Results
For results, click here to go to Epic Racing Timing’s website.
Race Recap
Thanks for racing today. We hope you had a great day and made some lasting memories. It’s easy to focus on the competition or how you feel, but hopefully you were able to be in the moment… for a moment at least. Life goes by too fast to miss out on these experiences.
The rain held off so we’re grateful for that! Congrats to all and special props to all the young-at-heart racers over 50, kids, and first-time trail racers. We are always impressed with trail runners – with your effort, attitudes and the community we all our building around hurting the dirt (in an environmentally friendly way of course). We’re so humbled by all the kind words and smiles.
A big thanks to:
- All the volunteers. We certainly couldn’t do it without them.
- Merrell, Gazelle Sports and Spectrum Health for being our Presenting Sponsors and for all their support. Consider trying Merrell running shoes at Gazelle and get fitted for the one best for your foot and gait. The Agility Peak Flex is a good place to start.
- Ramona’s Table. Weren’t those awesome deli sides? We don’t balk at a $2,000 bill when they are that tasty. You’re worth it! Visit their location in Rockford at Bridge Street and the Rogue River.
- Athletico. We’re glad many of you took advantage of their post-race stretching. Check them out with two locations in GR at Knapp Corners and in Cascade.
- Founders Brewing Co. Founders supports a lot of great outdoor adventure sports. And they brew some pretty good beer too. Congrats to the lucky raffle winners!
- Gordon Water. Great, fresh water. We really appreciated having it on hand for you.
- Clif Bar for monster bags of ShotBloks for the raffle.
- Jamie Geysbeek Photography for great race photos. We can’t promise everyone was captured, but Jamie will have free high-res files of all his shots on our Flickr photo site after he touches them up in the days ahead. His professional photo services are 20% off for all racers with proof of race or registration.
- Rockford Ambulance. We’re grateful there were no significant injuries. Trail runners get their share of bumps and bruises but the variability and forgiveness of the terrain is much better in the long run.
- Camp Blodgett. Great group of volunteers and a great organization and cause. If you’re looking to get involved and make a difference in kids’ lives, check out Camp Blodgett on Lake Michigan. A portion of race profits will help send deserving children to summer camp there – children whose families would otherwise not be able to afford it.
VIP partners and vendors: Epic Racing Timing, Crossroads Church, Executive Coach Shuttle, Kerkstra Portajohns, Kingma’s Produce, R.P. Vanden Berg pig roasts, Orpheus DJ Service
Results
Great effort out there today! Here are the results if you haven’t seen them yet. If you were top three in your age group and would like a Gazelle Sports certificate ($20/$15/$10), please email me. Provide your name, age group, place and address if you’d like the certificate mailed. If you want to pick it up at Gazelle, let me know if you’d like it sent to Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo or Holland (there’s no transfer truck to the east side stores so I’ll mail those).
4.28.17
The 2018 Hurt the Dirt will be on April 28 if you want to save the date. Always two weeks before the Fifth Third Riverbank Run, which is always the second Saturday in May. We expect registration to open sometime in May or June (depends how long my nap takes). You are now on the mailing list so you should get the announcement. We’re forecasting registration will fill in December but you might want to lock it in sooner to be safe… 85 people who deferred this year will be eager to register.
Survey
Please take two minutes to fill out our survey. We really do look at every comment to see whether we think it will improve the race.
Lost and Found
Ironically, I lost the items that you lost. But the items that were lost, found, and lost again have been found. Whew. Shirts are HeatKeep base and Patagonia Men’s Large Mid. We’ll put these items in the hold area of Gazelle Sports Grand
Rapids so please retrieve them there in the next two weeks. I can have them transferred to Kalamazoo or Holland. Email me if you are from (way) out of town and want to send me a pre-paid mailer so I can mail your item back. Otherwise we will donate to a thrift store.
Shirts
We have some shirts left. $10 each. We can leave them at a Gazelle Sports store in GR, Holland or Kzoo once I get a check from you written out to Michigan Adventure Racing. Email me to inquire if we still have your size and the mailing address for the check. Here’s what’s left right now.
Men’s: 1 M, 9 L, 1 XXL
Women’s: 3 S, 2 L, 2 XL
PhotosLook for photos recently posted on Facebook and hundreds more to come on our Flickr photostream at some point. Thanks to Jamie Geysbeek Photography and our talented high school student Alexa Funk for the amazing shots. Here are two of Alexa’s shots.
For those of you who were running so fast that you couldn’t read the quotes, here they are. 🙂
Dirty Duel Trail RaceNov. 11. Robinette’s, Provin and Kuyper College trails. Likely the toughest 5K in Michigan. Pick between Short & Brutal (5K) or Long & Difficult (6K). Corn field, sand dune, pine forest like on the Black trail, fun trail and off-trail racing. No race like it on Earth (or earth). Robinette’s, Provin, & Kuyper College trails. Oh, and you get donuts and cider too.Lord of the Springs Singletrack + Gravel Bike Race
Sept. 16 Yankee Springs Rec Area. Bike races can be intimidating. Not if we put one on. Free bike clinic, kids and beginner races. The full race is 26 miles, about 18 on gravel roads and 8 on mostly intermediate singletrack.
Looking for a New Kind of Challenge?
Adventure races are treasure hunts for adults. The elation of finding flags in the woods after using your compass and map is addictive (easy to learn; May 6 clinic) . Running off trail is an adrenaline trip. No need to be an expert at paddling or mountain biking but I can help you with both. Here are the races coming up (the May 20 Ludington Edition is sold out).
Michigan Adventure Race: ArtPrize Edition Oct. 7. downtown Grand Rapids. 4 hours. Run and bike. Registration to open in May. Only race of its kind on the planet. Great for first-timers but plenty of challenge for experienced racers.
May 27 Hope Network One in Five Marathon Relay road race and walk. Support mental health. Grand Rapids.
June 2-4 Yankee Springs Trail Run from Switchback Endurance. A full weekend of races on a great trail just 30 minutes south of Grand Rapids.
September 17, Bridge Run.10 Mile Run, 5K Run, or 5K Walk over the beautiful bridges of downtown Grand RapidsThanks so much for racing with us!Mark, for Greg
