MI Trail Challenge

This is the run that got me into ultra running. I don’t really care about races or distances. I have a dream of running this trail on a beautiful fall day. I’ve ran parts of it and it is always the most beautiful trail run I’ve ever done. It is a truly amazing place on the earth! This page will start as a planning page for me and my team (1 other person confirmed: thanks Patrick!). It will hopefully become a page joyfully and painfully detailing the completion of this dream.

Timing:

I’ll start in Grand Marais at sunrise or a little before. This will be in the first or second week of October with a 3 day weather window – waiting on Holt Schools to let us know when break is but it doesn’t totally matter. The earlier in October I run, the slower I can go. I have to beat the sunset (although I’ll bring a headlamp just in case).

Pacing:

8 hours: 11:19/mile (nope!)

9 hours: 12:44/mile (probably doable!)

10 hours: 14:09/mile (you never know!)

So even at a very slow pace of 14:09/mi I’ve got the daylight I need! I think keeping the pace below 12 will be a good goal. My 31 mile pace on the Poto (which is actually hillier – Poto – 31mi = 3,035 ft gain, Pictured Rocks Trail – 42mi =2,267 ft gain) was 12:02 elapsed so if I can keep that for the first 31 I should be good.

Aid:

Patrick, pacer extraordinaire, engineering marvel, and ultra-running comeback kid, will be helping along the way and running a portion with me. Ryan and Alexis are also joining to make sure I don’t start too fast and that I finish without falling off a cliff. Here’s the info all in one place for Patrick and the team to work their magic!

Trail Location	Overall Mileage	Mileage from Last	Mileage from parking to trail
Grand Sable Visitor Center (GSV)	0	0	0 (Note: Visitor Center Closed)
Log Slide	5.3	5.3	0.25
Hurricane River	8.7	3.4	0
12 Mile Beach	11.5	2.8	0
Beaver Creek	20.4	8.9	1.5
Chapel Beach	26	5.6	3
Mosquito Beach	30.4	4.4	2
Miner’s Castle	35.4	5	0
Sand Point	39.5	4.1	1
Munising Falls Visitor Center	42.4	2.9	0

The trickiest spots are in the middle. 12 Mile Beach is aptly named with at least an 8.9 mile section to Beaver Creek with quite the trek from the parking area. Then Chapel Beach and Mosquito Beach are as equally far from each other as they are from the parking area. Seems like Patrick joining me from 12 Mile Beach to Mosquito Beach or even Miner’s Castle might make the most sense but that’s a lot of miles. Alexis will start and go 5 or so. Ryan will finish the last 10? All of this is subject to argument and change!

Training:

I’d say I’m slightly de-trained from when I did my 31 miler in late May. I’ve got to get consistent miles, long runs and back to back long runs in. I have to keep dialing in eating, hydrating and equipment for the that distance. Since it is very remote, I especially want to crush this and not get crushed. Below is an ideal training plan – I need my long runs to mimic the trail run as much as possible so they will be slow loops on trails with the van as an aid station. I’ll certainly switch up dates of runs but shoot for close to this mileage as I work around the Quad and DWD.

Week	Day	Date	Miles	Notes
1	M	July 27	6
50m	T	July 28	6 x .5 – 7-9
	W	July 29	6
	Th	July 30	8
	F	July 31	Rest
	Sa	August 1	10	UP
	Su	August 2	10	UP
2	M	August 3	5	UP
60m	T	August 4	7 x .5	UP
	W	August 5	11
	Th	August 6	Rest or Makeup
	F	August 7	6
	Sa	August 8	Marathon
	Su	August 9	12
3	M	August 10	Rest
70m	T	August 11	6
	W	August 12	8 x .5
	Th	August 13	6
	F	August 14	12
	Sa	August 15	31
	Su	August 16	13
4	M	August 17	Rest
56m	T	August 18	8
	W	August 19	Pyramid 9
	Th	August 20	6
	F	August 21	7
	Sa	August 22	13
	Su	August 23	13
5	M	August 24	Rest	Recovery/Lake George
25m	T	August 25	6
	W	August 26	6
	Th	August 27	Rest
	F	August 28	3
	Sa	August 29	Lake George
	Su	August 30	6
6	M	August 31	Rest
60mi	T	September 1	8
	W	September 2	Pyramid 9
	Th	September 3	3
	F	September 4	7
	Sa	September 5	26
	Su	September 6	10
7	M	September 7	6
47 mi	T	September 8	6 x .5
	W	September 9	6
	Th	September 10	Rest
	F	September 11	7
	Sa	September 12	20
	Su	September 13	Rest
8	M	September 14	6
53 mi	T	September 15	6 x .5
	W	September 16	6
	Th	September 17	Rest
	F	September 18	7
	Sa	September 19	20
	Su	September 20	6
9	M	September 21	Rest	Recovery DWD
35 mi	T	September 22	6
	W	September 23	4 x .5
	Th	September 24	6
	F	September 25	Rest
	Sa	September 26	DWD 13
	Su	September 27	6
10	M	September 28	6	Taper
33 mi	T	September 29	4 x .5
	W	September 30	6
	Th	October 1	Rest
	F	October 2	8-10
	Sa	October 3	6
	Su	October 4	Run?	Repeat Taper Schedule Until Run
	M	October 5	Run?
	T	October 6	Run?
	W	October 7	Run?
	Th	October 8	Run?
	F	October 9	Run?
	Sa	October 10	Run?
	Su	October 11	Run?
	M	October 12	Run?

