In just one month’s time, summer will arrive in Michigan. Well, not officially since the first day of summer is actually June 21. But if you’re like me, the highly anticipated 90 days of summer are sandwiched between Memorial Day and Labor Day. This is how we see things in Michigan, right? We just hope Mother Nature agrees with us.
No matter the weather, though, Memorial Day kicks it all off — not just for outdoor lovers like you and me but also for seasonal businesses that look forward to the crush of customers coming through their doors. Year-round recreation hot spot Crystal Mountain Resort in Thompsonville is one of these places that celebrates warmer weather — Memorial Day weekend marks their official start of summer — and this year the resort is adding a new half marathon and 10K on Sunday, May 25 to its roster of holiday activities.
I partnered with organizers of this new event–The North Mitten Half Marathon and 10K–after connecting with northern Michigan runner Janice Davidson, who is the longtime recreation manager for Crystal Mountain and the race director. She talked about The North Mitten Half Marathon and 10K in this recent post » An update to this initial post: the top male and female for the 10K and half marathon will win a river kayak. All participants will be entered to win a cruiser bike.
“It’s definitely a variety — there’s a little incline here and there, a couple of small rolling hills, but nothing significant,” Janice says of the race course. “It’s great for beginners. It’s open trail—not single-track—and there will be lots of support out on the trail. I want people to have a great time and experience Crystal Mountain, and get a good run in.”
I’ve got two (2) half marathon entries and two (2) 10K entries to give away, thanks to North Mitten organizers. If you’re looking for a half marathon or 10K to run in northern Michigan — a pretty fantastic way to kick off summer, no? — enter this giveaway by sharing your favorite summer activity in Michigan in the comment sections below. It could involve running a particular scenic route, or it might be an annual tradition you enjoy (camping with family or friends, soaking up the sun at the beach, mountain biking in the U.P., catching a sunset or sunrise on one of our Great Lakes…you get the picture.) What makes your heart sing come summer? Four winners — two half marathon runners and two 10K runners — will be chosen at random. This giveaway starts Wednesday, April 30 and ends at NOON Tuesday, May 6. Winners will be announced here on the blog Wednesday, May 7.
Good luck!
[Some fine print for this fine prize.] This giveaway is open to residents of the United States and Canada who are 18 years and older. It begins on 4/30/14 and ends at NOON EST on 5/6/14; the winners will be announced by 5/7/14. One entry per person. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Void where prohibited by law.
My favorite Michigan summer activity is running my first long run in Northern Michigan. I usually start that with my first weekend upnorth on Memorial Day weekend. If we can chose which distance, I’d be interested in the half and would make a great first run up north. Great giveaway!
My favorite summer activity is anything on Lake Michigan! Beach picnics, laying out, swimming, boating–I can’t get enough of the best fresh water beaches in the country. :-)
My favorite Michigan summer activity is spending a week at the D.H. Day Campground in Glen Arbor with my family. We enjoy camping, biking on the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail and hiking the wonderful trails that surround the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Running is my passion and I have always wanted to run a half marathon. Crystal Mountain sounds like a great place to explore trails and experience my first half marathon. Thanks for the oppurtunity and good luck to everyone.
My favorite summer activity is to walk the beach after dark and stand all the driftwood I find on end so it looks like aliens landed for early morning beach combers.
I love exploring all of my local Metroparks in the spring and summer. The dog and I spend hours every weekend finding new trails and seeing new sights. Although, a beer in the backyard on a hot summer day is pretty awesome, too. :) And a 10k upstate sounds like a great way to kick it all off!
Every summer for as long as I can remember, my family spends a weekend with my godparents who have a small cottage right on Lake Michigan in a little town called Northport. It’s right in the pinky area in the Leelanau peninsula. We usually go in August right before the fall and it’s absolutely heavenly and is always such a nice relaxing escape before summer officially ends and school/work/life in general starts to take over again. I love running along the beach and along a main, but quiet, road into town where there are parks and small cute shops. Northern Michigan is just perfect in the summer time and I feel so blessed to live in this state!
My favorite summer tradition has been to play hooky from work and spend an entire day on a Lake Michigan beach. I rarely plan it out in advance because the spontaneity is part of the fun. I’ll simply wake-up in the mood for lake-time, select a random beach, and spend the day alternating between swimming, reading, running, and napping. There are too many wonderful beaches in Michigan for me to visit any particular one more than a couple times, but my favorites have been Ludington, Sleeping Bear Dunes/Empire, and the dog beach in Muskegon.
