Pair up with friend or family member and Run the Ridge on May 10th! This unique Northern Michigan sporting event takes runners around a beautiful stretch of Northern Michigan’s outdoors—the Pere Marquette State Forest, which is home to some of Northern Michigan’s favorite hiking and biking trails. Read on to learn how your running will help give back to Northern Michigan environmental conservation efforts.
Held on the ridge above East Grand Traverse City on trails adjacent to the Pere Marquette State Forest, Timber Ridge RV & Recreation Resort will host the inaugural Run the Ridge 10K Team Relay to “take back the forest running trails, and celebrate the arrival of spring in northern Michigan”, with the event set to occur on May 10, 2014 at 5:00 in the evening.
The Run the Ridge 10K Team Relay offers runners of all ages and abilities a 2 person relay format, with each runner completing a 5K trail run. Categories for relay teams include female team, male team, or co-ed team, with awards going to the top 3 in combined age categories including: Under 40, 41–59, 60-79, 80-99, 100-119, and 120+. Special awards will go to the 1st parent/child team, sibling team, husband/wife team, co-worker team, and grandparent/child team. In addition, awards will be given for costumes with the theme of pairs/duos; nature/spring, and forest/woods.
The event was created by the same organizers of the Farmland 5K held annually the first Saturday of December. The 2-person race begins at 5 pm in the evening and is held on the private trails within the Timber Ridge Resort Trail system. The route is a 1.55 mile loop repeated by each runner twice, and features established firm dirt trails settled in the forest. An awards celebration in the campground includes a free post-event camp style cookout including s’mores on the campfire.
All finishers will receive a custom finisher souvenir (reserved for the first 200 entrants) and a lightweight technical running cap. The event is professionally timed, and features a “rustic” theme emphasizing the use of all natural materials for course markings, and event signage.
A portion of the proceeds from this race will be donated to help fund the Grand Traverse Conservation District’s Fall 2014 “Peepers” Pre-K Program (NatureIsCalling.org), whose mission is to “inspire exploration, appreciation, and conservation of our natural world.”
Expecting mostly local runners, event organizers are encouraging a “staycation” in Traverse City, with Timber Ridge offering registered runners with greatly reduced rates on its tent sites, camper/RV/popup sites, and basic and deluxe cabins on race weekend from May 9th to the 11th.
The early Registration fee is $65 per team ($32.50 each) and online registration will be available through May 7th. Day of registration and packet pick-up will be available starting at 3 pm on Saturday, May 10th at the race venue at Timber Ridge Resort at 4050 E. Hammond Rd., Traverse City.
For more information, contact the Race Director at racedirector@runtheridgerelay.com. Also visit the event website at RunTheRidgeRelay.com.