Two Months until the Run Are you prepared?

September 7 is approaching quickly! We hope you have made hotel and travel arrangements for this year’s run. As you can imagine, Labor Day weekend is the busiest time for St. Ignace and Mackinaw City and hotel rooms book fast.

If you have not made arrangements yet, we strongly advise NOT to stay on Mackinac Island Sunday night as there are no ferries early enough on Monday morning to get you to the start line. It is highly recommended that you find a hotel or other lodging accommodations in St. Ignace or Mackinaw City.

The morning of the run, transportation to the start line will be provided by privately reserved buses boarding at 5:00 a.m. at the Recreation Center in Mackinaw City and the buses will leave promptly for the start line in St. Ignace at 5:30 a.m. Parking is available at the Recreation Center.

If you are staying in St. Ignace, but would like your car in Mackinaw City for when you complete the run, traffic across the Bridge should be relatively light in the morning so driving to Mackinaw City should not be difficult. You can park your vehicle at the Recreation Center where you may then board the bus with the other runners and it will shuttle you to the start line in St. Ignace. If extenuating circumstances prevent you from riding the bus, please arrive at the start line holding area in St. Ignace no later than 6:15 a.m.

All runners must be at the start line no later than 6:15 a.m.

Please share any tips or recommendations for lodging in comment form to assist other runners, or post any questions you may have. Thanks!

Deadline for Acceptance Response Form is One Week Away!

Runners, in order to confirm your attendance for the Mackinac Bridge Labor Day Run, your Acceptance Response form must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. EDT, Monday, June 29, 2009. The yellow sheet includes a front and back side which need to be completed.

 For your safety during the run, it is important that your emergency contact number below step 2 is correctly filled out.

Also on this form, please indicate whether you will be attending the pasta dinner in St. Ignace Sunday, September 6 from 6-7:30 p.m. and if you are purchasing additional dinner tickets. The pasta dinner is an opportunity to meet other runners before the race, hear from special guests, and have a chance to win prizes including our grand prize of a Crystal Mountain Resort and Spa Winter Giveaway. (Must be present to win.)

New this year, at the pasta dinner there will be an opportunity to bid on a trip to the top of one of the towers of the Mackinac Bridge! (Rules and conditions apply.)

Acceptance Response Form and payment may be mailed to:

Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness, Health and Sports

P.O. Box 27187

Lansing, MI 48909

For FedEx, UPS or any other special delivery service, or to drop off your Acceptance Response Form and payment, our physical address is:

Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness, Health and Sports

1213 Center Street, Suite D

Lansing, MI 48906

Please do not send U.S. mail, other than overnight service, to the Center Street address. For regular, first class mail, the P.O. Box address must be used.

You will receive a confirmation of payment via email (or U.S. mail). If you do not receive a confirmation within two weeks of your mailing, please call our office at

1-800-434-8642 or 1-517-347-7891.

 

 

Get Others Involved

Encourage Someone to Host a Labor Day Community Walk

We know where you will be this Labor Day – but do you know others in your community looking for a way to be active this September?

Encourage someone in your home town to host a Labor Day Community Walk. The Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness provides publicity and information to those who register their events.

Walks will take place September 7 (or any day/time that week) and participants are encouraged to hold a five-mile walk, over a bridge if possible, to create a similar experience to the Mackinac event.

Contact marketingevents@michiganfitness.org to request an information packet with the necessary materials to host an event. The packet contains a sample press release, walk guide, flyer instructions, and a CD-Rom containing all the resources to customize the materials for your event.

To have your event endorsed by the Governor’s Council you may contact Tricia Fraas at 517-908-3900 for more information.

Introductions: A Short Running Survey

Welcome again to the 2009 Bridge Run blog. While you are taking a break from running and training, take a moment to introduce yourself and interact with other bridge runners!

This blog is for the 400 selected runners that after September 7 will share the memories of making the breathtaking five-mile run across the “Mighty Mac.”

Complete the runner’s survey by clicking “comment” below to get to know other run participants. Feel free to respond to all or some of the questions listed. But, keep our commenting policy in mind.

