Race Recap: Marquette 50k 2021

 I hope you don't mind, but I decided to roll this family trip and race report into one big thing.  I registered for Marquette 50 way back in November of 2019.  When Covid-19 shut down the world last year, most races were put on hold, along with this one.  In 2020, Marquette 50 was planned to be my goal race for the year.  But when 2021 came around and directors began rescheduling their races, I found myself with Marquette 50 Mile the third weekend in August, followed by North Country 50k the very next weekend.  Also in the meantime, I had chosen to run Tunnel Hill 100 2021 in November.  So, I decided to downgrade to Marquette 50k, with plans to use it as more of a training run than a race, and then do the same for North Country 50k, both in preparation for my upcoming 100 miler.  I know this all sounds a little crazy, but if you know, you know.  Plus, check out that elevation for just the 50k!

Somehow this summer got away from us.  We hosted a huge 70th birthday for my mom in July, and after prepping for that, including putting an addition on our house, we found ourselves exhausted and not really interested in a big trip before school started back up.  We did spend a week at the cabin, which we all enjoyed thoroughly.  And then school started, but with no school on Fridays until after Labor Day, we decided to turn my Marquette race into a mini vacation for our family.

Thankfully, Jason had booked two nights at a campground in Marquette ages ago, and we just decided at the last minute to book a spot in Mackinaw City for the first night. So, we hauled the trailer out of the depths of our backyard, cleaned and stocked it, packed our gear and hit the road as soon as the kids were home from school on Thursday.  Our plan was to be in Mackinaw City by sunset.

We pulled into Mill Creek Campground, poured out of the van, and headed straight to the beach.  First things first, the obligatory kid pic on the shore of Lake Huron.

Of course I couldn't keep them out of the water, so while Jason and the other kids waded out until they were tiny dots, Alayna and I explored the shore.  The water was clear and shallow for hundreds of yards, and we were all surprised at how warm it felt for a Great Lake.

The sun had completely set by the time everyone was finished on the beach, and we hung out around our little campfire until we were totally wiped out, which happened by about 10:00.  That first week of school had exhausted all of us!

Jason and I woke up early Friday, made some quick coffee, and took our steamy cups out to the beach.  The sun was just coming up, and it was a brilliant red ball in the sky.  

The lake was completely calm and inviting and I just had to get in.  The calmness made the water even more clear and it was hard to believe I was thigh-deep in this photo.

The kids slowly trickled out of bed and joined us on the beach.  That little spot was so hard to resist!

We were sad to leave this beautiful place, but adventure was waiting!  We headed over the Mackinaw Bridge, which is always a thrill, pointing out boats and birds, and Mackinaw Island in the distance.  Once over the bridge, the first order of business was PASTIES.  If you've never been to Northern Michigan, do it.  Come for the pasties.  

Once our goods were secured, we were off again, headed west along US-2.  But then, as it does, Lake Michigan called to us and we stopped again.  The water was colder here and the kids weren't quite ready for a swim, but we got our feet wet and skipped some rocks before loading back into the van.

Our next stop was going to be Kitch-iti-kipi, Michigan's largest freshwater spring.  Owen had come across it in his reading and I promised we'd stop and check it out.  The drive was quiet, and the roads were almost desolate and we wondered where all the people were.  When we pulled into Kitch-iti-kipi, we discovered that ALL the people were here.  We considered standing in line to take the little raft with the clear bottom out over the lake, but decided that it wasn't really worth the 2+ hour wait.  Instead, we just stood in front of the  green-blue water and had someone take our picture.  I told Owen we should come back in winter, when there are far less people and, in my opinion, the best time to visit. 

Once again we hit the road, destination: Marquette Tourist Park. We didn't really know what to expect from this campground, but pickings were slim as far as campsites went, even six months ago, and we were up for anything.  We were pleasantly surprised, and had a large lot with families with lots of kids on both sides of us.  The bathrooms were just a couple sites down and we had two trees, spaced just far enough apart to hang a line for our towels.  We quickly set up, unhitched, loaded the van and left!

Black Rocks had been on our minds allllll day and the kids couldn't wait any longer.  We had been to this cliff-diving mecca last year, and the kids couldn't wait to get back to it. As you know, I am not much for water and heights, so while the others tested their bravery on the cliffs, I found my own little spot to take it all in.

The three older kids and Jason wasted no time throwing themselves off the huge rocks, and did so several times.  Nash and Alayna needed more time and a little less of a drop, so we found a spot that worked for them.  The day was sunny and hot and the water felt amazing.  Oh, and this is Lake Superior-our third Great Lake of the day!

After everyone had had their fill of jumping, we wandered back along the rocks and found another spot filled with tiny rocks, surrounded by huge boulders.  While the kids climbed and I waded, Jason and Owen decided they just had to swim out to a nearby island.  (Of course they did.)

