A simple blog about food, cooking, family, friends and the fun of ultra running. From the eyes of Chef Bill Bailey.

Thursday, May 1, 2008

MI TRAIL MARATHON 2008

Good Food, Good Friends, Great Time....
Michigan Trail called us back for another beating. About a dozen of us from VR TRAINING & VERTICAL RUNNER headed over. Just like the website states NO WIMPS!!! For myself I was ready for a brutal beating.
We stayed at the Best Western in Howell MI again this year. We were going to find a place to eat but it was Graduation week and we couldn't find a reservation. I put my culinary skills to work and cooked us up some carb loaded vegan & meat dishes that satisfied everyone.

I had to register under #274. They didn't have me register so they found William Bailey 39 running the half. I was register as Bill Bailey (not william) and I'm 41. After checking the results William is from Milford MI. I called to have them change #274 to my name, age and city. CRAZY...
I have to thank Melissa for my time. We ran the first loop together (2:21) we were smokin...I thought...this isn't good last year I came in at 2:25 and finished 5:30. Once we hit the second loop Melissa took off. I stayed back watched my pace and time trying to figure out if I was going to PR or not without crashing.
Speaking of crashing, Meet CRASH Todd "CRASH"Bolgrin (Mel Bogrin's Husband)

More about CRASH later.
Vegans & Meateater eating in harmony

Chef Bill Smokin up our non-smoking room.
Crash-Great Knife Skills.

Michigan Trail Marathon & Half Marathon
The weather was perfect…the trails were beautiful…and the performances rocked!
This is a tough race and everyone should be very proud!
For race results visit: http://trailmarathon.com/
Congrats to the following VR Training Group Runners in the Michigan Trail Marathon:
Vince Rucci: 3:27 (VINNIE GOT BEAT BY A GIRL!!!)
Mel Bolgrin: 4:37
Melissa Cairns: 4:51 (GREAT JOB!!!! THANKS FOR PULLING THROW THE FIRST LOOP)
Chef Bill: 4:58 (TRAIL MARATHON PR...AND GOT BEAT BY A NUMBER OF GIRLS AND A FEW OLD LADIES)
Denise Flores: 5:07
Tami Menssen 5:29
Danielle West: 5:30
Congrats to the following VR Training Group Runners in the Michigan Trail Half Marathon:
Robyn Cutler: 2:15
Kristi Gunyula 2:22
Kris Kelley 2:34
Sherry Carpenter: 2:41
Sean Wade 2:56(SEAN YOU LOOKED AWESOME OUT THERE)

Melissa Cairns dad, John ran the half...I'll post his time later.

Mel had the best description for the MI Trail Marathon course. It's more runnable than the Buckeye Trail, not as many steep hills as the Buckeye. Your constantly running, no steep hills to walk for short recovery.

"Vince are you happy a girl beat you?"
OK Back to CRASH...I asked Crash if he would drive us back to OHIO. Crash insisted his drive skills were as sharp as his knife skills. We drive into Ann Arbor for lunch after the race and parked in a parking deck. Really, really, really close to one of those pillars that hold up the deck. well you know what happens next....


Melissa before the race...Ready to kick my ass.

OK I'm ready, My Sherpa Pak & all.

MI TRAIL MARATHON 2008 4:58:39(PR)




1 comment:

Running 2 Mohican said...

Looks like a great time was had.