Date: October 17, 2010
Location: Detroit, MI
Finish Time: 1:47:24
Pace: 8:12 min/mi
Usually runners work their way up in distance. The elusive 5K is one that is a huge accomplishment and one that can seem small compared to events like the marathon, but make no mistake, there are many, many people who have never run a 5K. After the 5K people usually run a 10K and slowly advance until one day a marathon is the only distance left (unless you count ultra-marathons and tri-athalons and so on). For me, I ran several 5Ks, a 10K, and then decided to run the full, completely disregarding what was standard in 'working up' towards greater distance. As a result, when people asked about my best half-marathon time, I had no answer to give them. Thus, my desire to run a half-marathon distance grew until I finally went for the run in Detroit.
I had just moved to Detroit in May and wanted to run another race. The notion of just missing four hours in the full marathon was eating at me and it had been some time since I'd trained. Doing the sensible thing this time, I decided to do a half-marathon before doing a full.
Detroit is really cool course. I'll start by saying that I really like to run in October. The weather is usually cool, but not cold, the sky is usually gray, but not depressing, and the sun isn't out in the morning, but rises as the race progresses. It makes for a very fun race.
What makes Detroit so unique is the international aspect of the race. Detroit begins down at the old Free Press building on Lafayette and progress downriver to the Ambassador Bridge. After a few loops, you make your way to Canada, up the river, and back to Detroit through the tunnel. After the tunnel, you get to run through parts of Corktown and end with a trip through Campus Martius to the finish line.
This particular day was like the one I described above. Up at 5 AM, I drove in with my Mom and Dad from Dearborn and walked in to the starting area. Detroit has a corralled start, meaning that the faster runners are set off first and slower runners go out in waves. Each section starts a few minutes after the last to ensure that there is not a big glob of runners all trying to cross the one lane on the Ambassador Bridge. I've found that the corralled start is helpful, but doesn't keep the bunching from happening. And during this race, I believe my time was so good because of that bunched start. I was kept at a snail's pace for the first several miles, only being able to really break into a stride after clearing Canadian customs. By the time I made it back to Detroit, I was at mile 8 and feeling good. So I pushed it and finished in a very respectable time.
Besides being bunched up, I remember a few key moments of the race. The first thing I noticed was how joyful the Canadian cheerleaders were along the riverfront. They may have been aided by the fact that by the time I reached them it was nearly 8 o'clock and daylight, versus the first American cheerleaders who were still in the dark and cold of early morning. For whatever reason, the Canadian road was lined with lots of people who were more than excited for us to be running by. Maybe it's Canadian hospitality. Maybe it's that Canada only has about a mile to support the runner. Whatever it is, I think its a great part of the race.
The other thing I remember is just how hot the tunnel is. The crisp October air is so refreshing when you're cruising along starting mile 7, but when you enter into the tunnel, all that air goes away. The sounds echo off the walls and you can only hear panting of other runners slipping into the zone. The walls are also very blank, and you're doing this for a mile. Normally, I like to run a mile and enjoy my scenery, but when there isn't much to look at, it becomes very easy to get mentally bogged down by the pace and the breathing. Nothing is more satisfying than emerging from the tunnel and seeing Jefferson Street lined to the brim with people there to support runners. The fresh air, the cheering, and the notion of being back in the daylight is so refreshing that it powered me through to the finish. My mom and dad were along the row of people cheering and taking photos. Its always good to see your family along the way.
The final note I remember is running into Campus Martius. As you run down wide Michigan Avenue, you pass the Book Cadillac Hotel and the rival coney islands and enter into the heart of downtown Detroit. At the park there are large signs signaling marathoners to the left and half-marathoners to the right. For the half, you're almost done. This section of the race is completely filled with cheerers, gates to keep runners safe from the crowd, and beautiful tall buildings around you. This is one of my favorite parts of the city and it is so invigorating to see so many people cheering you, the runner, on to the finish.
Detroit has been one of my favorite races. Its well organized, the communication is strong, the race is fun and there are some cool things to see along the way. It was also my best race for quite some time. I felt very welcomed to Detroit after this race and am happy to have participated. Little did I know that this would be the start of something much bigger, as my appetite for races grew.
