Mandy Runs Michigan Summer Breeze 5K

Attention:  I left my 2023 swag, food and award pictures up below as a reference. They are not what I will be giving out in 2024. They are there to show people what they can expect at my race and will be updated as I confirm new awards. 

Attention Returning 2023 Participants:

What will be different at the 2024 MRM 5K:

AMAZING LEAD CYCLIST SPEEDY SLOTH A.K.A The one and only Jakob Henrisken.

More cones and more signs on the course. 

More packet pick-up station check in volunteers.

An actual 3.1 mileage 5K course.

Additional aide station and cooling towels for participants on course. 

Oldest Dog Participant Award. 

Fastest Dog Participant Award. 

Slowest Dog Participant Award. 

Something special for all my first time 5Kers (walker and runners) 🙂

...and maybe more, because knowing me, I can't just stop there. ^_^

Hi I'm Mandy!

I've been running for six years on the date of my inaugural Mandy Runs Michigan 5K October 21, 2023.  In July 2019 I came up the idea to run in every city in the state of Michigan that held a  race event (1 mile or greater).  I wanted my running to stay fun and be more than a finishing result.  With that in mind I came up with Mandy Runs Michigan.  I have been running every weekend since I started running.  By race time I will be halfway to my goal at 225 cities and have run 350 races in the state of Michigan. 

I wanted to use my experience observing and participating in races to race direct my own race that combined all the wonderful things I've seen throughout the last six years and avoided all the things I didn't like.  The Mandy Runs Michigan 5K will be just that, with tons of personal symbolism.

Date:

Sunday July 21st at 6:00pm.

This is summer run. Summer is not my favorite running season. I love running in Winter. 

Due to the possible July heat I will be adding one additional aide station in the first mile before the cemetery. I will also have cool towels in a cooler on the course for participants to grab and use.

You will pass water stations FOUR times in 3.1 miles. 😎👌

I'm going to do everything I can to make sure my participants stay hydrated and cool in Michigan's sometimes brutal summer heat. 

The 5K course has sporadic areas of shade. There are not long sections with continued shade. 

Price:

I dislike price increases, but understand why races have them.  As long as I have the Mandy Runs Michigan 5K race registration will be the same amount until race day.  On race day there will be a $5.00 increase. My race fee is a set $38.00.  No race fee increases every few months.  

17 and under are $25.00.  55+ have a discounted race fee of $33.00 

Course:

My favorite race distances are first and foremost the 5K, followed by half marathons.  My race will only have one distance (5K) for at least it's first few years.  No kids race, but kids do get a discount. ^_^  The course will take participants parallel to the Marshall riverwalk windling along with the Kalamazoo River, past the Marshall Dam and through historic and huge Oakridge Cemetery.  Start and finish will be just past Darkhorse Brewery and Riverside Pub on West Pearl Street. 

I've run my share of short and long 5Ks.  You can count on this race to be within .1 miles of a true 5K unless you like to zigzag while you run. 

There will be a halfway point timer on the course to help with pace. 

There will be course volunteers, signs, chalk and cones to give you motivation and guide you.

There will be two aide stations on the course.  One in the first mile and the second at the top of the cemetery entrance.  Participants will go past each station twice.  It will be like having four aide stations! 🤩 Aide stations will have water, Gatorade, assorted snacks and a water dish for dogs. 

The course will start out on a road but quickly go over a bridge over the Kalamazoo River, followed by an oversized sidewalk, regular sidewalk, across one main road with a traffic light (you won't have to stop) back to a road and finally on a mix of paved and dirt/gravel cemetery roads.  There is one very small grass section of course towards the end of your time in the cemetery.  You will make your way back the way you started, cross the bridge over the river once more, before climbing a small hill 62 feet from the finish line. 

IMPORTANT:  Follow signs and stay BETWEEN orange cones when you see them.  This will insure you are on the right course.  The cemetery has a great amount of turns. We will have directional signs at each of them.  In 2023 I was told cemetery course signage was awesome and I plan to keep it that way.  

Is the course hilly?  Yes, at times.  You go down a hill to start where you can gain a lot of momentum.  The course is pretty flat on the way to the cemetery.  There is a very slow inclining hill to get up into the cemetery (about .75 of a mile) as well as a very steep but short lived hill when you make your way up on the grass portion of the cemetery (after two miles).  There are a few ups and downs in the cemetery.  You end the course by coming up the first downhill you started on.  You probably won't be running your fastest in the last 62 feet of my race.  ^_^

There will be music, funny signs and motivational chalk messages along the course. 

Awards: 

If you are not someone who likes staying for a long award ceremony....we are going to have a long ceremony.  The awards ceremony will start shortly after every participant finishes.  We will go oldest to youngest or as I like to think of it...most inspiring to youngest.  I will try to get through it as fast as possible and I hope to have seating for everyone so you can relax and snack on awesome food while we go through it.

I want fast participants, slower participants, old participants and younger participants to go home with awards at my race.  I want people that wouldn't normally expect to receive an award to go home with an award.  I think walkers, stoller pushing participants and dog participants are amazing.  My awards are as follows:

Five year age group awards. Award categories will start at 10 and under and end at 90+ for runners and walkers.  Please register for appropriate race accordingly.  If you are caught running the 5K walk you will be disqualified and possibly not allowed to return to a future Mandy Runs Michigan Race (depending on how you own up about it).  However, registered runners are more than welcome to take walking breaks or run half and walk half of the course.  I am a race walker in addition to being a runner and I want to keep the walking category of awards fair. I have no respect for purposeful course cutters.  If caught they will receive no official time at my race and may not be allowed to return to a future MRM race.  I've caught a cheater at a race.  Don't do anything to give yourself an unfair advantage on my course. 

