to question if I might be in last place on the bike after I hadn’t seen anyone else around for a while, I reminded myself that it didn’t matter if I was. I don’t stand a chance at winning a race like this. I’m doing it for myself because I like to challenge and push myself. I REALLY had to push myself through this ride!

It wasn’t great but I got through it. My watch said I rode 28.5 miles and I completed that in 1:47:06. I averaged 16 mph which wasn’t too far off my usual “race” speed of 16-18 mph.

I got through the second transition in 1:07 and went out to run. After a minute I was back on the same uphill segment we rode to get out of the park. Of course that didn’t feel great after just coming off the hard ride.

After a little stretch of running on the road we made our way to trails that wrap around Crooked Lake. Since we had gotten so much rain I had debated swapping to trail shoes. I’m glad I didn’t waste extra time doing that because the surface was just fine in my regular road shoes. Most of the trail was a sandy/dirt surface. There were some rocks and roots but I’m used to running on those kinds of trails and this wasn’t any more extreme than what I’m used to. There were some pretty good ups and downs too. This race was not an easy one!

I enjoy running on trails and thought it was a nice run course. On the way back we probably ran close to a mile on the roads which made me glad again that I hadn’t bothered with trail shoes. Once I was back out in the open I noticed some light rain. At least it had held off during the ride.

It was nice to be sent down a hill toward the finish area back by Halfmoon Lake. That helped me pick up my pace!

My friend Jeff was waiting by the finish and took a photo as I crossed the line. I especially like that he captured the moment when photographer Greg Sadler reached out to greet me with a fist bump!

I finished the run in 48:53 and came up with 5.37 miles. Again, a little different from the standard Olympic distance of 6.2 miles, but sometimes it’s not worth adding silly out-and-back segments just to add up enough mileage.

My official time was 3:07:14. Here’s how it broke down:

I saw my friend Jeff by the finish line and we chatted about my race, his duathlon, and how they were waiting for his brother-in-law who was out racing. It was nice to catch up for a little bit before I knew I should get some food. As usual, I was happy about the typical treats from Epic – pancakes, an egg and cheese wrap, a cookie, and an ice cream sandwich.

Epic gave awards to the top five people in each age group. Since I fell third out of six in my group I chose a race belt from the variety of prizes they offered.

I keep trying to remind myself not to worry so much because yet again, everything worked out just fine. I may not have especially enjoyed the bike segment, but do I ever? It’s not that I dislike biking but I’d rather spend more of my time swimming and running. That always becomes painfully obvious on race days! Still, I felt accomplished for pushing through this challenging race and was glad to get out there for another race this season. I still have Swim to the Moon to look forward to in August. IF I don’t add another race to my schedule, I may wrap up this triathlon season with the truly “Epic” 10-part Battle of Waterloo on July 30th. That will be the true culmination of all of the crazy training I’ve done the last few months!

– Janet

Follow me on Instagram (and now Threads too) @janetboltz and Twitter @reidphotography

Because I’m not good at taking a break and there are a bunch of fun races to choose from during the summer, I did my fourth race in four weeks on Saturday, June 24. I’ve done the Loopty Loop 4-hour trail run a couple times and have enjoyed it enough to put it on my calendar as a possible race to do each year. I waited until the week of the race to actually commit this time.

Since I’m roughly following a marathon training plan and had 14-20 miles scheduled for my long run over the weekend, Loopty seemed like a great way to get those miles. I knew a potential issue would be my temptation to do too much. The race course was a 5K loop and people could run the full time they’re allotted or stop whenever they’d like. In 2019 I called it good after a little more than three hours of running. When I saw the results I realized I could have possibly won the race if I had continued. I returned in 2021 with that goal in mind and was successful!

When I know that there’s more that I can do it’s hard for me to settle and not give it my all. However, the 13 miles that I ran at the Grand Rapids triathlon a couple weeks prior was the longest run I had done in a couple months. Nearly doubling that might not be the smartest choice but I’d just wait to see how I felt.

One great thing about this race is that Bloomer Park is in my city of Rochester Hills and only a few miles from home. With an 8:00 start I didn’t have to wake up crazy early. This year the race was based out of the stone shelter by the main parking lot. That was different from the prior two times I had done the race and the course was different as well. We ran 6.3-mile loops in 2019, 5K loops in 2021, and a totally different 5K route this time. It’s kind of nice to change it up since there are a bunch of great trails to choose from throughout the park.

