Rollie Hopgood's Midtown Taylor 5k Official Website

The "Nitty Gritty" Details (User Opinions)

Kelly C.
newport, MI

  (07-13-2010)

"Despite this being a small local race (about 350 participants this year), this race always has some very very fast runners. The first year I ran Sheila Taormina (Olympic gold medalist) ran an average pace of 5:45 and the top three finishers in my age group ran in the low 6's. This year Doug Kurtis and Ella Willis (both stud MI runners, winning the Detroit Marathon among others on more than one occassion) ran.

This is important to know otherwise you might get sucked into a super fast pace at the start that you didn't intend on running (not that I would do that...ok, maybe only twice though. Did I mention I've run this race twice?). So be forewarned you are going to run that first mile fast unless you get yourself to the back of the pack and if you do decide to do that you should also know that it is a gun (or air horn rather) start and a chip finish.

The first mile is on main roads, no shade, but the traffic is blocked off so that's a plus. The second mile is down a sidestreet and back to the park where the race starts/finishes at. The last mile is through some extremely well groomed beautiful trails in the woods which for the middle of July are an extremely welcome relief from the blazing hot sun. Unfortunately you are only in and out of them for about half of that mile then on to paved park trails back in the sun. Up a small hill, then down to the finish. One water stop at mile 2.

Post race goodies: granola bar, water, powerade (I think was the brand I forget), apples, bananas.

Sweet bobble head trophies to the top three in each age group and tons of giveaways (really I don't know that I've ever been to a race with so many raffle prizes)to restaurants, running store, etc and one month to take your bib into the fabulous Pete's Place for breakfast (just had it. So yummy. Bacon, eggs, toast, hash browns and choclate milk for free :-).

Almost forgot, packet pick up is at the local running store the entire week before the race and you get a pretty sweet eco friendly wicking running shirt that appears to be a little itchy when you touch it on the outside but turns out to be soft and smooth on the inside. Cute little running foot logo.




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Reviewed by a: Repeat Participant for 2010