 
In 2010, be a part of the tradition of 400 runners and wheeling athletes to lead the way across the Mackinac Bridge at sunrise. The bridge connects Michigan’s upper and lower
peninsulas. It is the largest suspension bridge in North America
and the third largest in the world. Governor Jennifer Granholm
jogged across the five-mile span overlooking the Straits of
Mackinac on Labor Day, 2003 opening the way for this new Labor
Day tradition of fun and fitness for Michigan residents.
The
Mackinac Bridge Labor Day Run is a non-competitive
run of about five miles over the Mackinac Bridge, sponsored by Farm Bureau Insurance. It is organized
by the Governor’s office, the Michigan Fitness Foundation, and the Mackinac
Bridge Authority. This is not a timed event and the course
will not be certified for distance. The Mackinac Bridge Labor
Day Run is limited to 400 participants who will be selected
from a lottery drawing in June, 2010.
Click here to visit the official Mackinac Bridge Labor Day Run participant blog.
Eligibility
for Lottery:
- Must
be 18 years old by September 6, 2010 (you will be asked to provide proof of your age)
- Michigan
residents only
- Must
have participated in a running event endorsed by the Governor’s
Council on Physical Fitness (see list of eligible endorsed
events below) that takes place between June 1, 2009 and
May 31, 2010. Endorsed events after May 31, 2009 will
become part of the eligible events for the 2011 Labor Day
Run.
Rules:
Runners who expect to run slower than 12 minutes per mile
and/or who cannot run the entire five miles should not enter
the lottery. It is important to keep the runners and walkers
as separate groups for this event.
To
Enter the Lottery Drawing: Individuals who meet the
above criteria may then complete a registration on-line. Simply participating in an endorsed running
event does not automatically register one for the lottery.
Please note that only one lottery entry is permitted per person,
regardless of the number of endorsed events in which entrants
participate. Click
here for further information and/or to enter the lottery.
Endorsed
Events: Each year, the Governor’s Council on
Physical Fitness endorses events that promote safe physical
activity and are consistent with the Council’s mission
to Get Michigan Moving. The Mackinac Bridge
Labor Day Run winners are randomly selected from the on-line lottery registration. Lottery registrants must have run in an eligible endorsed running event and be 18 years of age by Labor Day of that given year to qualify for the opportunity to participate. If you are an event
organizer and would like to submit your event for consideration,
click here for more information
and to apply for an endorsement.
Winning
Lottery Entries: Lottery winners will be notified
by email and U.S. mail. A registration packet, that provides detailed information regarding the run, will be sent to all lottery winners along with an Acceptance Response Form which must be returned for selection to be considered final. In addition,
winners will:
- Enjoy
a pasta dinner with fellow runners the night before the
run.
- Kick
off the traditional Mackinac Bridge Walk.
- Have
an opportunity to serve as a fitness ambassador.
- Receive
a commemorative t-shirt.
There
is an anticipated $35 participation fee to help cover the costs of the
event.
Place
and Time: If a lottery winner, the run will take
place before the annual bridge walk which
begins at 7:00 a.m. on Labor Day. Like the walk, the run will
start in St. Ignace and end in Mackinaw City. Only the lottery
winners will be allowed to run the bridge. All others are
welcome to join the walkers. Click
here for information on the Labor Day Bridge Walk.
Disclaimer
of Liability: Before beginning the run, all participants
must carefully determine that they are physically fit and
medically able to participate, since the physical strain of
the run could lead to serious health problems. Participants
should also understand that running involves risks of injury
from falls due to the surface condition of the bridge, contact
with other participants, and the effects of weather, including
high heat and/or humidity. The state of Michigan, Mackinac
Bridge Authority, St. Ignace Chamber of Commerce, Mackinaw
Area Chamber of Commerce, the Governor’s Council on
Physical Fitness/Michigan Fitness Foundation, and all their
respective employees, agents, volunteers and sponsors are
not assuming any obligations with regard to such risks and
specifically disclaim any and all liability arising from any
runner's participation in the Mackinac Bridge Labor Day Run.
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