After I collected my bib, shirt, and a pair of sunglasses, I hung out in the shelter to wait for the start.

The shelter provided cover if it rained, it had bathrooms, and the start/finish and single aid station were all in the same area.

Move-It Fitness hosts a bunch of trail and ultra running races that have a super friendly, laid-back vibe. I always love doing their races!

Geneva, the awesome race director, went over things before the start. About five minutes later we lined up in the starting corral, she counted down, clapped her hands, and we were off!

I’m glad I started near the front because we quickly came to a very narrow opening in a fence that we had to squeeze through one by one. I was probably among the first five people to get there and got right through so I didn’t realize that a backup developed until I saw the pictures later!

I had never run that trail before and discovered a pretty adventurous downhill stretch. It was easy to build momentum for a quick start to the race. I watched the feet of the guy in front of me to see where he landed. It was a single track trail with an uneven surface and plenty of roots and rocks to avoid. After we got through that extreme drop, the course leveled out into mostly single track trails that were a bit more tame. I had run through the park a couple days before the race and took pictures while I was there.

There were a few of us almost in a pack following each other for a mile or so and I was a little self-conscious that someone behind me might be fast enough to pass. I didn’t want to feel like I was blocking anyone! When things finally opened up a bit more a woman finally passed. I knew that at least a couple women were ahead of me. Although things could change over the course of the race, I figured I might not be up for the win this year. It all depends on who shows up! It’s fun when I can pull off the win but I recognize that there’s only so much that I’m capable of and if others are faster, there’s no competition there. There was an 8-hour option for the race as well, but I figured they might not start that strong if they’d be going for so long.

It was approaching 70° at the start of the race and within a mile I was very aware of the humidity. At least the trails kept us in the shade and they weren’t too muddy. It rained steadily the day before the race so I wondered if the trails would be sloppy. Other than a few puddles that could be dodged, the trails were in great shape.

By the time I was halfway through the first loop things had spaced out among the people at the front. There was one gradual climb that didn’t seem too bad, then there was “popsicle hill” which definitely provided a challenge. In years past people would provide popsicles at the top of the hill later into the race. No popsicles this year, but the name remained.

Aside from that hill, I thought it was a really nice course. There were the typical roots to dodge but it seemed like a course that I could handle multiple times.

I got through the first loop in 29:45. The course came up a little longer than 3.1 miles which is no surprise when running trails. Although I was running the 4-hour race, if I came in at 3:59:59 or under I could still head out for a final loop. That meant I needed to run under half an hour per loop if I wanted to stand a chance at running nine loops. Nine would get me to the marathon distance. Both this year and last year I wondered if I could pull that off, but I just didn’t have that kind of speed. My second loop was 30:31 so I was already just over an hour for two loops. I knew I would only slow down as the day went on. I also knew that I didn’t really need to run a full marathon with only a half marathon’s worth of training!

I was on my own for nearly the entire second loop and really enjoyed how peaceful and pretty it was out there. I carried a 21 oz. bottle with an electrolyte mix on my waist, and one bottle kept me going for the first three loops. A great thing about a loop course is being able to leave my own bag along the course. I dropped a bag with several bottles just off the path near the start/finish line and was able to quickly swap my empty one for a fresh one. After a couple loops I also started to eat a Clif Blok around the start and middle of each loop.

People were really kind about stepping off to the side to make room for others who were going faster. It never got congested and there was only a stretch or two where it was just too narrow to pass immediately. I ran fairly comfortably for the first five loops, ranging between 29:45 and 31:44 per loop. I knew that the fifth loop earned me a 25K key chain!

I had run over 16 miles by the time I got into my sixth loop so it was no surprise that I started to wear down. The humidity had me feeling a little gross but I don’t think it affected my running too much. I was smart about staying hydrated. My legs just got tired and started to feel stiff. I had reached the point where I was pushing beyond what I had properly trained for. Every little climb started to feel major and popsicle hill felt harder every time. The downhill stretch at the beginning had been kind of fun on fresh legs, but it pounded my knees and didn’t feel so great after several rounds.