It’s getting real! Pat has provided a three tiered logistical breakdown based on which friends are able to join the run. (Thank you Pat!)

I ran a training trail marathon on Friday and followed it up with a half on Saturday and it felt pretty good. I’ll do another 50k early September followed by a half the next day. I keep trying to imagine what the day will be like – I can’t wait!

On July 3rd I went with 4 friends to bike the DTE Foundation Trail. It’s been a few years since I biked there and I kept hearing great things and comparisons to Copper Harbor. It exceeded my expectations! We had a blast covering over 20 miles of trails (I forgot to restart my watch so didn’t get the whole activity mapped). It’s less than an hour from my house and will definitely be a go to trail! I realized I need a larger front sprocket because there were about a dozen times I wanted more speed but I was topped out. It’s on order! Nothing more to report!

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My recent trip to Bellaire made me think that day trips to anywhere in the lower peninsula are doable and fun if you leave early enough and don’t care when you get home. My friendship with Patrick has been forged on the habit of saying yes to bad ideas; mostly mine. But this one was his. The plan was to leave early, run the Jordan River Pathway Loop (between Gaylord and Bellaire), drop kayaks, drive the van to the end of the river, bike back to the kayaks, kayak the river, load the kayaks, go get the bikes and then grab a beer from Short’s. If it sounds complicated, that’s because it was. I didn’t totally understand it until it was done. Luckily, Pat is an engineer and had it all worked out. The logistics part was flawless. The actual running, biking and kayaking was a series of brief horrors mixed with beauty that I’ve rarely experienced in the Lower Peninsula.

The Run

We left at 5am and hit the trail right around 8am. The weather looked really scary the whole way up. Running in the rain is fine but running in lightning – not so much. Patrick avoided looking at the radar so he could maintain plausible deniability. When we arrived the storm split around us and we were good to go on a cooler (high of 80F), cloudy morning run.

The run started with a huge downhill that seemed to go on forever. The elevation chart shows it as a 5 minute, .5 mile downhill. And when we reached the bottom things continued to go downhill that weren’t based on elevation. We were immediately soaked by dew and raindrops on the overgrown trail making it an 18 mile run in wet shoes and socks. Not a big problem. I slipped on a wet log and flew like superman into the mud. From my neck to my ankles I was covered. At the river I took off my shirt and soaked it so I could use it to wipe sweat off of my face without mudding my face up. Also, not such a big deal. I rolled my ankle on a downhill but ran through it. No problem.

But there was a problem. The Covid virus is teaching our world that small things can be a really big deal. I feel like I’ve already learned that but I got another crash course on our crash course in the northern woods and the teachers we deer flies. Deer flies are the worst. I had a terrible deer fly run at Burchfield a few weeks ago but that was nothing compared to the onslaught of the hungry hoard of the Jordan River Pathway. I probably killed 100. They would land on my hat and shoulders by the dozens. I killed one with each eye lid and swallowed one. They inflicted their damage too. I had bites all over that swelled and itched. The ones on my head swelled up as if I had hit my head repeatedly. I had a nose bleed from the outside from two bites (a first!). Fortunately for Patrick the flies REALLY liked me more. He kept his distance and watched the horror as we went up and down the hills. “It never always gets worse” is something Patrick likes to say. It kept me going as the flies would only stick around for a couple of miles at a time and then I’d get a couple of relatively fly free miles before they’d come back with their hungry buddies for another fresh flesh party. I’ve never really known what to do with my arms while running. I look like a stocky T-rex. I was glad I could employ them as fly swatters as we ran. Our pace was quickened in the fly zones as we were more fleeing than running. If anyone had seen me running and flailing they would have thought I was absolutely crazy but there was no one else on the 18 mile trail. Despite checking trail updates we must have missed the fly memo.

