RivRunner

Riv5KforMX

2008-04-23T06:37:00.000-07:00

Two years ago, Mike Potter brought up the idea of a Riverview 5K. In December 2006, we discussed doing this 5K the following spring/summer. But there was so much going on. Riverview was focused on raising money for the new building and sending people to Mexico. The 5K idea was tabled. Then, last fall, Mike shared the idea of having a 5K to raise money for the Mexico mission trip to either myself or Shelley. I loved the idea.

I started dreaming up the possibilities in January. I scheduled a date and started spreading the word. I shared the ideas with JR Miller, one of the leaders of the mission trip. He said they were on board and that this race would raise money to purchase a van for the orphanage Riverview visits in Mexico.

The promo was done (and was awesome). People were signing up for the race. Jenny Cole went out and got food and prizes donated. Kirsten started sending me volunteer information. I remember early on someone said, "even if we raise $300 the race should be worth it."I recall smiling at that statement. My faith in what God was going to do was deep and I just had this feeling like the Lord was going to show up big time.

I went to Running Fit, a store in Northville, and asked them to donate bib #s. They gave me 40. I had to go back a month and a half later for more. i was nervous about not having enough. They gave me another 40. I had about 25 people signed up. Whenever someone would drop off the list, two more would register for the race. God was up to something wonderful.

The week of the race was intense. I spent every night on logistical race stuff, going through e-mails, signing up registrants, making sure the volunteers were covered and the responsibilities were clear. I heard a rumor the weather was supposed to be crappy. I smiled at that, too. My faith was strong.

The pre-planning really paid off. Joey and I were not running around all Friday night trying to get stuff done. In fact, we had a nice dinner with Jim and Jamie. I even spent some time talking with my cousin through a difficult decision in her life. I went to bed at ease.

Saturday morning, I woke up and pulled the curtain back. The 6:00 sun was rising and I could see the pink sky. "Red skies in the morning, sailor's warning." But again, I just knew God was going to bless us. I had no clue how big, though.

I got to the church and set up. I met Zack when he showed up to volunteer. The two of us decorated the church in a Mexico theme and then got a chance to talk a bit. I found out he had finish line experience and I quickly put him in charge of it. God was filling holes I didn't even know I had. Ruth and Jen showed up along with others. They stood at the registration tables and waited. Jamie came and took her position as the greeter. Jenny arrived with the food. Mark was out setting the course and Joey was setting up the water. We were a well oiled machine. So many volunteers showed up, I didn't have places for them.

"Where are the runners?" I joked.
"Yeah, we have way more volunteers then runners," someone said.
"Wait until 9:00-9:15" I said. They were going to all come at once. I just knew it.

And they did.

The cars pulled in and people flooded the lobby. The registration table could barely keep up with the line of people registering. WE RAN OUT OF BIB NUMBERS!!!! We had to make some with paper. I couldn't believe it...then again, I could. I kept thanking Jesus for giving me the faith and encouragement.

Just before the race, I retreated to the bathroom to pray. I spent a minute with God and then walked out to the parking lot. I was in awe of what God did. There were so many people! After my pre-race speech (on a ladder--that could have been better), the race started. For the most part, things went smoothly. I think they were a little nutty on the finish line but the race course and water stations were awesome. Our traffic control and time keepers did a fantastic job. I finished in 27:45. I just beat Paul but I think he let up at the very end. It was thrilling to see people I don't normally see run.

In the end, the 5K raised about $1,500. Ha! I'm still in awe of what God did. It was His race after all and we followed Him in faith. I also learned A LOT about being a race director. There are several places to improve on and I pray God gives me another chance to do so.

Capital City River Run 5K 2007

2007-10-04T18:45:00.000-07:00

Finish Time: 28:33
Place in Age Group: 15
Place overall: 242

As Joey and I searched for a FREE parking spot, my anxiety was up, the way it always is up before a race. Why? When has the Lord ever let me down? But no. I get amnesia and freak out...not a whole lot but enough. I did fight it as we pulled into our FREE parking spot at LCC parking ramp. I decided to take my bag 'o stuff which consists of my id, water, towel and camera. I took it knowing I might have to run with it.

We walked toward the start line and I prayed. I asked God to warm the air just a little bit more. I knew full well I was going to run in my sleeveless RivRunners shirt even though there was a cold bite in the air. Turning left toward the Lansing Center, T3 came into view. T3 = Todd, Taylor and Terra Thie. We entered the building and one after the other, people came to me: Arlene, Heather, Christine....I smiled. I felt at ease.

The other RivRunners showed up and just as we were lining up for the start, I saw my nemisis, Ruth. I wasn't sure it was her but I had a feeling. Next time, I'm going to chance and say hi. The race started with Taylor and I pacing each other. I almost immediately hit a wall and had to push my way through it. Tough. Taylor was starting to pull away from me but I couldn't let a 14-year-old beat me! Well, at least not her and right then.

We ran past the capital and I thought about what was taking place inside the building. The fate of our state was being decided. We ran back toward the capital and we ran through the capital parking lot. I saw the lights on inside. I saw the parked cars which weren't nearly as nice as I imagined they would be (some of them were REALLY nice). I wondered if they would cut into our paychecks somehow. I wondered if they would cut into teacher's health insurance. I wondered...and I ran.

