I am looking for a few runners who would rather help at the Race for Raptors November 13th at Hawk Ridge instead of running it.  There are some "key" jobs I prefer to put runners in so it flows more smoothly!

You will still get a headband if you volunteer and be in the door prize drawings!

Please email me at eveestein@gmail.com or reply to this if you are interested!

Thanks!!!

This event is a must for your bucket list!

Since it's inception, I have faithfully done the Grand Traverse every year on this day...this year I decided I'd try the kickin leaves duathlon because of all the positive things I'd heard about it over the past couple of years.  

I did it...and every one was right...it is an outstanding event catered to everyone from the beginner to the expert!  

This event is billed as a 3 mile trail run, 10 mile bike, and 3 mile trail run...well...that's kinda close...what it really is ends up being a 2.5 mile mostly paved trail like the Munger with a very short stretch of snowmobile trail, a 10 mile or so bike on a newly paved busy road.  

Finding the hospital was easy, finding the event was a trick...a few of us drove around for awhile before locating the actual event which was hidden behind the hospital.   Once I found it, I went in for day of registration which was very quick and contained really helpful and knowledgeable volunteers. I got a nice little bag and my shirt is being mailed.  The shirts were very attractive long sleeved dark green with a neat logo on them. 

The morning started out a bit nippy at 40' or cooler with full sun, and luckily there were bathrooms and a nice warm  spacious area to change in if need be. 

There were I believe well over 80 people and teams that competed in this event.  The teams were wearing the same type of number except for the tiny sticker on them that indicated the category, so it was next to impossible to tell if someone on a team was passing or if it was just some fast person doing the whole thing.  Some of the people on teams actually said they were on one as they flew by me!  

The initial run started on the driveway and ran down into the paved woods trail which eventually turned off into a dirt snowmobile trail and then back onto the paved Munger like trail again.  The signage and volunteers out there were amazing!  There was absolutely no way anyone could get lost on this course because there was either a sign or a friendly volunteer throughout the entire course!  I like idiot proofed courses:  )  

The course was pretty flat for the most part with a few gentle climbs thrown in.  We were literally kicking leaves during quite a few parts of the run...great name for it whoever picked it out!  There was one waterstop with water and some unknown beverage that I was not going to try until the man gave it to me without telling me if it was water or something else...it was herbalife or something I finally found out after volunteers called it Gatorade and I could clearly tell it was not Gatorade.  One of my pet peeves when running a race is a volunteer who either just gives you something without telling you if it's water or something else and a volunteer who tells you it's Gatorade or Powerade when it's something else like Barfima...(Ultima).  For me...if I take something not on my "approved list"...it could cost me an unwanted trip to the biffy!

During the run I felt that sudden urge to pull over into the woods for a deposit.  The feeling continued to grow and I even asked one volunteer if there was a bathroom...I started seeking out makeshift biffy spots in the woods to pull over to and then realized I was almost back at the transition area.  My plan was to stop at the biffy but when I stopped running, the urge thankfully left my body. 

After the run, which went ok once I warmed up...I even picked off a few people...I headed to my bike.  I was wearing biking shorts and a long sleeved wicking shirt and had planned to put on mittens, biking gloves, change shirts and put on my yellow jacket...well, that all fell to the wayside ...I just grabbed my mountain bike, my helmet and took off!   As a side note, I wore the socks I just purchased, a pair of bamboo wool ones from Jarrow's store after Lisa talked about them and affirmative...they are incredibly awesome!!

Yes...I have a road bike...yes..I chose to take the mountain bike instead...yes...it probably cost me at least 10-15 minutes if not more.  I was being passed by men who were nearly 70 years old on road bikes...need I say more?  I did pass quite a few people on Mt bikes so that was comforting!

We biked on a main highway with fast traffic whizzing by but the bike lane was thankfully very wide and newly paved.  I felt extremely safe because there was a volunteer at virtually every road that a car could possibly come out of and police and volunteers at any intersection.  Kudos to the race director for having so many great volunteers out there...I would have to say this course had more volunteers than any other race I've been to...they were all very friendly, encouraging, and doing their job well!  In other bike/run events, I have almost been hit by cars because of a lack of volunteers and planning!

None of us could figure out how there could be a headwind both on the way out and the way back again.  I thought I was imagining it until a few others said the same thing to me!  There were quite a few participants wearing headphones with music turned up rather loudly.  This was a problem on the bike portion as I or others would yell on your left and they would not hear us...even when next to or directly behind people they could not hear.  I am thinking maybe the race directors should rethink headphones on a busy highway??

