As many of you may recall, the start to Labor Day was quite chilly! But, that did not hinder the enthusiasm of bridge runners as they were greeted by Governor Snyder and helped to kick off the Labor Day Bridge Walk. As the eighth annual bridge runners crossed the bridge, a rainbow appeared making the run an even more memorable experience. Congratulations runners!

Thank you again to all sponsors, volunteers and runners for helping to make the 2011 Mackinac Bridge Run a success. Without your dedication and support, this event would not be possible.

We hope that all runners will enter the lottery for the 2012 bridge run. Please email marketingevents@michiganfitness.org to request notification when the lottery opens.

If any runners have photos from the bridge run they would like to share, please send them to marketingevents@michiganfitness.org and we will add them (with photo credit) to our Flickr account.

As a reminder, please remember to fill out your post event response form so we can continue to improve the bridge run each year. We value your suggestions and comments.

Please send responses to:
Michigan Fitness Foundation
P.O. Box 27187
Lansing, MI 48909
Fax: 517-347-8145

If you are wondering about pictures from the bridge run, we haven’t posted them yet. We will inform all runners through this blog and your email once the FREE pictures from the weekend are posted to our Flickr account. It may take a couple weeks to get the pictures back from our photographer.

Thank you for your participation and patience. If you have questions, please contact us at marketingevents@michiganfitness.org.

In just a few days, you will lead thousands of Michiganders across the Mackinac Bridge at sunrise.  This is a rare and exciting opportunity that few get to experience.

I am looking forward to taking part in this experience by joining you in St. Ignace to kick off the bridge run, and then walking across the bridge for my first time as governor.

Your dedication to health and fitness is inspirational, and Michigan needs to be inspired to get more active.  Aside from the obvious benefits of improving quality of living, an active population will also help reduce health care costs, decrease absenteeism, lower stress levels and increase productivity in the workplace.

This fall, my administration will ask lawmakers to act on a number of proposals aimed at improving the health and wellness of Michigan’s population.  Just as I am joining you for the bridge walk, I hope you will join me in working to change our culture by promoting an active and healthy lifestyle.

See you at the starting line,

Gov. Rick Snyder

At the pasta dinner, attendees will have the opportunity to win great prizes in the raffle drawing and the chance to bid upon two larger prizes during the silent auction.

Up for bid in the silent auction is a thrilling tour of the Mackinac Bridge Tower courtesy of the Mackinac Bridge Authority. The tour will take the lucky winner and a guest to the top of one of the Mackinac Bridge arches, 550 feet above the water.  Also up for auction is a two-night stay for two at the elegant Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, courtesy of the Grand Hotel.

Pasta dinner attendees will be eligible to win a variety of raffle prizes including clothing items, framed photos of the Mackinac Bridge and running gear. Prizes have been generously donated by Playmakers, the Michigan Department of Transportation and Crystal Mountain Resort & Spa. This year’s grand raffle prize is a Winter Weekend Getaway at Crystal Mountain, which hosts 45 downhill slopes, more than 25 miles of cross-country ski trails and a full-service Spa.

Playmakers will provide music as you run across the finish line to a cheering crowd and light snack. Bottled water for all runners is donated by DBI and dried cherries, part of your post-run snack, is donated by Cherry Central.

Wondering what to do with your plastic water bottle after you have finished? Not to worry, Schupan Recycling has donated enough recycling bins to hold all of the empty bottles.

Thank you to all of these sponsors for their generous donations and support. As a nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization, the Michigan Fitness Foundation relies on sponsors and donors to help make the Mackinac Bridge Labor Day Run a quality, fun and memorable experience for all participants.

T-Shirts

The MFF staff modeling the 2011 t-shirts

Our friends at Underground Printing have once again created awesome shirts for the run! Our staff will be wearing green t-shirts while runners will be i

n ash gray t-shirts.

Check-In

Runners should check in on Sunday, between 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the pasta dinner located at Little Bear East in St. Ignace. Not attending the dinner? Check in on

2009 runners checking in

Monday morning between 5:00-5:30 a.m. at the Mackinac City Recreation Center.

A picture ID is required to check-in. After checking in you will receive a registration packet that includes important information, dinner ticket(s), a t-shirt, a certificate of participation, and a wrist-band. For security reasons, water proof wrist-band will be put on during the check-in process.

Pasta Dinner

The pasta dinner serves as an opportunity for runners to get acquainted and connect with their fellow runners. A slideshow of important bridge run information will be playing continuously throughout the meal and silent auction, door prizes and announcements will be discussed.

While additional dinner tickets are available at the door, RSVP’s are preferred ahead of time for catering purposes. There will be a limited vegetarian option available at dinner.

Morning of Run

Plastic bags will be available for warm-up clothes at check-in and at the start line. The bags will be transported to the finish line near Audie’s Restaurant for pick-up after the Run.

Wheeling athletes will be the first group crossing the Bridge and will start at 6:35 a.m. Runners will start in random groups of 25-50 beginning at 6:45 a.m. Staff will organize and coordinate group starts.

