https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0ZytEiptN0
I prayed all weekend that the weatherman was wrong when he said that the forecast called for a 100 percent chance of rain mixed with chilly temperatures for the morning of the St. Patrick’s day race in Corktown, but when I woke up and looked out the window, he couldn’t have been more accurate.
Instead of running in green and orange T-shirts and shorts like in previous years where spring hit early, most people were bundled up with sweatshirts, lots of layers and rain ponchos.
But of course, there were a handful of runners wearing only tiny shorts and shoes. This year left runners an acceptable excuse to layer tutus, leprechaun suits and every other Irish-themed costume in effort to keep warm.
The base camp of this event was covered in tents filled with water bottles, bananas and other nutritious snacks to help the runners replenish after running through the streets of downtown. Overlooking the start and finish line, is the breathtaking view of the old train station. This Corktown icon leaves everyone who passes it looking up in awe.
Although the weather was far from perfect, that did not stop the thousands of loyal runners who beared with nature in order to accomplish this race. There were way more people than I ever expected, even with the uncooperative conditions. The atmosphere of all of these enthusiastic runners motivated me to run my best during every mile of the race.
The race began in Corktown, Detroit’s oldest neighborhood established 1834, and is known for its rich Irish culture and influence. Irish restaurants, or Pubs, and businesses with Irish names, line the perimeter of Michigan Ave’s brick road. The architecture of these buildings reveals the history of the era in which this neighborhood was founded. Every block had antique houses enhancing the aesthetic.
In between the first and second mile, the crowd made a slight loop onto Fort St. only for about a block, then turned onto Shelby St., and then back onto Michigan Ave. heading back in the opposite direction toward the finish line. On the way back, it was the same sights and views, and encouragement motivation was shared between the two lanes of people going in opposite directions.
After the mile mark on the cross street intersecting with Third Street, we started approaching the skyline of downtown Detroit. The skyscrapers towered above us as we ran down past the remains of the old Tiger’s Stadium, the Penobscot building, the All-American Coney Island, and many other signature monuments located downtown.
One of my favorite parts of the race was running past all of these amazing buildings where you can relive the history through the architecture. Downtown has a lot to offer and has been evolving a ton in the past couple of years. I understand why Detroit’s slogan is the “comeback city.” In my opinion, Detroit is one of the most overlooked and underrated cities, and I love participating in all of the opportunities that this city offers.
For the at least next seven years, I plan on spending most of my time downtown studying physical therapy in the heart of Detroit at Wayne State University. This race was in some ways a college visit and a tour of my future home.
Finally, we passed the finish line and I was really proud of the times of my friend and I. If the weather was sunny and dry, then we would have stayed for the parade and celebrated St. Patrick’s day at an Irish restaurant. This race was an amazing experience and I will definitely participate in this race and other opportunities to be involved with downtown.