The race went by fast. It may have been the fastest race I've ever run. Not that I was fast but that the time...it was like I don't remember running the race. I remember the priest on the corner who yelled, alright # 950, you're almost done! I needed all the encouragement I could get. We turned down the Riverfront and I felt relief. I knew I was almost done. The finish line came up quickly and I tried to sprint. I loved the finish. I loved seeing Christine, Arlene, and Megan cheering for us and hearing Playmakers yell my name.

I love running (tee-hee).

CRIM 2007 8K--Love it

2007-08-28T04:16:00.000-07:00

Finish Time: 50:58

Waving to people, giving high fives, pumping my fist in the air, yelling with delight, thanking all of the supporters….yes, the Crim is my favorite race. But let me start with Friday night.

The Tornado

I left work at 4pm, my normal time on Fridays, and headed west to US-23. Normally, I would be heading to Lansing but I was staying the night with Yi who lives in Grand Blanc. As I neared Kensington, I received a call from Joey.

“Holly, the weather is really, really bad here.”

“Hmmmm….it’s beautiful here,” I replied.

“There’s reported tornados in Eaton County.”

“What?! No way!”

We hung up the phone and I called my sister. “Are you calling about the tornados?” she asked. Actually, I wasn’t.

I turned onto US-23 and called my step-sis, Fawn, who lives in Charlotte (part of Eaton County). There was no answer so I left a joking message about how I hoped she was taking cover from the tornados. We hung up when I got another call from Joey. “We’re going to the basement,” he said. I was floored. I mean, Lansing doesn’t get tornados. I tuned the radio to Channel 6 is Lansing and listened to the coverage. Rob Dale was giving updates on where the tornado was tracking. Cavanaugh….Miller….Cedar Street…Jolly Road…Dunkel…Hagadorn…Meridian Mall…

As I was flipping out and calling my relatives to make sure they were okay, I suddenly realized the ominous cloud which had appeared to my left, just west of me. It hadn’t been there a minute before but it was traveling fast. I called Yi and told her I was almost to her house, just crossing the Shiawassee River and going through Fenton. When I arrived, the tornado sirens were going off. I remembered my little joke to Fawn about hiding from the tornados. I remembered all of the dreams I’ve had about tornados. I was intrigued and made Yi stand outside with me to watch.

The rain picked up so we went inside to watch the news. Another storm had formed and was over downtown Flint. The Crim runners at the pasta dinner were running to take cover. The TV showed weird, white clouds. Yi and I went to the front of the house. The storm had just arrived. Lightening, thunder but mostly rain and wind. I thought about going to the basement and as I was watching out the window and thinking about it, the clouds became white and looked really funny. That was the only time I got scared and told Yi we should go to the basement. We stayed about a minute and went back up.

The storm went by fast. Little did we know the destruction which had occurred in Fenton, near the Shiawassee River. No one was seriously hurt which was a blessing.

Joey and Jenny arrived later than expected and we headed downtown to the Crim Expo. It was held offsite from the Crim this year. I’m so thankful we got our packets settled up that night. We also had a lot of fun getting massages, trying on sunglasses sampling food. We headed back home and Mama Sun had dinner waiting for us. I filled up on her noodles and veggies but because I’m sensitive to my pre-race meal, I made my noodles and marinara also. Meeeegan showed up as we were going to bed and I think my head hit the pillow around 11pm or so.

The CRIM

We woke up at 5 AM, got out of the house after Peter arrived around 7 AM and headed downtown. We found a spot which was right off of the 5K course and walked a mile or so down to the start line.

SO MANY PEOPLE. It was crazy. Almost immediately, a woman approached Yi and told her she liked Yi’s shirt. Yi was wearing the RivRunner shirt with Hebrews 12:1 on the back. The woman, a Christian, said she had come to Flint by herself last night and was at the Crim alone. Last night, she prayed and asked God to help her find some Christians to hang with before the race. There we were. The girls, including our new friend, went into the pavilion to find a potty. Our new friend needed a drink of water. Somehow, inside of the craziness at the pavilion, we were separated. Yi, Jenny, and Megan continued to wait in the long line while I went to find our new friend. She was no where I could see. I did find Tiffany and Brett, though, which really made me happy. I told Tiffany the story about losing the Christian woman and briefly described her to Tiffany.

People started lining up for the 10 mile so I went back to find Yi in the potty line. They had opened the upstairs bathrooms so we all headed up there. That was when I saw Dale and Kurt. I chatted with them and waved at Tiffany as she stood across from me, looking down at the passerbys on the first floor. She suddenly said, “Holly! I see her! Your Christian friend!” I couldn’t believe it. I raced over and looked down at the first floor just as the woman disappeared from view. I raced downstairs to try to find her. Tiffany yelled directions to me from above. Finally, I grabbed the woman’s arm.

“There you are! I’ve been looking for you. What is your name?”

“Marilyn,” she responded.

“Follow me,” I said, “Yi is upstairs in the restroom.”

“I really, really need to find a drink of water,” Marilyn said. “The race is about to start. I need to keep searching for water.”

“I don’t know why, but you need to follow me upstairs,” I said as I just turned around and went back up the escalator. She followed and as soon as we reached the top, I saw a drinking fountain. She got her drink and then we rushed Marilyn and Yi to the start line.

It had started raining as the race started. Jenny and Peter decided to go to the car to get an umbrella. Joey, Megan and I went upstairs to of the pavilion to hang out and so I could use the restroom. We saw Tiffany again so we sat on the floor for awhile and talked. Joey sat down on a table that did not want to be sat on. He came flying toward me as I stupidly tried to catch him. That didn’t work and then I couldn’t quit laughing. He is so accident prone. As we were getting ready to go back downstairs, we saw a guy sit down by the glass wall near the escalator. He was wearing a Save Darfur shirt. I struck up a conversation with him and then noticed his 10 mile bib number.

