The Volkslaufe Was Back In-Person But Not The Same
After being virtual last year, I was happy to learn that the Volkslaufe 10k would be run in-person this year. This is a race I have run over 30 times and it’s one of my favorites. As I wrote 11 years ago, the event has changed for me over the years, but this year’s was different for other reasons.
A Familiar Course Is Comforting
Fortunately the course was the same scenic, moderately challenging course as always. We start on the grass by the Cass river then run uphill to leave the park and head into town. After the one-mile mark we turn out a country road into the corn fields. Later we pass The Fortress golf course, beautiful St. Lorenz Lutheran Church, and well-groomed lawns in the neighborhoods of Frankenmuth before we cross the covered bridge and head back downhill into the park and sprint to the finish line.
Fewer Fans and Activities
One thing different about the course was the low number of fans this year. Most years runners are cheered by families on their lawns, groups playing music or dancing between aid stations and crowds at the park by the finish. This year was quiet and the course felt empty. This may have been due to COVID or it may have been due to the new 7:00AM start time. Historically the race started at 8:00AM (or later) which helped fans but made for hot, humid conditions for runners in July in Michigan.
Not only were there fewer fans, but COVID forced the organizers to scale back on other activities and entertainment. I missed the polka band, the chicken frying on large grills, the crowds of people sitting on picnic tables and enjoying the morning with friends and family as runners crossed the line and proudly took their medal.
It’s All About The Race
My race goal was to keep a sub-8:00 minute pace. I’ve had to adjust my training the last couple months due to Achilles tendon problems so I took more days off than normal just to nurse it through so I could run the Volkslaufe. Even with the reduced training I was able to hit my goal and finished with a 7:57 pace. Surprisingly, this put me in 3rd place of the 14 in the 60-64M group. Winner, winner, chicken dinner! In this case, winner of a beer stein!
So, while I missed the crowds and some of the race-related activities, it was great to race in-person and great to hit my goal and collect some hardware. Hopefully next year we can have it all back to normal.