Age group categories for the 5K run and walk:

10 and under

11-13
14-16
17-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85-89
90+

Age groups will go three deep in each category.

Overall awards will be for the 5K run and walk an are as follows:

Kids Overall Male and Female (13 and under)
Overall Male and Female (13-39)
Master's Overall Male and Female (40+)
Grandmaster's Overall Male and Female (60+)

Overall winners will be pulled out of their perspective age groups and not elligible for age group awards.  Don't worry, you're getting something even cooler for being so fast. ^_^  I don't believe in double dipping overall and age group awards at races. 

There will be some very special awards you probably haven't seen often at other races.

Turtle in Peanut Awards will be given to the slowest finisher in each 5K run and walk age group.  If you have a sprained ankle or plantar fasciitis flare and can't move fast, you may still go home with an age group award. 

Due to my weekly traveling and high mileage to get to races all over the state I will award the participant that travels the longest distance to come to my race. 

Fastest Golden Stroller Award:  Bring your little ones that can't run and you could take home the golden stroller award.  It was not claimed in 2023.

Two "Mandy Runs Michigan" awards to the participants with the closest time to what I run and walk the course the week before the race.  These two people will receive the most prestigious award (in my humble opinion) ....The Mandy Runs Michigan title (for 365 days).  If you follow my Facebook page you may know my average 5K time, but I am affected by what I eat and what I am going through on any given day, so it can vary by a lot.

Dogs!

...are very much welcome and there will be three dog awards! ^_^

First Overall Dog 
Second Overall Dog
Third Overall Dog

NEW TO 2024:  I will have an "Oldest Dog Participant" award to be given to our oldest participating dog. 

Unique dog finisher medals to all dog participants.

Water stations at start and finish and aide station for dogs.  

Swag! 

My favorite part of racing.   What is an in-person 5K event without a little piece of memorabilia to take home with you?

Race shirts to everyone!  I will order extra in every size based on what is ordered by July 7th.  If I don't have your size on race day I will get you a shirt after the race, even if I have to Cricut it myself.  Race shirts will have bright colors that most likely include purple and be incredibly light weight and soft to the touch.

IMPROTANT DATE: If you want to guarantee a race shirt in your hands on race day please register by July 7th.  Registering after July 7th may result in a race shirt being mailed and delay you being able to wear it around. 😎

Michigan themed high quality finisher medals to everyone that finishes!  If you work your butt off to cross the finish line at my race I'll have a beautiful finisher medal waiting for you.  Every participant deserves a finisher medal at my 5K no matter what their time is. 

An awesome bib you'll want to keep. 

Food! 

Not just a banana, granola and water bottle on your post-race menu....much more!

I'm hoping to have one food truck in 2024 if I can swing it. 

If not, you will still have a fantastic post-race menu that will include options for GLUTEN FREE and DAIRY FREE participants to enjoy.  Our son has Celiac Disease.  I know all too well the struggles of finding gluten free items at races.  

In 2023 I had noodle cups, hot chocolate, a gluten free cookie platter, chocolate covered monster pretzel sticks, cheese balls, pirate booty, Slim Jims and more!

Parking:

We will have lots of parking at the HUGE parking lot of Progressive Dynamics (located directly west of the start and finish). 

The address you will want in your GPS is:

507 Industrial Road Marshall, MI 49068 

See maps below. (Overflow parking included)

Packet Pick-Up:

Only available on race day from 4:30pm until race start at 6:00pm.... or beyond.  I have shown up late to more races then I want to admit to.  Thanks to our wonderful Michigan Running Foundation timing guys you can start late and still get accurate timing. I will have a volunteer manning the registration table for a few minutes after race start.  When you park at Progressive Dynamics head due east.  Go past Darkhorse Brewery and Riverside Pub.  You will see Michigan Running Foundation's bright yellow flags at the start and finish area at the top of the hill on West Pearl Street just before it dead ends into the riverwalk. 

Timing:

The amazing Michigan Running Foundation (Chuck and Luke) will be timing the race for the second year in a row!  You will have chip timed accurate results that get to you within seconds of finishing if you opt for text/email results during registration.  

Misc Awesomness:

There will be a photo backdrop.
We will have awesome music playing before, during and after the race.  My hand picks from my 800+ running album on Pandora. 
We will start the race following the National Anthem and 30 seconds of the ...."The Macarena."

Virtual Mandy Runs Michigan Race Option:

I have a virtual race option for anyone who cannot attend my live event but would like to support me.
Registration is $4 more at $43 to cover cost of shipping your medal and shirt

Virtual participants can submit results between Sunday July 21st at 6:00pm until July 31 at 11:59pm.
Registration for my virtual race will stay open until 11:59pm on race day.

Virtual participants will receive a shirt and finisher medal by mail that will be mailed out the week of August 1st.
If I have age group awards left over from my live event I will award virtual participants but I cannot guarantee this.