“Oh no!” I said.

“Oh yes,” he responded. “I missed the race.”

We comforted him and assured him he would be fine running the 8K. Still, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him as I thought back to last year. After a brief freak out when Joey left his brand new phone upstairs, we went back downstairs, met up with Jenny and Peter and then headed down to the finish line. We arrived just as the first dude crossed in like 46 minutes or so. We cheered for Grant from Playmakers and then for Eric Stuber. We headed back down to the 8K start line when I had a moment of freaking out.

“I need to go to the tinkle bank,” I announced. I was 15 minutes after 9. We discovered a long line at the upstairs restrooms but waited in it. Megan and I got in and quickly came back out. That was when we briefly saw Tami, took a picture and headed out to the start line.

Ahhhh…the start line. Walking up to it between the gates and on the bricks felt so awesome. Having the tall buildings on either side of us made it all so enormous. We prayed, we sang the national anthem and then we were off!

I had a great start and felt strong as I ran down Kearsly. I waved to the band as I passed by and made my first turn. Immediately, I felt a pain in my toes as if a blister was forming. I kept going, though. It was all so much fun. Pumping my fist in the air, high fiving the spectators, smiling, yelling thank you…I was having the best time.

And then I turned down Bradley Street and saw the hills…the dreaded Bradley hills. Crap.

I took a deep breath and went for it. I blasted through the first two and then yelled….really loud…"whoo-hooo!” The runners around me laughed. The spectators clapped. I was on such a runner’s high.

I saw the Smile FM van (Lansing’s Christian radio station). I yelled out, “God bless you, Smile FM!” The man next to the van chased me down to give me a pen. “No thanks,” I yelled back, “I’m already saved.” He told me to take it anyway so I clipped it to my shirt. Somewhere along the way, I spotted a man who looked...well, I suspected he was homeless. Of course, my own father was once asked if he needed a ride to the mission downtown as he walked home from the store...so I could have been wrong about this guy. I ran over to him and extended my hand. Surprised, he extended his and fived me as I passed by. Too cool.

I saw a little boy sitting on his front steps. I waved to him and became excited yelling “Good job! Keep running!” He was so cute. I passed a woman and saw her bib #. “Ohhhh…you’re a 10 miler,” I said. “You’re almost there!” I tried to encourage her and other runners. The crowds encouraged us the closer we got to the finish line.

Just before I hit the bricks, I saw some 10 milers walking on the sidewalk toward me. “You’re almost done!” the guy yelled. I smiled. “Hey, what are you listening to?” he asked.

“Rehab by Amy Winehouse,” I yelled.

“Great song,” he said as he was probably reading the Bible verse on the back of my running shirt.

As I was rounding the final corner, I saw the wedding taking place in the Playmakers tent. I smiled, hit the bricks, and took off. A light mist formed as I high fived the boy scouts lining the way. I crossed the finish line and felt good about my time. How could I not? I acted like the whole race was for me as I princessed waved to the crowds.

The rest of the crew met up and as it down poured, we decided to head back to Yi's for pizza. Problem was that the 5 mile walk was taking place on the road we needed to use to get out of town. Megan, Jenny, Peter, Joey and I stood at the edge of the parking lot and became the spectators, cheering the walkers on. It was awesome being on the other side of the whole Crim thing.

Finally, we left and made it back to Yi's. I pulled my sock off and saw the root of my pain. Apparently, and yes, this is a little gross, but apparently, my toenails were too long and dug into their neighboring toe's skin causing them to blister and bleed. Sick. Yes, I'm a runner.

I love this race. Next year…the 10 mile!

Run Thru Hell 4.8 2007

2007-08-13T08:01:00.000-07:00

Finish time: 51:25
Pace: 10:43
Place in age group: 39th Place

So, was it hell getting up at 4:15 a.m.? Or was the hell meeting in the Jackson National Life parking lot before the sun came up? Perhaps it was hell when we passed the road to hell (definitely not a highway) and had to turn around. But the hell could have been the long line at the port-a-john's (Mark Tenhove can probably comment on that more). No wait! The hell was waiting a half an hour for the race to start. Ha! That was nothing. The hell was actually the endless hills on a dirt road, having to pee and needing to eat.

Yeah. We all had our personal hells on this race.

And it was a blast...for me at least.

I liked getting up early and seeing my RivRunner friends before the sun came up. I liked getting to the race site an hour and a half early. I liked breaking in one of the first port-a-john's and then seeing the huge line half an hour later. I liked having time to hang out before the race started. I liked the hills because they were challenging and I could coast down the other side. I met people. I prayed for an enemy during mile 1. I walked a little bit. I almost gave up in mile 2. God rallied me in mile 3. I saw a smooshed snake. I ran in the shade. The devil gave me a Fireball jaw breaker. I blessed the people turning to run the 10 mile. A ten-miler passed me as I finished the 4.8. I didn't want to pass out when I finished the race, either.

I ran through Hell, MI. I loved it. And it's awesome to know that I only ran through hell but I don't have to stay there.

Beer Run 5K 2007

2007-06-16T21:00:00.000-07:00

FINISH TIME: 28:08.2
Came in 3rd in my age group.