We got back to our van over 18 miles and 3.5 hours later and despite the challenges it was an amazing run! Over half of it was North Country Trail and the river was absolutely beautiful. The color of the water is hard to describe; milky white and translucent blue. The mist was smoky. The ridges and hills occasionally opened up to glorious vistas. At one point on a bridge over the river, despite the swarm of flies, we stopped and I spontaneously prayed a prayer of praise because it was just so awe-inspiring. I also implored God to kill all deer flies even at the cost of ecological collapse and there were less flies from that point on. So if the environment takes a turn for the worst you know who started it.

The Bike

The 9 mile bike ride featured a welcome lack of excitement as we headed back to our kayaks for a river adventure.

The Kayak

The kayak was an unexpected return to peril. I’ve only taken my kayak on flat rivers, ponds and lakes so even the light rapids of the Jordan River offered a steep learning curve for me. I got pinned by a few trees but was able to dislodge without tipping. Some people we passed who had rented kayaks weren’t so lucky. Pat even managed to get a picture of me stuck in a tree because that’s what friends are for. The river was so beautiful; the water refreshingly cold. I learned that with a longer kayak I have to be aggressive in turns and trouble spots or the river will take the long side of my kayak where it wants to go (which is always in a tree). We saw kingfishers, a large water snake sunning and a family of mergansers walking on water and diving underneath. When we disembarked we had traveled over 36 miles by ped, peddle and paddle. We headed to Bellaire and made the most of Short’s takeout window since things are still weird from Covid. The drive home, like the entire day, was filled with great conversation from the mundane to the meaningful. Patrick gets a 9 out of 10 for adventure planning. The flies were out of his control but someone has to be blamed. In the end, the mantra proved true. It doesn’t always get better, but it never always gets worse!

After a super tough week (mostly job related) I took off after a meeting in GR to go up to one of my happy places: Bellaire, MI. The city is a paradise for committed alcoholics with Short’s Brewing, Mammoth Distillery, Bee Well Mead/Cider, a wine shop and a bar all within the 2 blocks that make up the downtown. It’s also a paradise for hiking, biking and trail running with the Glacial Hills natural area just outside the city limits. I had fat biked the well groomed trails in February and was looking forward to taking my new XC bike for a spin and get some miles in toward the challenge. I prepped all week and got my gear around so I could camp in the back of my van at the trailhead but I wasn’t fully committed.

Having felt the weight of the world on my shoulders for the last couple of weeks, the very first step out onto the north part of the trail was reinvigorating. I ran the windy trails with some pep in my step and prayed and meditated. A storm must have rolled through earlier in the week because there were many large trees down across the trail and these trails are known for being well groomed and taken care of. My mood and the downed trees provided a revelation as I prayed and ran. These trees had weathered many storms. Why was it this one that brought them down even as others stood tall through it? I could see some had become rotten or had bugs and woodpeckers. Maybe it was another weak tree that hit a stronger tree as it fell. Or was it the accumulation of storms over the years? I thought about how down I was feeling and jumping over the trees gave me a renewed desire to be resilient. This wasn’t going to be the storm that brought me crashing down.

After running the north loop I hopped on my bike for the south outer loop. SO MUCH FUN. The bike is awesome and the trails were like roller coasters. I’m getting used to riding with clips and I didn’t crash so that was also a bonus. I made it back around 7pm and headed into Bellaire to do some reading, writing and meditating at Short’s.

But COVID had struck Bellaire. There was no getting into Short’s until just a few minutes before they closed and an isolated rain shower settled in overhead. All I could do was go back to my van and wait it out. I decided to chicken out on the van camping idea and just head home. I was rewarded with a rainbow and one of the worst nights of sleep I’ve ever had in my own bed. In the future, when I do day trips I think I’ll get up really early and try to come back in the afternoon – no van camping. Maybe I could get away once a month?

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I suppose every runner has a trail or path that they run on more than any other. For most, it’s whatever route is right outside their front door. This is certainly true for me and I feel especially blessed by my go to trail.

I love these trails so much that they are the reason I live where I live. For a decade before I was able to live near the park I would drive 20 minutes to come and wander the trails and pray. Those woods are my prayer spot and the trees know what’s really going on in my heart as much as God does.