Runners will be traveling south (from St. Ignace to Mackinaw City), and the two north bound lanes of the Bridge will be closed to traffic. For safety reasons, runners should use the left lane as much as possible, leaving the right lane clear for wheelers and emergency vehicles.

Finish Line

The Bridge Run finish line is separate from the Bridge Walk finish line. Look for our “Runner’s Finish” signs and rope pennants. After crossing the finish, please stay to cheer on your fellow runners as they complete the Run. Water and light snacks will be provided. Group photos will be taken at this time, and will be

2010 runners cross the finish line

made available online free of charge.

After group photos runners are free to head back to their vehicles. The Mackinaw Recreation Center is located approximately five blocks from the finish line-a nice cool down after your 4.5 mile run across the Bridge! For those who parked at the start line in St. Ignace, a bus will pick up runners from the Mackinaw Recreation Center at 8:30 a.m. for transport back to St. Ignace to get their cars.

Any questions? Leave a comment!

We look forward to seeing you at the Labor Day Bridge Run on September 5, 2011.

In 2004 we partnered with the Governor’s office and the Mackinac Bridge Authority to start a new tradition of runners leading the way across the Big Mac with thousands of walkers that follow.  The Bridge Run showcases Michigan as a fun place to be active and get fit.  Thanks for your participation this year.

This year we would like to add a new element to the day called ActivityStreaming, where we calculate total distance covered and calories burned both individually and collectively.  We would like to use the results as we look at new ways to “Get Michigan on its Feet”.  This year we will use chip timing to track runner times and finish rankings, although the event will not be a certified timed event.  In order to calculate calories burned we need to know participant body weights. Please note that the data you provide will not be shared, but only used to calculate health outcomes around the Bridge Run event.

We appreciate your help and input as we gather the following information.  Feel free to answer any or all of the items. Your response to this survey indicates your agreement to allow us to use the data we collect for a report on selected health outcomes related to the Bridge Run (e.g., total calories burned) without sharing any individual weight or height data.

The survey will take 3-5 minutes to complete.  Thank you for your help.

Click here to access the survey.

Marilyn Lieber, President and CEO of the Governor's Council and Crim

Thirty-five years ago I created The Crim Road Race as a vehicle through which I could raise charitable dollars for athletes who are mentally handicapped while cultivating community pride within the residents of Flint, Michigan. At the time I could not have imagined how much my love of running and commitment to public health has revitalized a community.

Now over 15,000 participants strong, The Crim Festival of Races has become a three-day event with various course lengths suitable for runners and walkers of all ages. It truly is a festival, a celebration of health that raises money for the Michigan Special Olympics, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Greater Flint, Fair Winds Girl Scouts, Shelter of Flint, Genesee County Literacy Coalition and the Crim Youth Development Program. Through the festival I have had the opportunity to share my passion for improving the lives of others through health advocacy. Some people spend their lives searching for the fountain of youth; I’ve found that it lies within our sidewalks, trails and roads. By lacing up my shoes and hitting the pavement, I’ve improved my physical and mental health.

On Labor Day morning, as the sun rises over the bridge and I run alongside nearly 400 other Michiganders with the same passion for running and health that I do, I’ll smile. The sound of all the runners crossing the Mackinac Bridge will be heard across Michigan, as we once again renew our commitment to health, community and improving Michigan, one step at a time.

Marilyn Lieber, president and CEO of the Michigan Fitness Foundation

One month from today, I will ask myself why I’m getting up at 4:15 am.  And then the process of hosting the 8th annual Labor Day Bridge Run will begin, and I will immediately forget the hour in favor of remembering how much fun this has been for the previous seven years.   It is truly a pleasure to be at the starting line with all of you athletes every year and witness firsthand your anticipation and excitement of running across the Mighty Mac at sunrise.  We know it’s special for you and that makes it special for us.

Another rewarding component of this annual run is the great partners we work with to make it happen.  We have become well-acquainted with the wonderful staff at the Mackinac Bridge Authority, the Michigan Department of Transportation and the Governor’s office.  They all provide assistance that allows this event to run smoothly every year.  Please thank them if you have a chance.

I also want to thank all of you for your role as a leader in Michigan.  While it’s been an awfully hot summer (please stay hydrated!), every time you head out in to your neighborhood and community to run, you are a role model for healthy lifestyles and healthy communities.  Someone sees you run by and asks themselves why they aren’t following your good example.   Someone else sees you running and realizes that sidewalks and trails are an important part of the community infrastructure.  Pat yourself on the back for demonstrating that healthy lifestyle.  I look forward to patting you on the back a month from today!

image via king.typad.com

Many runners have asked about the official length of the run, as well as the incline. The run is 4.5 miles long, the finish line is just outside of Audie’s restaurant. The official incline of the bridge is 5%. Remember runners, while there is a slight incline, there is also a  5% decline after the halfway point on the bridge.

We hope you’ve had the opportunity to connect with other runners in your area throughout the summer. The bridge run blog is a great place to meet fellow runners with a passion for all things Michigan.

A few of the 2011 runners are past participants, but the majority are first time bridge runners. Past participants, do you have any tips for the new runners?