Yesterday was the 6th running of the Memorial Day Mackinac Bridge Run. Well, it
was supposed to be the 6th running of the bridge.

Thursday night I got an email from them saying there was construction
(re-paving) on the bridge and we MIGHT NOT be able to use the bridge for the
run. The bridge is 4 lanes, 2 northbound and 2 southbound. Last year, they
were working on the northbound 2 lanes and they worked until the middle of the
night to finish so we could have one of the 4 lanes to run in. So, I didn't
think too much about it, figured it would probably work out the same this year.

Wrong.

Friday afternoon we checked into our motel (a nice surprise, inexpensive and
very clean and nice and comfortable -- we'll stay here again for the 1st annual
Fall Color Bridge Run which we've already registered for) just 2 blocks from the
headquarters . We walked to town (just a few blocks) and had a nice dinner at
Audies. The salad bar was wonderful, and I took a chance on fried fish and
fries as a pre-race meal. Last year that was disaster, I hoped I was not
repeating that.

Then we walked back to the motel, and to the church which was the new
headquarters (as compared to the rec center which had been the headquarters for
all the previous years). We picked up our packets and were informed that WE
WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO RUN THE BRIDGE AFTER ALL, and that the start finish would
be in front of the church.........and we would be running thru town and along
the lakeshore (Michigan and Huron) for a 5K instead. The bridge workers had
decided they would not work beyond 8 pm Friday night. Major bumming was going
on. We heard of one man in particular who was coming all the way from
Washington state just to run the bridge. He would probably have been on a plane
when this announcement came! I'll bet he was more than bummed. We were told we
could start (staggered start --- start at your own time) between 5:30 and 6:30.
This is basically how it is done for the bridge run, since runners are bussed to
the northern end, and they only use a few busses so we are not all there to
start at the same time.

Ok. Fine with me. That means 5:30 for me. Since I am SOOOOO BOP, I wanted all
the time I could have so as to not be LAST to finish!!! My partners in crime
(Marilyn and Mary D) grudgingly agreed to accompany me at 5:30 to the start.
LOL! We went to bed early (some party girls we are!!). I fell asleep watching
the Red Wings lose.

Well..........so we got to the church for the start, promptly at 5:30 am, only
to find signs on the door that said we would all start at 6:30. So here I am,
butterflies and all as usual, ready to barf, I've already eaten my bagel and
yogurt, didn't bring water because it's only a 5K and I didn't want to carry
it............and I have to sit around for an hour when I could have slept
another hour............well, maybe...........I'd been awake since before 3 am
anyway! And I don't get to run the bridge. Sheesh. Not very happy. The local
police department made this decision, because they didn't want runners "strung
out" for 2 hours. Huh?

.

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