Runner Bio:

What is your name?

Where are you from?

What is your mile time?

Have you run the bridge before?

Where is the most scenic place to run in Michigan?

How many races have you participated in?

Do you have any tips/questions/motivational quotes to share?

WELCOME RUNNERS

Congratulations to those who have been selected for the 2009 Mackinac Bridge Labor Day Run!

 We are very excited for the event this year and hope you are too. There will be many opportunities for bridge run participants to interact and contribute to the blog. If you have a suggestion on a topic you would like to see or that you would like to discuss e-mail marketingevents@michiganfitness.org Planned topics from some “featured runners” include:

 -Training tips and links

-Helpful hints from past bridge runners

-Motivational words

-First time bridge runner questions, concerns, anticipations

If blogging just isn’t for you, feel free to post comments or questions, or email them to marketingevents@michiganfitness.org, and the staff at the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness will respond as quickly as possible. You can also browse our links on the right hand side to view helpful information, pictures and related links.

To receive updates on when a new blog post is launched, click here to register your email address, or click the “subscribe” link on the right side of the page.

We are looking forward to this year’s run, and are excited about your interest in the event! The Mackinac Bridge Labor Day Run is, as many past runners can tell you, an exhilarating experience. Check back soon, as we will be posting information regarding the Fitness Ambassadors for the 2009 Mackinac Bridge Labor Day Run.

Again, congratulations, and see you at the bridge!

Lottery is less than Three Weeks Away!

Deadline for Registrations is May 31

The 2009 Mackinac Bridge Labor Day Run is approaching quickly. With less than three weeks left to register, more than 550 applicants have already applied and the numbers are growing every day. The lottery drawing will take place Monday, June 1.

*If you are intersted in applying for a Fitness Ambassador position, be sure to place a check mark next to the “fitness ambassador“ box at the bottom of the application. Eight questions will be asked to help narrow down this year’s competitive entries.

Also, don’t forget to indicate the name of the endorsed event that you have participated in on your application. The event must have taken place between June 1, 2008 and May 31, 2009.

If you do not see your event listed please contact Tricia Fraas at 517-908-3800 to inquire about endorsement.

Any other questions – please comment on the blog or e-mail marketingevents@michiganfitness.org – you will receive a response within 1-2 business days.

Just can’t wait for the Bridge Run?

If the Bridge Run in September just seems too far away and you are looking for a great way to do some cross-training during the summer, the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness encourages you to register for, The Michigander.

The Michigander is a family friendly bicycle tour along the scenic trails of Central Michigan. Each day riders will coast along approximately 40 miles of trail. With three different tours offered, this event is a great way to stay active in the summer.

The Michigander is a ride for both experienced and beginner cyclists of all ages. It is a ride ideal for hybrid, mountain and road bikes, as there is a fully paved route option available.

To experience the trails of Central Michigan, sign-up to be apart of the Michigander by visiting the Michigan Trails & Greenways Alliance.

The three tours offered cater to the different skill levels of riders who participate:

• Two-day tour held July 11-12
• Six-day tour July 12-17
• Seven-day tour July 11-17

Lock in early rates by signing up before May 1. Registration closes on June 26.

For more information and networking opportunities join The Michigander’s:

Facebook Group & Yahoo! Group

2009 Bridge Day Run Lottery Open!

The 2009 Mackinac Bridge Labor Day Run lottery is officially open!

Michigan residents can now register for the annual lottery that selects 300 participants for the annual Mackinac Bridge Labor Day Run. Runners will be selected from the online lottery in June.



 To be eligible for the lottery individuals MUST:

·      Be at least 18 years of age (proper proof of ID required)

·      Be a Michigan resident

·      Be able to complete a five-mile run and

·      Have participated in at least one running event endorsed by the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness between June 1, 2008 and May 31, 2009

 The five-mile Bridge Run will take place on September 7, 2009 starting in St. Ignace and finishing in Mackinaw City.

 We at the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness are looking forward to this year’s run, and are excited about your interest in the event! Keep checking back for more updates.