Running a 10K would be a wonderful way to start out the summer; it would help to shake off this long grueling winter!
My favorite thing about MI summers are the sunsets! Living so close to the lake being able to jump in the car on a whim hustle down to the lighthouse and catch sun sets with the kids and hubby ! Awesome
I love spending time at the beach in Grand Haven, but I also really enjoy hiking and am looking forward to this summer, as I have just adopted a dog who can join me on hikes! I spent a lot of time at Crystal Mountain growing up and would love an excuse to go back!
I just moved back to Michigan after 10 years away. I look forward to the warmer weather and being outside. I hope to do lots of races: half marathons, a triathlon, marathons in the Fall and training all summer for those events. So excited!
My favorite summer tradition is a family trip to Mackinac Island. A day of biking the 8 mile island, a day of running the 8 mile island, and a day of exploring – capping it off with a Labor Day run with 400 runners from every county in the Mitten. Pure Mitten Fun!
Over the years with my children, Grand Haven has become our family destination yearly. It’s beauty is majestic. As a child with my own family I enjoyed Sand Lake, Tawas, and our trips along Lake Huron to find the whereabouts of my grandparents on their sailboat as they made their way from Augres to the UP. A day out on the Great Lake fishing was sure to ensue once we found them.
My favorite Michigan summer activity involves anything on Lower Herring Lake and Lake Michigan in Benzie County. Especially waterskiing and simply staring at the waves and water. Would love to run the 1/2 Marathon at Crystal!
My favorite thing to do in summer is run the Memorial Day race in Cadillac with 2 of my uncles who are army vets. We also run in Lake City and for Labor Day. I feel so much happiness running along side people who fought for our country in Vietnam. Also, after the race we all go enjoy the parade through downtown and stop at the fountain and bench that was dedicated in honor of Kris Eggle. I know what running meant to him and I continue to run with his dad even though he cannot.
My favorite is running next to any body of water! Especially one of the great lakes!
My favorite thing to do during the summer is to go from race to race every weekend promoting my running events… The Michigan Half Marathon Race Series. It’s so much fun socializing with other runners before the event, cheering each other on during them and then congratulating and talking with each other after. Experiencing the different terrain and weather conditions in all areas of Michigan always allows for a great and exciting post race conversation.
Michigan has so many activities to offer for fun in the summer but nothing beats camping with friends and family. I love to have s’mores and sit around the bonfire while looking at the clear starry skies. No matter where you camp, you will have a great time and plenty of fun filled memories. I would be happy to receive entry into the 10K or half marathon. I’ve just started running again late last fall and have since completed a 5k and half marathon with the RBR 25K and another 5K in the coming weeks. Looking forward to seeing different race courses this summer and traveling the state.
One of our favorite things to do in the summer is eating outside as much as possible. In the backyard, at the top of a bluff, at the beach. Everything tastes better outside! And I don’t worry at all about the mess with the kids. We offer healthy, easy-to-eat finger foods, mixed with a dose of something decadent. Perhaps a gin and tonic in a mason jar… Can’t wait!
My favorite summer activity is waking up slowly (because I don’t have to rush my daughter to school), cutting some kale from the garden for a breakfast smoothie, and then going for a run with my son in the stroller, my daughter on her bike, and a dog on either side of me! When we get home, we get to play outside in the sunshine…or head to the beach :)
Love summer up here so we can finally enjoy Mackinac Island, running in single layers, horseback rides on the trails and camping in MI state parks!
My favorite summer activity in Michigan is going to the beach with my husband and kiddos. Would love nothing more than to be able to kick off summer with this half marathon!
I am a big fan of all the unique running races in Michigan, but specifically in Northern Michigan. From running around Mackinac Island in the 8 mile race to running over the Mackinac Bridge to running around Little Traverse Bay in the new half marathon to competing in Traverse City in the Bayshore Marathon or the Cherry Festival races, they all highlight some of the best running areas in the state. Now we have a new run that will quickly become a classic!
Love, love, love running the trails in the summer! Also we have the best road and trail races in West Michigan.
My favorite summertime activity in Michigan is anything that will take me outside whether that be camping, fishing, running, biking, walking, walking in the woods, exploring different areas of Michigan. Cooking outside and enjoying the sounds of the insects and birds while enjoying our food. You name it and if it is outside I am there.