The seventh loop was already pressing my luck. Tired legs meant I ran more of a risk of tripping on a root. I kicked my fair share throughout the whole race and had a slight scare with one or two, but none of them took me out. Doing a trail run without wiping out is always a win. When I finished the seventh loop I still had time for an eighth and couldn’t bring myself to quit. A ton of people were out there doing the 8-hour race and many of them hiked it. I could surely walk the last loop if that’s what it came down to. Before I started my final loop I stopped at the aid station for my only time during the race. My electrolyte drinks were good for keeping me hydrated but I really craved some plain water. I stopped to drink a couple of cups which were cold and refreshing and made me feel better about heading out for more.

I felt like I was already trudging through the seventh loop and my time was even slower for the eighth. I think I actually held up fairly well though and some of that extra time came from spending a minute or two at the aid station. I reminded myself that most people hiked part, if not all, of the loop and it was fine if I needed to as well. My running was barely faster than walking on some of the hills by that point anyway.

Halfway through my final loop I saw one of the faster women ahead of me. She was rotating between walking and running. It made me wonder if I stood a chance to catch up. She still looked really strong when she ran though. I caught up enough to chat with her before the end of the loop and learned that she was doing the 8-hour race. Based on how well she was moving, she was killing it. Eventually she picked up the pace again and I kept dragging along the best I could.

I successfully completed eight loops and was informed that I was the second place woman! My official time was 4:20:40 for an official distance of 24.8 miles. My watch gave me almost an extra mile so I viewed it as just half a mile short of a marathon!

Sixteen women and six men completed the 4-hour race. I tied the winning woman for the most mileage out of both men and women with 24.8 miles. The winner finished 20 minutes before me so there certainly was no real competition there! It was nice to chat with her for a bit after the race.

The 8-hour race had 17 women and 23 men. The top male completed 15 loops for 43.4 miles and the top woman completed 13 loops for 40.3 miles. Those people inspire me to do more!

I sat in a chair and drank some water as I took some time to recover. Eventually I pulled myself up so I could start to enjoy the variety of treats. I’m always up for pizza and cake, ESPECIALLY Bumpy Cake which is one of my favorite treats.

All of the treats and sitting for a while made me feel better and I headed out knowing that some people would still be going for several more hours. I have only done one ultra run (anything beyond the distance of a marathon) and it was a 6-hour loop course that Move-It Fitness hosted. Despite feeling pretty beat up by the 4-hour race, I thought about how I want to do something more ambitious like a 50K again. Going in properly trained makes a huge difference, of course. I kind of did this race on a whim without preparing as much as I should have. I enjoy working toward time goals and trying to run fast marathons, but I also really like the more relaxed vibe at the trail runs as well. Changing it up and getting some of both helps keep it fresh and keeps me motivated!

– Janet
Follow me on Instagram @janetboltz and Twitter @reidphotography

On Saturday, June 17 I got to run in a cool race that pits Detroit’s Big Three automotive companies (GM, Ford, and Stellantis/Chrysler) against each other. The Corporate Cup Relays feature 5K and 10K road races in the morning followed by track and field events in the afternoon.

I have participated in the road races a couple times in the past as part of GM’s Chevy Running Club. The last time I ran for them was in 2018 when the races took place around Belle Isle in Detroit. I began to work for Stellantis (then known as FCA, previously known as Chrysler) in 2020 but the event did not take place for a couple years because of COVID. When it returned in 2022, I was very reluctant to sign up. I had been told that I may be laid off sometime during the year so I wasn’t very enthusiastic about the idea. I only signed up because I wanted to support Ron, the leader of the running club. The event was supposed to take place in the city of Berkley which changed its mind about allowing the road races a week beforehand, so I was off the hook anyway.

I was indeed laid off just before Christmas in 2022 but made my way back to Stellantis a couple months later in a totally different role as a contractor. That meant I was still eligible to participate this year. However, with my first half iron race six days prior to the event, I was wary about committing. Ron told me that I could sign up and if I hadn’t recovered enough I didn’t have to show up. I felt surprisingly okay when I ran a couple times before race day so I decided to go for it.

I developed a whole new level of motivation the day before the race when I received official word that I will get my old job back in July. I’ll be a Stellantis employee again, and most importantly, I’ll return to the work I love most as a photographer. That wonderful news lit an extra spark for me and made me even more excited to run as a part of the team.

It was a beautiful morning in the 60s when I arrived at Anderson Middle School in Berkley. It was nice to catch up with some of the people I know from the Chevy Running Club as well as people from my current team. I received a Stellantis tank top when I checked in.

