About a week ago I introduced a new regular feature called My Michigan Run, posts that will showcase Michigan runners’ favorite places to run in the Mitten State. To kick things off, Holly Schurg of Traverse City shares her recent long run (her first 20-miler!) starting from her house in downtown to various spots in the city. See more of Holly’s running photos on Instagram by following tcspartan »

Last Sunday I ran my first 20-mile training run with my husband for our upcoming Dallas Marathon. It was a huge confidence boost after a less than stellar 19-miler two weeks ago.

We are lucky to live in downtown Traverse City, and there are lots of ways to add up the mileage from our house. In my mind it was divided into three distinct sections. The first leg was running our Golden Retriever Zoe through downtown, out the TART trail along West Bay and back home for 5 miles.

The second leg took us out Old Mission Peninsula along East Shore Drive, which is also part of the Bayshore Marathon route. We hit 10.5 miles at Center Road and turned around to attempt the hill at McKinley Road. This is a hill I typically avoid—except during the Cherry Festival 15K. I think all of this training is working because even though it was mile 11.5 of 20, it was easiest time I’ve ever had on McKinley! Up and over to Peninsula Drive to head back down the peninsula along West Bay.

For the final leg we looped around Northwestern Michigan College, back to East Bay Park, and finally to the Grand Traverse Civic Center to fill our water. With only 3 miles to go, we ran around the Civic Center track and headed home down Washington Street. It is amazing how much of Traverse City can be covered when you are running 20 miles!

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Where do you love to run? if you are interested in sharing a beloved Michigan running location, wherever it may be throughout lower Michigan or the Upper Peninsula, email a picture and a description of the area (and why you like running there so much) to: michiganrunnergirl [at] gmail [dot] com (Please try to keep your story/description to 300 words or less). I’d love to feature a variety of routes, from city landscapes, rocky or sandy shorelines, wide open hills and meadows, tree-lined trails…you get the picture.