A local nonprofit aims to bring brand new, eco-conscious multi-use trails and a bolstered mountain bike community to Leelanau County, to provide more outdoor activity options for people of all ages, and to help locals rediscover the natural wonders in their own backyard.
Online registration for the M22 Challenge opens Thursday, March 1, at 8 a.m. The annual event is capped at 900 athletes and in the past several years has reached capacity within 15 minutes. This year’s M22 Challenge will be held Saturday, June 9.
Work began late this summer to implement the Glen Arbor Park improvement plan which was presented to the township earlier this year and approved by voters Aug. 8. The plan includes removal of many oak trees—some of which have already been taken out—and the two signature pine trees which frame either end of the tennis courts.
Fall racing has arrived. Let the excitement sink in. For many, this is the optimal running season. It is also common for runners to spend the summer training for a fall marathon. The relief that comes with the cooler temperatures can be felt in every inch of the athlete’s body. If there is one race on your fall calendar, make it the Sleeping Bear Marathon, Half Marathon, & 5k. This sixth annual event is held on Oct. 7th.
Growing older is not for the faint of heart. If you’ve always loved to hike, it can be discouraging, post age 65, to find that reduced padding due to wear and tear on your joints, back and feet can cause stiffness and pain during long-distance hikes. Reduced muscle strength and flexibility make hiking on uneven terrain more difficult.
A perfect, blue-sky day in Glen Arbor with cool temperatures brought 703 participants to the annual Running Bear Run on July 25. Sponsored by the Glen Arbor Women’s Club, the race raises about $11,00 each year and 100 percent of the net proceeds are used to fund college scholarships and community organizations.
There are dozens of Leelanau County races that I love, but the Port Oneida Heritage Race takes the cake. This event offers three distances to choose from on August 5; the Homesteaders Hillier 5k, Tiller’s 10k, and Fast and Flat 4-Mile. I had the opportunity to catch up with Susan Pocklington, director of the nonprofit Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear, and together we gushed about this amazing event.
Most races take place on Saturdays and Sundays, but the annual Glen Arbor Running Bear 5k Run/Walk happens on Tuesday, July 25, at 9 a.m. The kids’ ½ mile run starts 5 minutes later at 9:05 a.m. This event takes place rain or shine, so come prepared!
Sleeping Bear Surf & Kayak’s seventh annual SBX (Sleeping Bear X-treme) Junior Waterman Camp will take place July 24-28. Waterman camp is a unique freshwater surf camp designed and taught by water enthusiasts to create water enthusiasts.
This week, I have an insane hill workout to share with you all: running the famous dune climb at The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Not only is the initial hill a “bear” (get it?) but the rolling hills that follow had my heart pumping like never before.