We all have a bucket list of Michigan races we’d like to run, and the Dexter to Ann Arbor Run is on mine. It sounds like a great course — beautiful scenery along the Huron River, with a good dose of challenging hills. (That cold one from Wolverine Brewing Company post-race will taste all the sweeter after those climbs!) Another reason this June race is on my list: my dad grew up in Dexter and I spent numerous holidays at my aunt and uncle’s just outside Ann Arbor. I’m excited to be partnering with race organizers this year — they’ll be featured on an upcoming MRG podcast! — and I hope you consider signing up for this race. Read on for more race details ~MRG.
The hills, trees and backwoods riverbanks of Michigan’s Huron River Drive are the setting for the 2016 Dexter to Ann Arbor Run, a road race event with a half marathon, a 10K, a 5K and a kid’s fun run. This year’s event takes place Sunday, June 5.
The hilly and fairly challenging route takes runners on a course exactly as its name suggests, from the town of Dexter on an eastward route along the Huron River to the finish in Ann Arbor. You can expect a scenic race as you run along the Huron River and pass through a series of parks, including Dexter-Huron Metropark, Delhi Metropark and Bird Hills Park before finishing along North Main Street in historic downtown Ann Arbor.
Here are the different events offered at the Dexter to Ann Arbor Run, also known as DXA2:
Half Marathon – 8:30 a.m. start.
It’s the big kahuna! If you want the full Dexter to Ann Arbor experience, then this is the event for you. It’s 13.1 miles of scenery on winding Huron River Drive with the classic finish in beautiful downtown Ann Arbor. New to DXA2 this year is the Half Marathon Team Challenge – click here for more details.
10K – 7:50 a.m. start
The 10K is great for serious runners and not-so-serious runners (and walkers) who want a little more than a 5K but not the whole half. The course showcases some of the most beautiful stretches of Huron River Drive.
5K – 8 a.m. start
The 5K (3.1 mile) Run & Walk is a great way for the whole family to take part in the Dexter-Ann Arbor Run. The 5K course has been completely redesigned for 2016 — the 5K race now starts and finishes on Main Street, includes views of the Huron River and takes runners through Ann Arbor’s Argo Nature Area.
Kid’s Run – June 4th, 3 p.m.
The Kid’s Run is held at the Race Expo (Ann Arbor Skyline High School), more details are provided below.
– Race Expo & Kid’s Run –
The Dexter-Ann Arbor race expo will be held on June 4 at Ann Arbor Skyline High School. Packet pickup is available from noon – 5 p.m.
The 2016 Dexter-Ann Arbor Kid’s Run is a mini-meet on the high school’s oval track. This is a great opportunity to get your kids involved in the race. The event is open to all kids age 12 and under, with an emphasis on FUN, not competition.
Kids 12 and under who register for any DXA2 road race may participate in the Kid’s Run for no extra charge. Simply show their road race bib at the Expo or at the outdoor track to get a Kids Run bib for free.
Participants will receive a custom Kids Run/AATC t-shirt, as well as a new medal design, a slightly smaller version of the official DX-A2 race medal.
– Post Race & Taste of Ann Arbor –
DXA2 Race Director Doug Goodhue stresses the importance of rewarding yourself for accomplishing your goal. “Most runners, including me, don’t mind grabbing a slice of pizza and a cold beer after a hard run.”
After you cross the finish line, you can do just that. Enjoy a cold one at the Wolverine State Brewing Company beer tent, and stick around for other festivities — since the race ends in downtown Ann Arbor, you will finish the race in the middle of the 2016 Taste of Ann Arbor.
This annual community event features local restaurants offering visitors bite sized, and some not-so-bite sized, tastes of what they do best. Tickets can be purchased at the event for $.50 each, and nothing is priced over $4. Some 40 of Ann Arbor’s favorite restaurants will be set up on the two blocks of Main Street between William and Washington. Some of the featured vendors will include BD’s Mongolian Grill, Busch’s Fresh Food Market and many more.
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Ready to sign up for the Dexter to Ann Arbor Run? Learn more and get registered here »