THE BEST 5K EVER

It was hot. It was humid. I did not like the course which was partial pavement and partial "try not to twist your ankle on this uneven grass path." I am official in that I don't like running a loop twice. I do like out and backs but if I have to run the course twice and I hated it the first time, I'm going to hate it more the second time. I know they did the best they could with what they had. Those are my complaints but my compliments are plentiful.

First, they started us inside next to the beer tank thingys. How cool is that? It became more awesome when they said, "your first beer is on us." Whoo-hoo! As soon as we started, a cloud moved in front of the sun and stayed there for almost the whole run so even though it was muggy, the sun wasn't beating down on us (way to go, God). It was also fantastic to see other RivRunners at the race and to be asked about RivRunners by strangers. Of course, having my parents there to cheer me on is always a bonus, too. The food afterward was good and free (fish & chips from Chippy's and hot dogs from Merindorf's). I also enjoyed winning a prize when they drew my bib # and yes, I enjoyed winning third place (even though my time was slower than before). I realized, though, this was my favorite 5K when the owner announced that everyone wearing a bib # could go in and get a free 6 pack.

My third place and first place medals from the day.

Yes, folks, we got even more free beer! I picked up a variety so I could try them all. The best part of the whole event, though, was sitting with the RivRunners afterward, drinking our beer, eating our food and chatting. I love this group!

My dad and I (He's wearing the old Run 4 Shelter 5K shirt from the early 90s. So awesome)

Angel House 5K 2007

2007-06-16T10:00:00.000-07:00

Finish Time: 27:32.5

I took first in my age group! Whoo-hoo!!!!

I thought they had taken the steep hill out of this course but not so. They put it on at the beginning instead of the end. I took it slow and used my arms. The hill slowed me a bit but I didn't walk it and I didn't walk when I got to the top (oh, and I didn't throw up as I saw one woman doing half way up). It was my goal not to walk it but really, a walker could have passed me I went so slow. It was fun running through Mason. I miss it. I ran by Cherry Street and smiled at Joey's old house. I smiled even more as I remembered the walks we used to take around town. I laughed when I ran through the park because I remembered Jenny and I running through it last year. A dog came running up to us and freaked us out pretty bad. I liked the run and I like overtaking the girl I beat in the last two minutes. I really burned it up when I got on that track. I like tracks.

Ronald McDonald House 5K

2007-05-12T08:18:00.000-07:00

Overall Time: 27:05.9

Pace: 8:44/M

Place: 2nd out of 10 in my age group

Koman Race for the Cure 5K 2007

2007-04-30T04:55:00.000-07:00

Overall:420
Bib: 925
28:05: Final Time
Chiptime: 27:27

J.T., Me, Yi, Thie

I started the race with J.T. thinking I could maybe keep up with him (what a joke). As soon as we crossed the start line, J.T. yelled "35!" and then he vanished into thin air. I knew what "35" meant, though. We crossed the start line when the clock was at 35 seconds. So, I knew whatever the clocks said on the course, I had to subtract 35 seconds from it. I hit my baby wall around 1/2 a mile. Not sure why I do this but my body acts like it is going to shut down about a 1/2 mile into any race or actually into any run of mine. I pretend like it isn't happening and push through it. It lasts about a minute and then, I'm usually a running machine.

The weather was beautiful...and hot...and windy. We ran behind the captial and at one point, we ran past the Michigan Historical Museum. I suddenly remembered being 12 or 13 and working a water station for the Run For Shelter race. It was an awesome memory and propelled me through another 1/4 mile.We went up and down the streets behind the capital and at one point, the wind was so strong, I was running in place. But the song "Stand" by Rascal Flatts was on my MP3 player and the lyrics really pushed me on.

Cause when push comes to shove
You taste what you’re made of
You might bend ‘til you break
Cause it’s all you can take
On your knees you look up
Decide you’ve had enough
You get mad, you get strong
Wipe your hands, shake it off
Then you stand, then you stand

No walky for me. The other thing that kept pushing me on was hearing Todd Thie's voice before I left, "You will break 28 minutes today. Push hard after that 2nd mile." Well, after that 2nd mile, I was dead tired. I would try to step it up a bit but quickly, I moved back to a slower pace. It was around this time I started thinking about the Breast Cancer survivors, the ones who have it now and the ones who didn't survive. I saw the sign "In memory of Barb Farmer" on the back of someone's shirt and it inspired me to keep going.

I rounded the 2nd to last curb. This was where the good-looking police officer was standing. I admit to going out of my way just to high five him but it really encouraged me to step it up again. So did all of the people cheering us on from the sidelines. I knew MY people were on the corner of Capital street, though. Soon enough, I saw them...but there was a surprise there, too.

Joey had made it from Riverview to cheer me on. I saw him and then saw Todd sitting on the ground. He was yelling at me hard while taking pictures. Joey was holding up 2 fingers signaling how many blocks I had. Apparently, J.T. was there, too but there was so much going on. I turned that last corner and I tried to light it up. Problem was that I was running up a steady, small slope. The finish line looked a hundred years away. I could hear Joey yelling at me and running with me on the sidewalk. J.T. was right there, too. I tried...I really tried to push it but I was out of steam. Just before crossing the finish line, I saw my step-mom yelling for me. I gave her a half hearted wave, all I could muster, and then I crossed the finish line. 28 minutes. But after subtracting the 35 seconds, my actual time was 27:27. My personal best and I blasted my goal by 30 seconds.

