It looks like this August’s race schedule is going to play out exactly like 2023’s – the Bridge to Brew half marathon this past weekend, the Swim to the Moon 5K this upcoming weekend, and the 10-mile race at Crim the following weekend. Just like 2023, I signed up for Bridge to Brew a couple days before the race. I originally had other plans for the weekend so the race was not on my radar this year. I caught up with my friend Amy during a run earlier in the week and when she mentioned that she had registered for it, I realized I was actually free because my plans had changed. I hesitated to register because I knew it would be warm and humid and it could be a tough day for racing. I still had to run 18 miles for marathon training either way and it would be very helpful to have water stops every couple miles at the race. I enjoyed the scenery while running through Port Huron a couple years ago and knew it would be nice to hang out with Amy too so I finally went for it. It certainly helped that it only cost $50, even at the last minute. That’s a bargain compared to most half marathons.

My routine in 2023 worked so well that I basically did the same thing this year. The race took place at 7am on Sunday, August 10 and I arrived in Port Huron at 5:30 to allow myself time to run five miles before the race. I wore my headlamp and light-up vest because I started in the dark. I wasn’t the only one out by the water that early though – plenty of people had their fishing rods set up already.

I was a bit early for the full-blown sunrise but still got to see some nice colors and enjoyed the view as I ran up past the Blue Water Bridge.

These views were part of my motivation for signing up for the race. It also made it much more tolerable to add five extra miles beforehand.

It’s pretty cool to run under one of the major crossings between the U.S. and Canada.

Although I enjoyed the views, I knew I couldn’t stay there to observe very long because I still had to pick up my packet and get ready for the race with about half an hour to spare.

Like the first year I ran this race, I came back to find a ridiculously long line for the few porta potties they had. There were four together and one slightly further down the road. Based on the line, they really ought to add a few more. Fortunately there was no line for packet pickup so I got my bib and shirt easily.

Since it was already extremely gross with the humidity nearly maxed out and temps around 70°, I changed into a fresh hat and shirt following my warm up and swapped a bottle of water for a fresh bottle with my Skratch electrolyte drink. I also ate half of a Picky Bar figuring I needed something after running five miles while also not eating too much 20 minutes before the race.

Because I had scoped out some other porta potties during my pre-race run, I knew that I could jog out to one by the water about a quarter mile away that wouldn’t have a line. That also allowed me to get one more glimpse of the sunrise over the St. Clair River.

I still had a good 10 minutes to spare by the time I got back to the starting line. I lingered a little bit behind the arch because I didn’t plan on being one of the leaders!

Eventually people were encouraged to move closer. I stayed where I was and hoped the truly speedy people would fill in the gap.

The half marathon had 225 finishers so I still had plenty of people behind me!

The race started with a loop through the downtown area before we worked our way toward the water. The best parts of the race were the gorgeous views along the St. Clair River. I caught a few gnats on my face and neck during my warm up and during the race, but fortunately it wasn’t very buggy out there. Sunglasses were smart for trying to keep them out of my eyes though!

I took a couple photos as I approached the Blue Water Bridge then kept my phone away for the rest of the race. It didn’t take long before I was dripping with sweat, my shorts were drenched, and I didn’t need to screw around with trying to defog my camera lenses!

We caught a little glimpse of the Fort Gratiot Lighthouse and ran on sidewalks by some really nice waterfront homes. We turned away from the water for several miles and ran past a cemetery, Port Huron Northern High School, a golf course, then did a loop in a neighborhood. Since it was an out-and-back course it was fun to see the leaders of the race going by in the opposite direction. I was on the lookout for Amy and we gave each other a big high-five when we passed each other. I was able to gauge that I was probably among the top 10 or 11 women by the turnaround.

Because it was such a warm and gross morning I didn’t have big ambitions to run one of my faster times. My main goal was to see if I could aim for marathon pace – somewhere around an 8:00 average. I’m about 10 weeks out from the Detroit Free Press Marathon so if I could pull that off it would be a great training run for me. I started a little fast during the downtown stretch with a 7:49 first mile then settled into a good rhythm and consistently ran just above or below an 8:00 pace. I was thankful for the water stops every couple miles and grabbed a cup of water at nearly every one. After a couple sips I dumped the rest on my neck in hopes of cooling myself down a little bit. I ate a couple Clif Bloks during the run as well as a couple salt chews.

By the time I got back to the bridge and had a couple of miles to go, it was definitely getting harder to maintain my pace. I passed a woman somewhere around that point but then it seemed like there was a huge gap between me and other half marathon runners. It was hard not having anyone to chase or keep me in a rhythm. I often get some great race photos with a big smile but I couldn’t even fake that in the late miles of this race!

The 12th mile was my slowest of the race at an 8:12 pace. I did manage to drop below 8:00 for the rest of the race though. I passed a few 5K runners/walkers in the last mile or two, then gave what I had left at the finish. I thought I might manage to run 1:45:00 but I was a little over since I ended up running an extra tenth of a mile according to my Garmin. My official time was 1:45:38 which was good for first in my age group! I was especially happy when I saw that I managed to do so in a 10-year age group category rather than the more typical 5-year age groups.

There was a sprinkler after the finish line as well as bottles of water and Gatorade in a pool filled with ice. They knew people would be hot after this race so things like that were helpful. Although I had dumped some water on my neck, my shorts were completely drenched from the sweat, not from the cups of water. It was a warm and challenging day for running and I’m glad I held up so well.

Amy told me her goal pace for the day so I had a general idea when to watch for her. I was able to cheer her in by the finish.

Getting to hang out with Amy after the race was a major bonus!

Based on the first time I did this race I knew the post-race snacks might not be real substantial so I had a protein Picky Bar in the car. I also ate a couple of the granola bars, some fruit snacks, and a slice of watermelon provided by the race. There was also a place where people could purchase beer, thus the Bridge to Brew name of the race.

The awards ceremony for the half marathon runners took place an hour after I finished so I was glad to have Amy there as we waited. She was kind enough to take a little video and some photos as I collected my age group win – a hat from On Running and a Bridge to Brew glass.

Amy said she likes to take the scenic route home and make stops along the way so she inspired me. When I looked at the map to figure out what to aim for I saw Palmer Park and Boardwalk in St. Clair, about 20 minutes south. That sounded promising so I drove there and looked around for a few minutes. It was a beautiful spot!

By then I was ready to get home and get out of my shorts that were still soaking wet. It had been a pretty gross day for running but that’s been the case for a good chunk of this summer and I still need to get my runs in regardless. Even though the humidity is usually at its worst first thing in the morning it helped that the race started early enough to avoid some of the heat of the day – it climbed into the 90s later. I always seem to find some reason to neglect the speedwork in my marathon training plans and the heat has been my main excuse this summer. At least doing this race helped me pick up the pace so I can see that I’m already in shape enough to run half of a marathon at my goal pace. It gave me a nice change of scenery with a flat course plus an excuse to hang out with Amy at yet another race. It sure was a better option than slogging my way through a long run somewhere around home. I find that doing a bunch of races in the summer really helps me work on speed and gets me through those long run days. I have plans for several more as I keep working my way toward my next marathon in October!

– Janet

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