…named after Pierre François Xavier de Charlevoix, a French explorer who travelled the Great Lakes and was said to have stayed the night on Fisherman’s Island one night during a harsh storm.

Signed up for my Michigan marathon after scoring crazy cheap tickets on Southwest.  Denver to Grand Rapids – direct flight, $110 roundtrip.  A week out from race day, goggled directions from Grand Rapids to my shared hotel in Petoskey.  3 hours?  Ugh…that’s an unexpected haul.  2 hours from the Canadian border, 45 minutes from Mackinac Island.

Ok, I can work with that.  Marathon first, Mackinaw second 🙂

Quick sleeps, up early.  Room shared with 2 other Maniacs: Andy from Houston & Todd from Missouri (thanks Stacy for connecting us). Todd drove 800 miles [from Missouri], picked up Andy in Indianapolis – made my 3 hour ride from Grand Rapids seem kinda small.

Secured parking downtown & watched the morning rise over Lake Michigan.  Lotta colour – truly stunning.

Cool temps, gun start over the town’s historic drawbridge.  Charlevoix is a small resort town – today’s course hugged the lakeshore.  Fairly flat run – one steep incline coming outta town at mile 5.

Fav part of the run: treed section starting at mile 10, looped at 13, same return view thru mile 16 on this out-n-back course.

Ended in a sprint with another runner who failed to stop at the Finish, fell over a barrier & bloodied his face.  Lotta excitement, over-achiever 🙁  Finisher’s medal – one of my favourite, adorned with a working drawbridge.

Congratulations!
K R Haga

Finish Time: 04:16:57.0

No shower this day.  Quick sink bath at a local pizza joint (post-race lasagna), then ferried over to Mackinac Island.  Only bicycles & horse-drawn carriages on this island.  FAAANNNTASTIC!