After the race, someone handed me some sort of orange drink. I took a huge swig and almost threw up. It had fake sugar in it which makes me just sick. I wandered over to a building, calmed myself down, thanked God for getting me through it, and then found my step-mom. It was an awesome race. As we walked around looking for Joey, Todd, J.T., and Yi, people handed me a flower and then someone else put a medal around my neck. It was an awesome feeling. The best feeling, though, was seeing the survivor's faces...smiling through streaming tears, happy to just be there. Way cool.

Food & Fitness 5K 2007

2007-03-26T07:03:00.000-07:00

Overall Time: 28:14.3
Place in age group: 10
Pace: 9:06/M

Christine, Cory, Gretchen and I

Do you see me?

RivRunners

It was cold and the weather was a little damp but the overall run wasn't too bad. My cousin and his wife ran this event, too which was awesome. A whole bunch of people showed up from Riverview, too. Way cool. The actual course was cool. We ran along the lake at Hawk Island. Then, we did some trail running through the woods. I didn't too bad, though for the first time, I realized how much I like Chip times.

I almost threw up after crossing the finish line because I had to suddenly stop and wait for them to take the tear off on my bib. With Chip times, you can run right through the finish line and slow down at your own pace. All of the RivRunners did an awesome job. I came in 10th out of 41 in my age group. Not bad for the first run of the season!

Joey and Brenna

Brenna watching her mom and dad run in.

Red Dress Run 2007

2007-02-11T06:49:00.000-08:00

Good Idea: Run a race for charity.

Better Idea: Run it in a red dress.

Bad Idea: Sucking down a chocolate martini before finishing the end of the race.

Okay, that's the short of it. The long of it goes something like this...

Joey and I met up with Playmakers runners at Trippers. Our friend Levi had talked us into doing this run but what I didn't understand was that it wasn't so much a run as it was a pub crawl. First stop: MAC's Bar. The snot was frozen to my face. Yes, it was bitter cold. 5 degree wind chill. I couldn't reconcile doing a run and drinking beer at the first establishment so I had water. I wanted to run, too! I didn't like stopping. We spent about 20 minutes at each bar. We received two drink tickets at the start but I didn't use mine. Not even at the second stop, The Green Door. In fact, I took off a little early for Moriarty's. My parents were there waiting for us and I had a few sips of beer. I talked Levi into buying me a chocolate martini at 621. I traded him my two drink tickets for the martini. Problem was that 621 wasn't accepting the drink tickets. Oh well. The chocolate martini was only $5 and it was the best damn chocolate martini EVER (except for the homemade Joey chocolate martinis).

Of course, my stomach told me it wasn't a great idea while running to Tavern on the Square, our last stop. But, we finished and then took off for my mom's hoe down at her church. That was fun stuff, too because I got to square dance. I love to square dance :o)

Joey and Levi

UofM/MSU Tailgate Challenge 5k 2006

2006-10-10T07:07:00.000-07:00

Overall Results My Results: 29:20
5th out of 22
It was chilly and I've decided I do NOT like running in the cold. Uh-uh. No way. I'm done for the season. Well, not really. I'll probably do one more 5k at the end of the month and then one in Nov, one in Dec. You can see my hand clenched in a fist in the picture above because I was so COLD. Yi and I ran this race with the Michigan State fans going one way around the course. Joey ran it with the Michigan fans going the other way around the course. It was difficult to breathe so I ran a slower pace. I had to adjust my hair as it was falling out of the pony tail holders and snot was running down my face, so Yi and I slowed to a walk. After awhile, she coaxed me on and I took off by myself. It wasn't that fun of a run because I was cold. It was cool to give Joey a high five when we passed each other, though. I finished in less than 29:20 because they gave us all the same start time. My time was more like 29:10 or so but what are you going to do? Joey and Yi both did awesome.

Dino Dash 5K 2006

2006-10-02T07:09:00.000-07:00

Results
Overall time: 28:12 (Personal Best)
Mile: 9:05
Came in 24th out of 49 in my age group

Yes, another personal best…and I almost passed out from doing it. First of all, I was really tired. I did stretch well before and after the race so no sore muscles yesterday or today. I met up with Yi, her friend Katie, and Todd. My step-mom and Joey came down to cheer us on. Right before the race began, I saw Marge, the mouthy Christian woman. We prayed together which was soooo cool. Then, Yi and I prayed.

We were pretty scrunched in the starting gate. It was worse than the Crim but thinned out right away after crossing the start line. I was so tired. I almost started walking before I hit mile one. I wasn’t into the run at all. So many other things were going on in my mind. I realized several times I wasn’t smiling like I usually do. Toward the end, I really kicked it up and started looking for Todd. When I saw him, I pushed myself hard as he ran me in and crossed the finish line at 28:12. Wow. And then I was dizzy. So dizzy that I fell into a little kid. Well, I didn’t fall…I stumbled. The race workers were trying to get my chip off my foot but I waved them off and walked around. Joey and Todd found me and I sat down to stretch.

That is my step-mom in the gray & black (with tan shoes) cheering me in.

So maybe this 5k thing is getting a little old. Or maybe I am. Or maybe I need to work out during the week to help my run. Yeah. I’ll try that one. Yi, Joey and I are running the Tailgate Challenge on Saturday in Flint. I’m really looking forward to that!