My Favorite thing about summer is spending time at our place in Aloha, MI…The lake is beautiful, running in the State Park next to the lake is awesome, and best of all playing at the playground and beach with my daughter is the best part of the day.
Northern Michigan summers rock! Mountain biking with hubby in Copper Harbor, hanging out with the kids at North Bar and enjoying peaceful runs in Presque Isle – what more could a girl ask for?? Oh, we could ask for a longer summer :).
I spend my time somewhere on the ten miles of white sand beaches in Ludington. The State Park here is another great way to spend time on trails or tubing down the river.
I love so many activities in summer in Michigan. Besides running, I love to hike, kayak and I really want to give paddle boards a try! Of course the beaches are great too!
I love spending lots of time outdoors doing many activities.. Some of my favorite are camping on the Manistee River and Kayaking but enjoy walks along the bay with my dog, going to the beach, bike rides, walks in the woods and all the fun festivals.. Being new to running this will be my first summer running in the beautiful area we do.. The last 2 nights I have had the joy of running along West Bay and East Bay so lucky to live in such a beautiful area.. Have been doing 5ks and looking forward to adding some 10ks to my list. :)
Mostly I love sunsets on the lake Mich beaches. Pentwater is beautiful. I love camping in Cadillac each summer and visiting marquette too.
I don’t know if I can pick just one favorite thing about summer. I love camping, running, going to the beach, eating out, fishing….. I do love running Bayshore every Memorial Weekend, since it’s kind of the ‘kick off’ to the summer season :)
I should add that running North Mitten would be the frosting on the cupcake following the Bayshore Half!
Mostly, I’m looking to the slower pace that naturally arrives with summer; getting lost in the seemingly endless evenings before that last sliver of daylight surrenders to the quiet darkness. I’m looking forward the strawberries, still warmed by the sun’s rays and longer runs on trails that hid deep below the surface of the snow for far too long. I’m looking forward to grilling out, lazy bicycle rides and horseback picnics. Finally, I’m looking forward to the annual activity wish list that my daughter and I compile at the end of the school year, upon which we state our summer dreams on paper. This year, among other things, my list will include paddle boarding, a new author, and a nighttime half marathon.
I can only list one favorite thing about summers in Michigan? I’m not sure I can choose between sunsets on Lake Michigan and running along Grand Traverse Bay up the Old Mission Peninsula. Both are hard to beat!!
My favorite summer activity is camping. As our children have gotten older and involved in summer sports it has been increasingly harder to get out like we used to. Our favorite campground has always been the Petoskey KOA. The staff and the cleanliness of the park have been big hits with all of us. The proximity to Mackinaw, the U.P. and many other area attractions makes it a perfect spot for us. Running has become a love of mine over the past 3 years and I have ran multiple 5K races every year. Signed up for my first half marathon for this June in Charlevoix and would love to give this one a try at some point. I hope your event is a big success and will keep it on my calendar for the upcoming years. Happy Running. #Inspiredtoinspire
We love visiting family in Traverse City each summer where we head to Empire beach and roast marshmallows on the beach and watch the sun go down. We also like taking part in either the Bayshore races or the Cherry Festival races. We’ve made it a tradition to go camping each summer as well and have loved going to Mill Creek campground in Mackinac City. While there, we’ll take a day or two and go up into the U.P. and visit Oswald’s Bear Ranch, the Mystery Spot and hopefully this year get to show our two kids what Tahquamenon Falls is all about.
My favorite Michigan summer activity is taking the family to Ludington State Park love to hike on all the trails and going to the beach – nothing better than a Michigan Summer at the lake!!
Exploring all the different parks and trails with my 3 and 5 year boys and our golden retriever! We are so lucky to have so many of them so close to us!
My favorite Michigan summer activity is bonfires with friends and family along Lake Michigan near Glen Arbor. But there are so many nature-centric activities that make summer in Michigan the best.
The best part of summer is getting to try new races on the weekends in beautiful N. MI! I think the most breathtaking one that I love is a tie b/w Solstice in Glen Arbor and Bayshore in TC!
My favorite summer activity is camping with my family. It doesn’t matter whether it’s playing on the Dunes at Silver Lake, biking in Mackinaw, or kayaking in Port Austin, it’s time we spend together being active and enjoying the beauty of Michigan. The older they get, the harder it is to fit in camping between their sport seasons so it’s important to me that we keep going new places and trying new things. I just started running last fall so I’m excited to incorporate running into our trips this summer. I ran my first marathon on Sunday and I’m anxious to plan my next race!