Mandy Runs Michigan 5K

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 which starts with the date:

Saturday October 21st 2023 5:00pm. 

Price:

I hate price increases!  I understand why races have them but 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 $30.00. (The age I started running in addition to being a very average fee based on all the 5K's I have ran.)  No race fee increases every few months.  

Kids under 12 are $15.00.  55+ discounted race fee of $25.00 

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 down the Marshall Riverwalk, past the Marshall Dam and through historic and huge Oakridge Cemetery.  Start and finish will be feet away from our home. 

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 tons of course volunteers to give you motivation and guide you.

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.  You will come make your way back to the start on the riverwalk (composite board), cross the bridge over the river once more before climbing a small hill 500 feet from the finish line. 

There will be music, funny signs and awesome (not terrifying) Halloween decor out on 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.  Walkers blow my mind.  I think they are amazing.  My awards are as follows:

Five Year Age Groups. 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).

10 and under

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

Age groups will go three deep in each category.

Overall awards will be for the 5K run ONLY and as follows:

Kids overall (13 and under)
Overall Male and Female (13-39)
Master's Overall Male and Female (40+)
Grandmaster's Overall Male and Female (60+)
Dogs are very much welcome and there will be three dog awards! 

First Overall Dog 
Second Overall Dog
Third Overall Dog

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 age group.  If you have a sprained ankle and can't move fast, you may still go home with an age group award. Sorry, no Turtle in Peanut Butter awards for 5K walkers.

Due to my weekly traveling and high mileage to get to races all over the state I will have one award for the participant that travel's the longest distance to come to my race. 

One "Mandy Runs Michigan" award (free admission to 2024 Mandy Runs Michigan 5K)  Yes, I hope that this will be an annual race with enough support. The participant with the closest time to the time I run the course the night before 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 already 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.

Swag! 

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

Race shirts to everyone (I will order extra in every size and 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 be a soft cotton that feels nice. 

If you want to guarantee a race shirt in your hands on race day, please register by October 9th. Registering after 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! (If you work your butt off to cross the finish line at my race I'll have a finisher medal waiting for you that everyone deserves no matter what their time is. 

Goodie bags with a few extra fitness items for everyone. 

An awesome bib you'll want to keep. 

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

Food! 

It won't just be bananas, granolas and water. I'm hoping to have a few food trucks as well as some amazing goodies. Macaroni and cheese, giant fruit bowl, hot apple cider....to name a possible few. 

Costume Contest:

Anyone that knows me knows how much I love making homemade costumes and running in them.  I will be judging a costume contest for any registered participant (you don't have to run in your entered costume).  Homemade costumes will get extra points.  Creativity is the best.  One costume will receive a $25 gift card to a local Halloween Store. 

Parking:

We will have lots of parking by Riverside Bar.  See maps below. (Overflow parking included)

Packet Pick-Up:

Only available on race day from 12:00 up to race start (5:00pm).... or beyond.  I have shown up late to more races then I want to admit to...and 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.   

Timing:

The most awesome Michigan Running Foundation (Chuck and Luke) will be timing the race.  You will have chip timed accurate results that get to you within seconds of finishing if you opt for text/email results. 

Misc Awesomness:

There will be a photo backdrop
We will have awesome music playing before, during and after the race
We will start the race following the National Anthem and 30 seconds of the ...."The Macarena."