I went into the transition zone with no plan and then decided to shed the shirt and sunglasses along with the helmet.  After the bike, I went onto the run again and wow was it ever tough to get those running legs back again!   That interesting "urge" to make a deposit in the woods started to reoccur, my hip was really tight and a few other issues.  After looking around and discovering the only two women anywhere near me were younger and older, I decided to stop and stretch a few times.  

I finished the event in about 1:33, not too impressive...it was fun and short though.  I'll be curious to see just how far back I was in the run and bike times when the results come out.  I know I at least beat two women in my age group...I had the largest and most competitive age group as always too!  The 60+ men had a rather competitive age group too!  

After the race, we were treated to a free yummy meal of sloppy joes, chips, baked potatoes, pickles and cookies!  How cool is that?!

The awards were held shortly after the final finishers came in.  Awards consisted of really neat shaped bottles of Maple Syrup!  The top female and male finishers got a basket of stuff.  They also gave away some nice quilted things in a door prize drawing.

If you are new to biking and/or running or an old pro...this is an awesome low key event to do...it is easy, can be done as a team or individually, and the course is extremely user friendly! 

Too much paved running on this course for me though so I'll go back to the Grand Traverse again next year.  I'm still happy I did it this year!

This race in my opinion is one of the most efficient, well run events I've ever been to. Sharri Olson has been the race director for as long as I've been doing it and this was her first year passing it on to a different person...I was a bit concerned that the "well oiled" race may not measure up to the past years because she was in a different place than the race and unable to assist in any way. Much to my delight, Wendy, the new race director carried on Sharri's impeccable tradition!

I felt a bump as I began my journey race morning and pulled the car back into the garage to inspect....my bike helmet was the object under my tire and it suffered zero marks or cracks from the "accident"! The foggy, drizzly drive to Brule was visually challenging, yet the race destination provided just a shady, cool setting with some humidity.

The Brule River Lions 2 mile or 5 mile trail run attracts a competitive friendly crowd. Parking is easy, registration is slick and cheap...$12 ahead of time and $15 day of, shirts are usually unique and neat...this year's was a fish with running shoes!

The race starts on a dirt road at the top of the hill and goes about 2.5 miles before going into the wide scenic ski trails. The race is a good one for beginners as it is easy for a trail race with excellent footing, flat or downhill terrain with just a few "blip" uphills, and freshly mowed grass. The fresh torrential rains provided some wet spots which were easily avoided. Friendly water stops are scattered along the course in at least 3 or 4 places along with idiot proof course markings, mile markers, and even a 4 1/2 mile marker!

Winners of the 5 mile race who were Jarrow Wahman (his dad and wife ran too! ) and Amanda Lepisto (her dad always runs), received a high tech jacket! Age group first place winners receive a nalgene water bottle and 2-3rd place in the age group get to pick a pair of socks! The 2 mile gets awards and all the kids under 12 receive ribbons too.  The new race director was just as efficient as Sharri had been getting the plentiful door prizes started immediately after the last runner finished and awards right afterwards!

A first for me was when I was the very first person drawn for a door prize!! I won a hanging basket full of flowers! There had to be over 25 door prizes ranging from solar driveway lights to shirts, hats,gift cards to Target, and more!

After the race, the crowd heads to the town hall area for a BBQ put on by the Lion's Club and huge garage sale put on by a local church! The church sale has been a "jackpot" for me every year! This year I scored a Packer Jacket and Sweatshirt!!

Kudos to the new race director, Sharri trained her well and all the wonderful volunteers! This is one event to check out sometime!!

Ok...I thought...a 10k trail race on a Tuesday night at 6:45 in the rain ...in Rice Lake Wisconsin...who my age would possibly go there that is fast...I should go...I'd have half a chance slogging and placing for once! So...Laambeaux and I headed out...

It was a wee bit longer drive to the Tuscobia Trailhead than I had thought...when we got there it was still raining lightly and they had little ez up's for us to stand under...

The race director was totally awesome with his communication and friendliness...I was impressed...the registration went very smoothly too...the price was sure right...only $13 preregistration and either $10 without a shirt day of or $18 with a shirt! The shirts were neat looking too...bright red with silver lettering!

I registered, went to my car to put my running stuff on and discovered I had forgotten the socks I planned to wear...oh well...the other ones worked ok...

Prior to the 10k there was a 1/2 mile kids fun run which was very cute and had quite a few excited little ones participating in it!

As people were lined up for the 2 mile and 10k which started together, the race director was giving out instructions and the first clap of thunder was heard...he gave a slight look of concern, then continued giving instructions and the runners were off...

He was kind enough to let me start 5 minutes after the rest of the runners to avoid Laambeaux tangling with the feet of others..