When everyone was officially done, or at least hungry enough to be done, we headed back to the campground, with a quick stop to pick up my race packet for the morning. While we cooked potatoes, brats and pasties on the fire, Nash decided he needed some "Nash" time and Owen decided he needed to explore the little lake nearby.  He came back with a lovely leech I had the pleasure of removing.  LEECHES!!!

After dinner, Owen headed out to the lifeguard stand to take in the sunset, and I had to hit the hay.  My alarm was set for 3:30am, which is quite ridiculous.

Finally, after 21 months, race day for Marquette 50k was here.  We arrived to the starting area, which was kind of in the middle of nowhere, a little before 5am, and I searched among the headlights for some familiar faces.  It was predicted to be quite a warm day, especially this far north in Michigan, and there were the normal conversations of fuel and liquids and gear all around me. 

Just before the start, I found my people: Jon, Tim, Allison and Travis were there!  We didn't know what the day would hold for us, but we were ready!

After a few pre-race announcements, and live singing of the National Anthem, it was time.  The race began in waves,  just to space things out a little. 3,2,1, GO! And we were off.

The terrain quickly turned rocky-really rocky, and I kept thinking that even in daylight this trail would be hard to traverse.  If the pictures seem blurry, that's because everything that happened in the dark was a blur!

Up and down the rocks we went, sometimes running, sometimes walking, sometimes just trying to stay upright.  I was kind of bummed the race started in the dark, because I was pretty sure the scenery around me was beautiful.  All I could look at, though, were the feet in front of me. 

Slowly, the sun came up.  Every once in a while we'd pop out of the forest and I'd be surprised at how light it was.  But then, back in the forest, it was still very dark.  There was a little aid station around Mile 6, and by the time I got there, I was able to stash my headlamp for good.

Finally, I could see where I was going!  And I was not disappointed.  I had heard this course was amazing, and it was true.  I was kind of glad I couldn't run very fast because there was so much I wanted to see!

After running under a huge pipe, I was rewarded with cascading water over a particularly rocky area. 

Just like that, the rocks disappeared and everything was very green!

The trail continued, filled with little bridges and tall pine trees.

And then I saw it.  Peeking through the trees was the sunrise!  What's better than sunlit trails?!

The sun coming up over the lake might rival that.

And the sun shining down the train tracks was quite beautiful, too.

Around 8:30, I had finished the first 11 Mile loop.  Jon had passed me a couple miles back, Tim and Allison were shortly behind me, and sadly, Travis was there, his race finished.  I can certainly tell you that I did not expect the first 11 mile to take me 3 hours.  

I decided to just settle in, keep moving, and enjoy the views.  I came up behind a happy group of runners from the Brighton area, and decided to stick with them for a while.  They were doing a walk/run combo as well and it suited me.

Together we climbed our first big climb.  Thankfully the course was very well marked because quite often the trail didn't actually look like a trail!  

And when there was nowhere to place a flag, one had been tied to a rock and left on the side of the boulder.

Up and up we continued.

When we came to the top of what I learned was Sugar Cube, the view was breathtaking.  We all stopped to take photos and pat ourselves on the back. 

As they continued to celebrate, I kept moving.  It turns out, getting down those steep uphills was no easy feat, either!

I came into the next aid station and Jason was waiting there with an ice cold Cherry Coke.  It was nice to see him, if only for a couple minutes, and as he left to go round up the kids, I headed back onto the trail.

Soon, I was at the bottom of a staircase with flags clearly going up it.  I didn't know there would be stairs! 

And boy, were there stairs.  I wish I had counted them, there were so many.  Up a flight, stop. Up a flight, wait for people coming down.  Up a flight, and another flight. I kept going up and I knew what awaited me: Sugarloaf.  I was not disappointed.  Holy cow was it beautiful!

I probably spent more time than I should have up there, but the endless views and sparkling water was absolutely breathtaking.

The trail down the other side of Sugarloaf was another rocky descent, but soon things leveled out for a while before dropping even more.  

The lower I went, the greener it got.

And then, the trail followed the shoreline.  The breeze coming of the lake felt soooo good.  It was early afternoon now and the heat was settling in.  

Just ahead of me, I watched a runner take a sharp right and head straight towards the lake.  He took off his pack, shoes, socks, and shirt and got directly into the water.  I was so tempted to do the same!  Instead, I found a little rocky area where I could keep my shoes on but still reach the water.  I splashed the chilly water over my face and head and arms and legs.  It was so refreshing!

After a while, the trail turned away from the lakeshore and headed inward.  I was sad to lose the cool breeze, but I couldn't really complain.  It wasn't THAT hot, and I was on the North Country Trail!

After running through some very tall pine trees, I started anticipating the next aid station.  I knew my family would be there and all I could think about was Cherry Coke!

They greeted me with smiles and Cherry Coke and a fresh grilled cheese! I ate while we walked and then I had to say goodbye, but they had definitely lifted my spirits.

The next section was only four miles long, but I knew I'd be climbing.  As soon as I rounded the bend away from the aid station, the rocks began.  At first the climb was gradual, but then, there I was climbing those big, flat, boulders.

