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| Photo by Vaughn Gurganian |
Oakland alumni and friends are invited to don their running and walking shoes and join the Oakland University Alumni Association for The Brooksie Way Half Marathon and 5K held for the fifth year on the campus of Oakland University.
“The Brooksie Way is an outstanding example of a fun, healthy way for the community to come together to support healthy lifestyles,” President Gary D. Russi said. “The Brooksie Way Half Marathon and 5K attracts thousands of participants and receives widespread community support. We are proud to partner with the Brooksie Way team.”
County Executive L. Brooks Patterson began the Brooksie Way races to promote Oakland County and encourage people to become more physically active. Race proceeds support programs that encourage healthy and active lifestyles and are distributed through Brooksie Way MiniGrants. The first annual race was held in October 2008 and was named in honor of the late Brooks Stuart Patterson, Mr. Patterson's son.
This year’s race on Sunday, September 30 will offer registration discounts for OU alumni. Runners and walkers may register by going to thebrooksieway.com and clicking on-line registration. OU alums will receive a $3 discount on their registration fee of $25 for the 5K and a $4 discount on their registration fee of $50 for the half marathon. Prices for the half marathon and 5K will increase on July 15, so register early and save.
There are two different training programs available to assist runners in preparing for the race. The first program this spring is the “Couch to 5K,” which runs from April 12 until June 2, 2012. The six-week running and walking program in Rochester will train participants for a 5K race. To register for the course, visit rararegistration.org and choose Adult Programs/Fitness Classes. The cost to register is $60.
The second program begins on June 7 with workouts for running and walking the half marathon and 5K. Information is available at thebrooksieway.com under the TRAIN tab at the top of the page. Discounts are available for two or more people signing up together.
According to halfmarathons.net, The Brooksie Way Half Marathon and 5K, is a beautifully scenic and demanding 13.1 miles that will take runners from the grounds of the university out into the nearby areas of Rochester and Rochester Hills, with stretches along the biking and hiking trails along local rivers and creeks.
From the starting line at Meadow Brook Music Festival on campus, the race takes runners and walkers on a counter-clockwise loop through the city, turning first south on Old Perch Road and then east again on West Avon Boulevard before reaching the scenic Clinton River Trail. Participants will stay on the trail, made up of a combination of dirt and gravel, for the next mile and a half before returning back to pavement for the stretch along Elizabeth Street and University Drive, and then back onto trails again for roughly the next mile, along the Paint Creek Trail.
After turning off the Paint Creek Trail at West Tienken Road, the rest of the race is run on paved city streets with the exception of a brief trail stretch again along Dutton Road. Along the way, runners and walkers pass or run through a number of local golf courses and parks, including Brookwood Golf Course, Great Oaks Country Club and the Rochester Municipal Park.
The finish line lies back at Oakland’s Meadow Brook Music Festival. The races are scheduled to begin at 8 a.m.
By Laura Mutz