As we started, the rain became torrential and the thunder more frequent it continued until mile 5 or so...I think this will go down as my 4th scariest character building event in the history of my athletic events.....the course was a mix of puddles, some gravel in spots, grass, and some mud...pretty good footing overall though...it was a flat course or kinda slight uphill on the way out with one big up and downhill during the first and last mile. The miles were marked and there were two water stops that we hit on the way out and back again.

My pace was decent for me considering the conditions...I could breathe for once and until the last two miles my butt issue was not painful! My time was not reflective of the pace due to one extra long Laambeaux pit stop, a very interesting dead squirrel on the path that needed some serious canine investigating, and a few water stops.

After the race there was nothing to eat at all that I could find, awards did happen fairly quickly though, I discovered that my age group unfortunately was what appeared to be the largest one of all...the other runners were very friendly before and after the event...one guy even ran it pushing a baby jogger...that was tough on the mushy wet trail!

Ok men...time to skip to the next paragraph...or it will be TMI for most...it was raining so hard that I actually had to pull my running skirt up a few times because it was so waterlogged despite the wicking fabric...and to my horror, the feminine hygiene product I began the race with was absolutely nowhere to be found when I finished up...I have to wonder if it slid down my leg or just got waterlogged and plopped out onto the trail??? Embarrassssssing?????

Ok men ...you can read again... I decided to leave shortly after I finished because I felt like a wet sponge ...and so I could drive in what daylight remained...about 3 miles from the race I saw a large deer in the road...for whatever reason, I did not stop or honk...I just ended up hitting it!!! I felt horrible and this is the first time I've EVER hit a deer even though I have been awfully close many times. I hit it's hip or butt and it continued into the weeds on the other side, my thoughts were not about my car or myself...just about the poor deer....I did not see it again...I think maybe subconsciously I didn't brake because of the wet roads... I called the police because I had no idea of what to do when you hit a deer...the dispatch woman was really nice and told me her daughter had just called her because she also ran the race I did...that's small town for ya! The pictures of the minimal damage to the car and of the soggy race will hopefully be posted here by Kris soon as I have no posting abilities!

I think if a group wanted to go do this one next year I'd do it again...otherwise it's just too far to drive for a 10k and a shirt! Very cute, well organized, cheap event !!!

Today I really, really, really wanted to go down to Bluemounds and run the 15k trail race that we did last year...finding someone who is able to take that kind of time to drive all the way there and stay overnight is kinda tricky especially with all the races that were up here this weekend...soooo...I decided to do the Boulderdash because it was a trail race and I had heard great things about it...they were right!  Normally I avoid any race that is under 10k...this one was one I had to try.

Sam defended her title this year winning the race three years in a row...she had some tough competition this year when Connie L. showed up yet she pulled it off again! Scott B. won again for the men's side. Awards are given to the top three in each gender group for under 35 and over 35...they are neat looking awards too!

The race director and volunteers were extremely helpful and friendly!! They even let me start 10 minutes late so I could run with Laambeaux! The tshirts are super neato too! The color is a tanish type I have never seen before with a dark brown logo that includes a shoe covered in boulders! It's a really sharp looking shirt!! This is a very inexpensive race to run too...$15 pre and only $20 day of.

The race course was slightly different from last year I was told and it went out the Blue Ox, touched on the Nine Pine, then took the cut off for the Bear Paw and back into the finish area. The course was in outstanding shape, dry, excellent footing except one small spot right after the turn around at 9 Pine....I did one of those turn the ankle then wave the arms around to avoid the Superman fall things and managed to stay upright despite the fact that Laambeaux was still pulling me!

The course was idiotproofed because it was marked so well! The K's were marked rather than miles and they even had a sign at the last hill that told us it was the last hill...and another one telling us it was 100 something left! I can't remember what that distance was...it was short though. I skijor at Boulder twice a week all winter and knew the trails well yet this was my first time out there without snow! The trail is pretty much flat except for a couple of very small bumps and slight uphill grade short hills...very good for beginning trail runners!

There were tons of dragon flies out there the first time around and because I wanted to get extra miles in, I offered to take the ribbons down while I ran it again...second time around the deer flies were horrendous! Poor Laambeaux was basically coated in them and I was forced to swing my arms around like a crazy lady while I ran!

There was a strategically placed water stop that we hit twice during the race so Laambeaux and I both stopped to take advantage of it twice...I also had to stop three times to get my asthma under control...!

The race volunteers had the results ready immediately after the race was completed and they had some food and beverage for us to eat too. Laambeaux appreciated the wheat race roll I share with her.

The big bonus was that the Freedenburg neighborhood was having their annual garage sale so I was able to snag some super great deals on the way home!!

I highly recommend this race for anyone and everyone beginner to speedster! Easy parking, great course, super shirt, cheap, great race director and volunteers, what more could you ask for??