As I jogged around the school’s track to warm up, I was pleasantly surprised to see my friend Marty. We worked together at GM and I had checked in with him the day before the race when I realized I’d be running within a couple blocks of his house. It was so great that he came out and I enjoyed catching up with him for a bit before the race. 

I had two races on my schedule – the 10K followed by the 5K. I’ve doubled up on those distances at a number of races when the option has been available. I’m always pushing myself and if I know I can do more, I feel like I should. Never mind the fact that I haven’t been doing any kind of speed work and didn’t know if my persistent hamstring issue would flare up if I ran too fast. I questioned if I might be capable of running times within a minute of my PRs. I told myself that even if I may not be at my fastest, my “okay” still might be good enough to help the team.

The 10K started at 7:45 and as we lined up on the track, most of us mumbled that we weren’t going to be fast enough to move up to the front. Then half of those people took off and certainly DID belong up at the front!

We started with about 300 meters around the track and I felt so rusty that I wished I was running a 400 rather than a 10K! I wasn’t so sure a speedy pace was going to work for me. We headed out to the neighborhood roads in Berkley with 80-some participants. I ended up running 7:36 for the first mile. That was faster than anything I’d run in a while and I didn’t know if I could sustain it for five more miles.

It was fun to see that Marty had gone out on the course to cheer for me. He made me laugh when he said there were a couple women ahead of me but they didn’t look very fast. He was also there when I came through on the way back and told me that the women were still there, but he thought they might be getting tired. I felt really lucky to have him there supporting me and making me laugh.

Thankfully the streets of Berkley are as flat as can be and it was very quiet on a Saturday morning. I glanced at my pace a little bit at the beginning but not much beyond that and just kept pushing. I tried to convince myself that I have endurance on my side and I’m good for running longer distances. Hopefully that would help pull me through. As I got down to the last couple miles I gave it all that I had. Marty was there waiting at the finish as I came in at 46:22.

When I look at how my splits broke down it shocks me that I pulled that off. Marty said two women had finished ahead of me and they were both Stellantis runners. Fortunately we were all in different age groups which meant each of us scored age group wins. Scoring is based on how we place in our age groups so I was excited that I was able to contribute!

As I recovered, Marty came over to me and I realized his sister Maureen was with him! How cool to have their support – it meant a lot to me and it was great to see both of them.

I had 20-30 minutes before I’d have to run again and spent most of that time catching up with people I knew. The crowd grew for the 5K which is always larger than the 10K. Walkers also join the race five minutes after the runners start. 123 runners participated and 55 walkers. For a corporate-only event, it was a pretty good crowd. A few runners from Rocket Mortgage also joined the event. There are usually a bunch of other companies who participate in other divisions but I think Rocket was the only company outside of the Big Three this year. 

People really flew past me at the start of the 5K and I was a little iffy about my hamstring. I was lucky that it didn’t give me any issues beyond the start of both races. I know a 5K is pretty much an all-out, torturous effort and I’d just have to hang on. I’m pretty surprised that I pulled off a first mile of 7:12 and sped up a little more after that. It was an out and back route so it was fun to see the faster people on their way back in and root for some of my teammates. 

I had kept myself positive during the 10K by saying that endurance would help pull me through, and during the 5K I remembered that I’ve often found it effective to race my way into shape during the summer. I don’t do speed workouts enough on my own and they usually intimidate me – especially during hot summer afternoons. Somehow the race environment seems to be more effective for me.

While I usually just focus on running what I’m capable of, I had a little more of a competitive spirit during this race. I had to try to score points for my team! I didn’t know who was in my age group but pushed myself to catch one of the Ford runners. When we finished on the track, one of the GM women had a powerful kick that I couldn’t even attempt to match. Maybe she was younger than me so it wouldn’t matter anyway. 

I placed as the fourth overall woman and second in my age group. I was still able to contribute to my team with my score. I finished in 22:27.

I hung out for a bit chatting with teammates and we took a big team photo before I took off. 

Ron shared the results with us on Monday and our team tied with GM but they won the tiebreaker. So close! It was fun to be a part of the event and fun to see that I found some speed I didn’t think I had. I actually did end up within a minute of my PRs like I had hoped I might. Going that fast is usually torture, but somehow I didn’t totally hate it while running either of these races. It might motivate me to do some more shorter races this summer to keep working on my speed.

– Janet
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