Run thru Hell results and review

After a 3 year hiatus, my uncle's race was back on!  In the past, the crowd has topped off near 1500-1800 runners total between the wienie run (4.8 miles) and 10 mile race.  This year it just reached 1,000.  I am hoping that the word will get out that the Run thru Hell is back and we can double that total next year!

I got to the race location 2 hours before the start.  I had assumed I would need to help set up or hand out registration packets.  They didn't need me to do a thing.  I was there to be food for the humming bird sized mosquitoes though.  Holy moly, these things were awful!  I was getting eaten alive.  I tried to hard not to use insect repellent, but finally broke down and sprayed myself from the waist down.  so instead, they bit my face.  I had 3 very large welts on my forehead and side of my face.  Guess that is what happens on a damp morning out in the country! 

3 runners from my gym were running this race as well.  We met up at the start line, waited for the gun to sound and off we went.  I took off on my own.  I may run with them during the week, but I like to race alone.  My goal was to finish in 1:15, which would be a 7:30 pace.  This course sticks to mostly dirt and gravel roads with lots and lots of hills.  Definitely a great work out!  I kept leap frogging this younger woman.  She would kick my ass on the up hill but I passed her every time on the down hill and flat ground.  About 2 miles left to go, she passed me one last time and I never did catch her.  I tried.  Afterwards I thanked her for the push.  I ended up crossing the finish line in 1:17:05 with a 7:43 pace.  Good enough for a 3rd place finish in my age group but 2 minutes off my goal.  I looked up the results of the woman I ran with and she finished in 1:17:10.  So although I had not caught her in the end, I ran the course 5 seconds faster.  Feels good to know this 32 (almost 33) year old body can take on a young woman who is 23 years old! 

Official Results;
Time; 1:17:05
Pace; 7:43
AG place; 3rd/22

My your soul rest in peace Aunt Delores.

As some of you may know, my aunt and uncle are pretty popular amongst the Michigan running community.  Harrison & Dolores Hensley have been heavily involved in running events for many years, until late 2008 when aunt Dolores suffered a stroke.  Uncle Harrison cancelled the race for 2009 and it has not been held since.  In October 2010, Chuck Block of Running Foundation, along with my uncle Harrison's assistance, put on the Run thru Hell on Halloween.  It was to raise funds to provide a wheel chair accessible van so Dolores could begin doing what she loved; traveling to running events.  The turn out for this event was amazing!

It brings me great sadness to inform you that Dolores Hensley, my aunt, passed away yesterday at 2pm.  She was loved by so many runners across the state.  You may have seen her working the registration table on an early Saturday morning, taking your timing tag/chip as you crossed the finish line or handing you a water. 

Please mark your calendars for August 13.  The once famous Run thru Hell race will be taking place!  Not only will this help my uncle deal with the lose of his wife, but it's a great way to honor Dolores' memory.   
http://www.runningfoundation.com/RUN_THRU_HELL.html

Here is a great article published in the December 2008 issue of Michigan Runner on aunt Dolores.
http://www.michiganrunner.net/read_new/missing-hensleys

Run Thru Hell 10K Race Results

What a HUGE success this event was. Thanks to all that were involved in volunteering, donating and participating my aunt and uncle will now be the proud new owners of a brand new Ford cargo van fully equipped with a hydraulic lift for a wheel chair! and 2 years of insurance will be fully paid for up front. Amazing!!

It was such a cold morning! I appreciated the weather about 1 mile into the race. I ran with my dad and like always, he was pushing me hard. I completely forgot about how hilly the course is. My goal was to finish around 45:00-45:45, which did not happen. The first mile killed us! It was so bottle necked and we were dodging people left and right. Our pace when we hit the 1 mile marker was 8:45!! Once the 10K course split off from the 5K runners, it thinned out and gave us more room to make up some ground. We ended up crossing the finish line at 46:52. This gave me a new 10K PR, beating my previous best by 1:53.

Official Results:

Finish Time 46:52
Pace 7:33
Age Group Place 6/88
Gender Place 39/619
Overall 171/1186

The only picture of me on the course and it has to look like this!



My Dad (in white), Chuck Block (the person who organized this event) and the lady of honor Dolores Hensley.



Group shots before the race

A Touching Event

I know it's months away, but I am really looking forward to running this race. All proceeds will be donated to Dolores & Harrison Hensley to purchase a wheel chair assessable minivan for Dolores.

Dolores is my aunt. My great aunt to be exact. My dad's aunt and uncle.

Unc (that is what we call him) used to run races almost every weekend, sometimes 2! Not only that, he put on the famous Run Thru Hell in Pinckney, MI which lasted many, many years. That is, until my aunt Dolores had a stroke. Now it's been 2 years since the last Run Thru Hell and it's been over a year since my Unc has ran. This is a man in his late 70's, ran numerous marathons including Boston, etc...

After 2 years of not having this famous race, someone decided to take this on and make it a one time event to help out two of some of the most dedicated people involved in the Michigan running community.

I really, really look forward to this. And I am hoping they have a turn out better then any of the Run Thru Hell races Unc put on!

http://www.runningfoundation.com/Run_Thru_Hell_Halloween.html
If you have been a runner in Michigan for the last several years then you
undoubtedly know or have seen Dolores and Harrison Hensley. They put on
the Run Thru Hell Race for many years which was a quality event that
thousand of runners competed in. They would also travel to races every
weekend and even go to mid week races. Dolores would help with
registration and work the finish chute and Harrison would take with him entry
forms from hundreds of races so runners could look through them and take
the forms home. They were very active and important people in the Michigan
running community. This all came to end in November of 2008 when Dolores
suffered a stroke. Now these once active and vibrant people are confined to
their house. They miss seeing all the runners every weekend and we miss
seeing their smiles and all the help they brought to the race.
This race is for them. This is a one time race that will not be held again. The
entire entry fee will go to the purchase of a wheelchair assessable minivan
so Dolores and Harrison can once again go to the races.