Autumn Classic 8K 2006

2006-09-26T06:56:00.000-07:00

Results
Time: 51:473
95th Overall

We got to Lake Lansing and I was nervous. I knew I could run 4.97 miles but there was still the unknown of doing it. How would my body react? Would I have to walk at all? Joey helped me stretch and then we found my step-mom and her co-worker Michelle. They were going to be walking it. The weather was perfect: warmish, sunny, beautiful.

The race started and I took off a little too quickly. Not a great pace to keep for almost 5 miles. I knew the course somewhat from walking it last year with Suzanne. But now, I knew part of it better because Jenny lives off of Lake Drive. I passed her street and smiled, knowing she was inside her house getting ready to come out to cheer me on. I guess she had come out to the road with a bottle of water but by then, the walkers were going through. I paced with a man in his late 50s for awhile. It’s really cool pacing with someone you don’t know. It’s like unsaid teamwork. We eventually split up at the 1st water station and I was happy to be on my own again. I really cruised through the first two miles and was surprised that I was feeling okay. God and I were having a great time together.

At mile 3, I was passed by a blind man and his running mate. This was when I noticed a short woman running in front of me. Her shirt read, “He strengthens me.” I smiled. “I love your shirt,” I told her as we began to pace with each other. “Yes, you need a shirt like this…especially on Sunday,” she told me. “Everyday,” I said. As we ran together, I noticed how interactive the woman was with the supporters on the sidelines. A lot of them were from the Okemos High School track team and most just stood there, not saying anything at all. “Come on!” she yelled. “You’re supposed to be cheering us on, not standing there!” I couldn’t help but laugh. I just love waving to people, clapping back to them and pumping my fist in the year as I pass by. I love the encouragement planted along the race route. I remembered the year before when Suz and I were walking and this teenage supporter stopped talking on her cell phone briefly to say, “good job.”

When we hit mile 4, I just took off. I wasn’t unusually tired. I felt good. Thoughts of hunger and peeing filled my head and pushed me further. I also felt strengthened by the Lord. I finished pretty well and stretched after having a banana and piece of Great Harvest Cinnamon Bread. Joey and I had to leave to meet up with everyone for the Tigers game. As we approached the Mazda, a man asked for a ride. We both shrugged and said, “sure.” The man needed to go to Saginaw and Abbott streets. He had been waiting for his buddy to finish but the friend decided to stay for the awards ceremony. Our passenger needed to get home so he could get to church on time. Of course, this struck up some conversations about church. When we told him we go to Riv, he said, “yeah, I used to go there when it was in the Kellogg Center. I know Steve, Noel and Paul.” We explained how we have 5 pastors now and 5 services. This guy freaked out, “no way?!!?!” We kept asking him questions about his church and him but he kept turning it back to Riverview. After dropping him off, I turned to Joey and said, “why were we supposed to meet that guy?” He said, “maybe we aren’t supposed to know.”
Finish Photo

Capital City River Run 5K 2006

2006-09-26T06:49:00.000-07:00

Results
Overall time: 28:39 (Personal Best)
Came in 6th out of 12 in my age group
Picture of me and part of Paul (also, the mouthy Christian woman, Marge)

Driving to downtown Lansing, I rubbed my sleepy right eye and concentrated on the road. My car turned onto 496 West and for the first time, I noticed the foreboding black clouds rolling in. Yes, I had noticed the grey skies, misty rain and cold, strong breezes but it looked like the worst was yet to come. Instead of getting upset, I smiled. “Lord, just keep us safe and warm,” I prayed. Nuts. Forgot to mention DRY.

I parked in the structure on Grand. As I began to make my way down to Impression 5, I noticed lots of runners with their packets leaving. Not everyone was going to stick this out. Climbing down the stairs, I realized how slippery wood can be when wet.

So can leaves.

I didn’t bite it, but by the time I was walking along the river, my feet were squishy. Why was I doing this again?

I went inside of Impression 5 to put my running pants on over my shorts. I put another shirt over my Coolmax Long Sleeve. It was cold outside. Wandering around the parking lot, I began to wonder if my step-mom would show up. Then, I wondered if anyone from Riverview would still come. As I was wondering all of this, the rain picked up quite a bit. My face was no drenched, along with everything else. This was not fun. Holly does not like to be soaked.

I actually took brief refuge in one of the port-o-potties. Deciding this wasn’t a good idea, I used the facility and decided to head back to my car for a warmer, drier, nicer smelling place to make a decision.

I trudged forward through the wind and rain but I made my decision there, on the wet pavement: I was going to run this race no matter who showed up. It was hang time with God and I wanted it. I was going to have joy through a less than desirable situation.

I got to the Ion and tossed my running bag into the car. I grabbed my raincoat and umbrella. I was prepared to run alone.

On the way back to the start line, I saw Todd, a friend from Mason who ran the Angel House and Max’s race with us. Todd had decided he was going to run, too but had to go back to his car to get his stuff.

As we were catching up on life, I realized…it wasn’t raining. I laughed out loud and took off my hood. “Todd! It’s not even raining!” H smiled and we both looked up at the bright blue sky which was taking over the rain clouds.

Heading for the start line, I saw Paul, my pastor, and as I waited for him to pick up his running packet, I saw my step-mom searching for me. I was so excited and happy. I ran to her, hugged her and thanked her for coming. It was so awesome having her there. I saw Mike, who is a part of Rivrunners, and we all went with him when he lined up for the 10 mile.