At the top of Bareback, I was once again greeted with gorgeous views, along with WIND! It was so windy up there I had to hold onto my hat or lose it!

The climb down Bareback was slow and rocky, and more than once I jammed my toe into rocks, which I do not recommend.  Luckily, no one was around to hear the cuss words. After just a couple more miles, I was at the next aid station-the last aid station.  My family was here again with Cherry Coke and words of encouragement.  I didn't know exactly what these last miles would hold but I knew I had two big climbs before the finish.  Time to go!

You'd think a mountain called Top of the World would be completely epic, but really, the climb up was pretty uneventful, and after a short stop for a picture, I headed back down.  Well, maybe it was epic, and maybe I was just too tired to notice.

All I could think about was Hogback.  How bad was it?  It seemed to be what all the conversations I had heard revolved around.  There was only way to find out!  I headed off down the flat, wide trail, knowing I should enjoy its simplicity while it lasted.

And then the ascent began.  At first the climb was gradual, the trail very rooty and rocky, but clearly a trail.

And then there was just roots and rocks and very little trail.

And then came "the point of no return" as I called it.

Past that sign, the real climb began.  I didn't want to stop and rest. There were quite a few other runners completely out of gas or not sure how to make this happen. I didn't stop.  Somehow, my legs were up for this challenge and I powered up and up. There really wasn't a trail anymore-just a flag, and another flag a bit farther.  The choice was yours as to how you got from one point to the next.

Soon, there were no rocks, just boulders.  Flat-faced rock.  I didn't stand and stare, I just went.  Using my hands when I needed to, I got myself up.

Find a foothold.  Find a little crack.  Find something to grab onto.

I could hear music.  Music?  Definitely music.  And voices.  A little bit further and I was there.  I was on top Hogback.  There was a man playing music.  There were day hikers.  It was amazing! If the views atop the other climbs were beautiful, these views were spectacular.

I could've stayed right there for a very long time.  But I needed to finish this.  I needed to get to the finish line. First, though, I had to get down. If climbing up was a bit difficult, the climb down was harder and a little scary, too.  I must've had fear or crazy in my eyes, because the 50 mile runners coming at me would stare, and then chuckle, and then tell me I was almost done with the bad part. So I kept going.  The getting down was difficult, but once at the bottom it was level and clear.  

I gathered myself.  I looked at my watch.  I realized I was going to be finishing over an hour sooner than what I had thought I would leaving the last aid station.  I sent a quick text to Jason, hoping it would go through. Like a horse nearing the stable, I was running again.  I realized if I hurried, I could finish in under ten hours.  TEN HOURS!  I had never thought a 50k would take me 10 hours!  I checked my phone.  The message had not delivered.  I tried again.  And I kept running.

I knew I was close.  I was recognizing landmarks now.  That bridge, that fencing, that dirt road.  And then I could hear the people.  The end was just ahead.  I turned a corner and could see Alayna looking down the trail!  I waved and she and Nash came around the fence and ran with me to the finish.  I didn't know it, but they had gotten my text, and rushed to the finish and made it just in time to help me cross the line!  There it was, nearly ten hours after starting, I had finished Marquette 50k.

All I wanted to do was sit down.  I was so dirty and so drenched in sweat and I parked myself right on the ground.

My feet were absolutely killing me from all the rocks and the time spent on them, but it was finished and we were celebrating.

When I regained my composure, we headed back to camp.  I was badly in need of a shower.

But the fun didn't stop there!  Once again, we loaded into the van and headed to Black Rocks.  The kids couldn't get enough!  I parked myself on the shoreline but unlike the day before, today the biting flies were out in full force!  I headed back to rest in the van while the others plummeted into the chilly lake. 

By the time we got back to the campground, no one felt like cooking.  Instead, we ordered pizza and breadsticks and had it delivered right to our campfire.  Ah, the luxuries of camping in a city!  The kids played with the neighbors while we listened to live music from a band nearby and I sat out by the fire until I couldn't keep my eyes open.

Sunday morning, we were up early, and enjoyed coffee in the quiet stillness of the campground.  We quickly packed up, woke up the kids and hit the road.  On the way back south, we stopped for a quick break on a very windy beach on Lake Superior and a delicious breakfast in Germfsak.

Upon reaching St. Ignace, we were greeted with a very long line of traffic waiting to get over the bridge.  After nearly an hour, we were able to cross.  Unwilling to fight the southbound Sunday traffic, we decided to make a stop at the cabin.  A few hours on Otsego Lake while the traffic died down seemed like a really good idea. 

It was a whirlwind trip with a heck of a race in the middle, but we had made the most of it, and crossed a few things off of our bucket lists in the process.  

As you know, it's been one of the hottest, if not THE hottest, week of the summer this week, and thankfully I was able to take a few rest days, followed by just a couple short runs.  North Country 50k awaits on Sunday!