Compared to other trails in Michigan, I’m not sure this humble county park would win any awards or be a destination spot. One time I was running and there was an unusually large group of people walking around and looking lost. They stopped me and asked me where the fall leaves were. Apparently Pure Michigan had put a picture of Burchfield in the fall on their Instagram and these people had driven all the way from metro Detroit. But the picture must have been from another year because the colors hadn’t popped yet.

The leaves are very beautiful in the fall and the park is wonderful in all seasons but it’s a humble spot. And that’s one of the reasons I love it. It’s not special because it’s spectacular. It’s special because it’s right there and it’s always ready for me even when it’s muddy, buggy, icy, or humid.

Since I’ve run here so many times (5x a week most weeks), there are many places that have gained meaning. There’s a spot where early one spring I was really struggling. I hadn’t run much and my hips were killing me to the point I had thought about walking. Then I swallowed a bug – like right down the windpipe – and I started choking. I choked so much and I was already so fatigued that I threw up next to the trail. It’s maybe not the kind of memory I wish I had but that spot on the trail never lets me forget that humbling moment.

On top of that I often think of that poor bug. It had probably just come to life. Maybe just took off for its first flight and then it ends up being swallowed by a limping, sweaty giant and then expelled in a pool of vomit. I think the bug had a worse day than me. But I did feel pretty bad walking home.

I have many more memories of the park: prayer spots, interestingly aroused trees, animal encounters and runs solo or with good friends. Since it’s my go to I’m sure I’ll tell more tales from these trails even if the mileage only counts once. The blue loop is almost a perfect 6.2 from my front door by the way. And I’ve got to count my go to as the first 6.2 of this challenge.

I’m sure there all kinds of other go to’s in life. I think the trick is staying grateful, embracing the humble, and not letting it become mundane.

Where do bad ideas begin?

Good ideas seem to happen in garages. Seems like that’s where all the tech companies got their start. I should spend more time in my garage. But where do bad ideas begin?

In regards to this idea it’s more of a question of when. I just turned 40 and we’re in the midst of a global pandemic. In fact, in Michigan the day of my 40th birthday was the day that more people stayed home than any other day. Not what I was thinking my 40th would be like.

So this bad idea has been hatched from a combination of midlife crisis and global crisis. Seems like the perfect place to start!

I’ve been running for about 10 years but things got serious last year. I ran over over 100 miles in January (a bad idea that came to me on New Years Eve). Then, as Forest would say, I just kept running. And I logged over 1100 miles for the year. This year I trained for my first ultra. I actually ran my first marathon during training and my race that was supposed to be in the UP was cancelled so I ran a “virtual” 50k on the Poto at Pinckney Recreation Area.

I love running and I love Michigan. Like I really love Michigan. I never want to leave the state. I don’t like discovering new places that aren’t in Michigan. I don’t totally know why. I think part of me is afraid I’ll find something better and not like where I’m at as much. But when I have traveled, even to tropical places or the mountains, I’ve still never found anywhere I like better than Michigan, especially the UP.

The other thing I’m in love with (besides my family of course!) is God. I’m a minister for an amazing church in Lansing, MI. I use my runs to pray and meditate. I get ideas (all the ideas from God have been really good!) and I work things out in my heart, mind and soul. He talks to me among the trees and I try to listen as I pant along.

So why set a goal of running (biking and kayaking) as many unique Michigan trails as possible? Honestly, I’m not totally sure. They’re there. It’s something to do. I think with my race getting cancelled and more and more races getting cancelled, it’s cheaper and more reliable to just do epic runs on your own or with a few friends. My goal in running the 50k was never actually the race. I want to run the 42 mile Pictured Rock Lakeshore Trail one day this fall. In researching where to run my cancelled 50k virtually I saw so many great trails that are always accessible. My schedule is flexible so I see day trips to trails around the state and vacations based on epic runs in my future. Having a crazy goal that will take years will add some structure to my running too.

So here are the rules for MI Trail Challenge:

• Miles only count once toward the total
• Find interesting trails and places in Michigan
• Trails can be hiked, biked, run or paddled – mostly running
• Run each trail in one run whenever possible
• Cluster runs of shorter trails in areas of MI together
• Keep track and map original miles and numbers of runs
• Past runs count if I write about them
• Blog and take pictures along the way, keep it humble and humorous
• Bring people with me
• Combine trails with trail races when possible
• Have fun!

So, I’ll be writing blog posts about these trail adventures in Michigan. I’ll share pictures and videos. I’ll track original miles covered on trails, the number of unique runs I take, and I’ll map where I’ve run all over this amazing state. Oh and there might be some thoughts about God in there too.