After the National Anthem was sung, the 10 mile took off. It was our turn for the 5k. Paul said a quick prayer and we got behind the start line. Usually, I don’t run with people. But I decided since this was Paul’s first 5k, I would run with him. But when the race started, I realized the difference in our leg length was going to be a factor. I told him to run ahead but he stayed with me…and I stayed with him which increased my speed. We talked a little bit and really, I had such an awesome time. I even saw the mouthy Christian lady from the Autumn Classic last weekend. I asked her name as we passed her and she shouted, “It’s Marge!” So, now we know each other.

The race truly flew by. It had turned into a cloudless, blue sky with a little chill in the air. Perfect running weather. Paul and I opened up at the end a little too early and became winded. After slowing it down, we could hear the announcer at the finish line but couldn’t see it. I did see Todd, standing, waiting, next to the trail. I knew immediately he was going to run me in like he did for Max’s Race. I absolutely loved it. He told me to look up, zone out, stretch my legs…man, I was hauling. I hit that finish line and felt so good. Christine immediately grabbed my arm and handed me a water. “Holly…your time was 28:39!” I almost started crying, I was so happy.

Paul ran in behind me and then we walked a bit, though I need to walk and stretch right after I run instead of standing and talking to people. I got a cramp in my right calf because I didn’t stretch properly and now it’s sore. Grrrrrr…

So, now I have the Dino Dash this Sunday. Running that one with Yi, Todd and possibly, Joey. I need to take a break from these runs, though. They are getting expensive!

The Crim 2006

2006-08-30T06:31:00.000-07:00

Time:28:58
9:20 Mile
16th out of 91 runners my age
586th overall

Thanks for the prayers on my ankle. By mid-morning on Friday, there was no pain. The tendons were a little stiff but the pain was gone. So again, thank you!

JAC and I drove to Flint Saturday morning. We cut it too close. There were so many people down there that it was hard to find a place to park. By the time we got close to the start line, I had 20 minutes to find the registration and packet pick up. Remind me to never pick up my packet the day of the run! I stopped to ask some dudes where the packet pick up was located. “Inside the hotel.” Well, in order to get to the hotel, I had to cross in front of all the 8kers getting ready for their race. There were so many people.

Joey and I split up with me running ahead to get my packet. Upon entering the hotel lobby, I asked a woman standing in the ballroom door where the registration and packet table was located. “Follow the blue line.” So, I followed this %$@ blue line which zig zagged back and forth through all of these displays. I began to run and finally came to the end. Ahhhhh….packets.

I approached the table and confidently gave my name.

“You need to give me your number.”

“My number?”

“Yes, its located on the wall behind me.” Thousands of names were on this list but I found mine.

Now, last weekend when I ran the Shared Pregnancy Center race, I was number 13. My number for this race was like 3,969 or something. Crazy. So, I booked it out to the front of the hotel and my heart was pounding. There was no Joey and I thought the 5kers were lined up ready to start. I began to panic. I asked a woman how to get the chip on my shoe in order to time me. She didn’t know how. Either did I because Joey usually puts it on my shoe. So, I’m freaking out, losing control and the nicest man approaches me and puts the chip on. The race started. Tears were rolling down my face. “I can’t find my boyfriend. I have to run with my sweatshirt, t-shirt and my packet information.” This nice man took my stuff and told me he would check it in at the hotel under my race number.

I wiped my face and headed for the race.I think it was then that two things happened. The first thing I realized was the 8k had just started, not the 5k. So, I went into the hotel and started to stretch. What else could I do? It was then that Joey found me. He gave me my MP3 player and took my ID and bank card. We split up again with him going to find the stuff I had given a total stranger. I headed for the start line…the 5k start line. The second thing that happened was Yi and her dad were waving to me from the bank. I was so relieved to see them. I briefly spoke to her and then joined the runners. A few minutes before the race began, I ran back over to Yi and asked her to pray. Peace and comfort flooded my body. I was okay. Why had I even questioned God?

The race started but because of all the people, I couldn’t get my usual start. It took awhile, with people weaving in and out, running right in front of me (I almost plowed into someone because of it) but I finally broke through the crowd. The adrenaline was pumping. My spirits were lifted. We headed down Kearsly street and I noticed the 8kers coming the other way. I couldn’t help it. I clapped for them and some of them clapped for us. It was kind of like Merrill on Signs: “It just seemed wrong not to swing.” That is how I am when I’m running. I’m smiling, clapping, waving and feel uplifted.

As I rounded a corner, a specific song came on my MP3 player. The lyrics just blew me away.

If tomorrow is Judgment Day
And I'm standing on the front line, mmm...
And the Lord asks me what I did with my life,
I will say,
I spent it with you.

I started to cry. The holy spirit was on me. It was so strong that it just lifted me up, gave me peace, joy and I was spilling over in tears. I passed a church whose members were handing out water. They had a huge quote on a banner which said John 4:14 "but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." I just couldn’t stop smiling and said, “God bless you” as I accepted their glass of water.

It was nearing the end of the race. I had no clue what my time was or how I was doing. Corner after street corner started to grind on my nerves a bit. Where was the finish line already?! I wanted to grab a spectator by the shirt and yell, "my God!!! WHERE IS THE FINISH LINE??" But then, I turned my last corner, and there it was. I saw the clock counting down “29:12, 29:13, 29:14….” I hauled it with everything I had in me. The streets were lined with people. They were yelling and cheering us on. I crossed the finish line.

