Port Oneida Run offers views of Lakeshore’s historic sites
From staff reports
The third annual Port Oneida Run — a 5K Barn to Barn Trail Run/Walk in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore will take place on Saturday, August 4. The natural trail offers an inspiring alternative to paved courses, meandering through beautiful meadows, forests, and the pastoral landscape of farmsteads from the late 1800s in the Port Oneida Rural Historic District with bluff views over Lake Michigan.
“Trail courses are becoming increasingly popular as people seem to be looking for landscape that’s a bit more interesting. You really can’t beat having a run/walk in a beautiful National Park like this one, plus, the trail gives participants the opportunity to see the very resources we are involved in protecting,” commented Susan Pocklington, Director of Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear. The event is a fundraiser for the nonprofit partner group of the National Park Service which helps to preserve and interpret the 366 historic structures at Sleeping Bear.
Kids 12 and under can participate in the quarter-mile Kids Schoolhouse Dash for $5 donation race day at 8:30 a.m. Participants in the Dash will receive a ribbon, with prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners. At 9 a.m. the 5K open to all ages will begin. “This year we’re prepared to accommodate more people with our new chip timing,” said Maureen Doran, event chair. “But chip timing shouldn’t intimidate the casual runner or walker. It’s a fun, family event though we definitely have some very serious runners,” Doran added.
The course on the Bayview Hiking Trail begins and ends at the Charles Olsen Farm, the office of Preserve, located 4 miles north of Glen Arbor on M-22 just west of Port Oneida road. Packet pick-up is 7:30-8:45 a.m. at the farm’s red barn. Pre-registration online or mail in by 5 p.m. Aug. 2 is $25, and $30 after that and day-off the race. The first 100 registrants receive a free micro-fiber running cap.
Prizes will be given to the overall male and female winners as well as three deep in nine age categories. A post-race celebration includes tasty edibles along with some nice prize drawings donated by local businesses. Cash-sponsors include Arts Tavern, Sylvan Inn, Taghon’s Garage, Funistrada and The Manor on Glen Lake.
For registration and details, visit www.phsb.org, or contact (231) 334-6103.