Yi and Joey found me right away. I was elated. I didn’t care I had finished worse than my race the week before. I finished the Crim! I didn’t realize what I big deal it was until my step-mom posted this message on our family website:

Holly is being modest. The Crim is listed in Runners World as one of the best 10 races to do in your lifetime. AND she came in 16th in her age group in a field of 91 runners. Considering she only started seriously training this summer makes that finish "huge" - esp. at her advanced age. Running is as much mental as physical - maybe more. I for one am totally impressed - as is her father. Run Holly Run!!!!!

As it turned out, my time didn’t start until I crossed the start line, not when the gun went off. So, I really ran it in 28:58. Pretty good. Really good. What meant more to me was running with God.

Shared Pregnancy Center 5K 2006

2006-08-22T06:47:00.000-07:00

Time: 28:45ish

Yi and I woke up early and made it down to the Shared Pregnancy Center 5K. My step-mom was already there, standing in the rain. Yi decided to run the 5K just before they began the race. This was my first time running in the rain. This was also the first time I ran on the Riverfront Trial. I had a great start and was having an awesome time with God. I prayed, ran with a smile, had joy flowing through my veins, felt swept up in the beauty of the raindrops hitting my face and the water. This trail runs through downtown Lansing and underneath some bridges.

As I approached one of the bridges, I realized someone was sleeping on the pavement. Yes, this run was taking me right by a homeless person. It was strange. Here I was running a 5K and looking forward to a hot shower and this person was sleeping under a bridge. I prayed and kept moving with the person on my mind.

It seemed like I reached the half way point sooner than I expected which boosted my confidence. The race route had us turn around and run the way we just came. It all felt so much easier than the time before. Of course, I pooped out a little when I saw the finish line. Still, I managed to finish in 28:45ish. I don’t have my exact time, though. Yi and Christine did awesome jobs as well.

Max's Race 2006

2006-07-08T07:43:00.000-07:00

Time: 29:37
Mile: 9:32
Placed 12th in my age group

Melissa, Christine and I ran in Max's Race today. It was my one year anniversary of my first race...which also was Max's Race. I shaved about a minute off my time and finished 12th in my age group. I wish I had done better but I was so proud that I didn't walk at all. Melissa did awesome. She ran it in about 23 minutes and came in 5th in her age group. So...what's next? I'm thinking....maybe a running club? Oh, and I'm looking for a run in August.

Todd and Melissa

Angel House 5K 2006

2006-06-10T22:00:00.000-07:00

RunTime: 30:33.5
Came in 3rd in my age group

It was such a beautiful day. Melissa Kranzo and Christine met me at Joey's house. We walked to the high school and met Levi Pulver, a chiro doctor who goes to Riverview. At the start line, I officially met Todd Thie whom I kind of knew through Joey.

Melissa and I ran together and talked almost the whole time. It kind of kicked my butt a little but the hill kicked my butt a lot! We finished in a decent time, though.

Todd, Melissa, Me and Christine.

Autumn Classic 8K 2005

2005-10-03T07:29:00.000-07:00

Suzanne, Christine and I walked this race. It was such a beautiful day and was an awesome chance to talk to Suz about a lot of stuff going on in our lives. I think the funniest part of the race was the girl on the cell phone. She was one of the cheering volunteers but could barely rip herself away from her phone conversation to say, "yay. great job." Suz and I laughed about it. I did get a blister. My first injury.

Max's Race 2005

2005-07-11T21:58:00.000-07:00

29:28

That was my finishing time in the 5k on Saturday morning. What an experience! I started out really slow and was being passed by everyone including dogs and strollers. I hung in there and kept my pace, only walking once near the end of the race to get my breath for 30 seconds. What kept me going? My MP3 player and Romans 5:3. I had read that verse in the morning, wrote it down on a little piece of paper and had it in my pocket during the race. I also prayed non-stop and could just feel God smiling on all of us. It helped that people were encouraging us as we ran. What really got me is when people would thank us for doing it. This brought me back to the point of why I was running in the first place: not for me but for Max. Can't wait for the next one!

Me, Wendy, Michelle and I at Oooh La La's after the race.

5K

2005-07-07T21:56:00.000-07:00

I'm running in Max's Race this Saturday on the campus of Michigan State. This will be my first 5k. I'm a little nervous. I hope I can finish decently. Of course, I haven't trained, unless you count walking all over Cologne, Heathrow and climbing Dom. That was all excellent exercise (not to mention the Ultimate Frisbee). I'm also worried about...fashion. Here is a conversation between my step-mother and I:

Holly: Yes, I know you shouldn't change shoes but mine are bright blue and ugly. Yes, I'm concerned about fashion. If/when I pass out at 2.6 miles, I want to look good. I don't want people saying, "look at the girl laying on the pavement with those ugly, blue shoes." Still, I'll probably be wearing them to protect my toes. Perhaps after I'm released from the hospital, we can go to Lady Footlocker. They are having a sale on running shoes: two for $90 (about $45 a piece). Or there is always DSW. I saw many pairs there.

Christine: While those shoes may be a drawback, I will, when I pass you, rip off my shirt, wrap it around your feet than continue to sprint to the finish line in my sports bra. They will pick you up and never notice the shoes until you get to ER. I will come down and quickly wisk you away to Lady Footlocker (after a crepe stop) to the applause of rescue workers. It sounds like a plan to me.Yes, I know it's shallow but it made me laugh. Focus on the shoes, not the race, then you will be less scared.