I have never feared the number 13 as being an unlucky number. Not even a world wide pandemic could stop the 13th annual running of The Brooksie Way Half Marathon this weekend!. What’s so special about The Brooksie Way Half Marathon? Well you need to understand how it began and how it has evolved from the very first race in 2008.

Several years before the first race, Oakland County’s (MI) beloved County Executive L. Brooks Patterson was seeking a way to improve the health and well being of Oakland County residents and employees. He did his homework. He connected with one of the country’s best organized and nationally recognized road races The Crim 10 Mile, which conveniently enough was literally located in Oakland County’s backyard, Flint MI.

Brooks teamed with The Crim organizers to organize and implement The Brooksie Way. You also need to know that at that the race is not named after Brooks Patterson. Rather its name came from Patterson’s son, Brooks Stuart Patterson (aka Brooksie). The winter prior to the first race Brooksie suffered a fatal injury from a snowmobile accident. When it came time to determine a name for the half marathon it was suggested that the race be named for Brooksie. The name Brooksie Way was derived from the passion for life that Brooksie lived throughout his shortened life. So the name The Brooksie Way is in memory of Brooks Patterson’s son, Brooks Stuart Patterson.

When I first learned of the very first Brooksie Way during the summer of 2008, I was very sceptical that I would ever run the race. The first race was held the first Sunday in October, thus it was in direct conflict with mine and many other marathoners training schedule for many fall marathons later in October and November. But then I learned that the race director from The Crim, Deb Kiertzner and her dedicated team of experienced race experts would be behind The Brooksie Way, I signed up immediately for my first Brooksie. I have never been disappointed since!

2006 was the 30th running of The Crim, and in the tradition of breaking new ground for the benefit of runners, The Crim recognized a handful of runners who at that time had run every Crim 10 Mile. This group was recognized and even provided with a head start on a world class field of runners. So even before I ran my, and the very first Brooksie in 2008 I made up my mind to run every Brooksie every year for as long as my legs and body will allow. I am happy to report that I have maintained that goal and streak for 13 races now capping off my “virtual” Brooksie this weekend!

From my first Brooksie were I raced along with Bill Rogers (that story is a separate blog), to the many years of competing in the Team Challenge with the members of our 501 Running Club (which by the way we often claimed first place in the oped division), to the post race parties, interesting expos, the crowd support along the race course, beautiful scenic paths, and of course those many “rolling hills” along the last half of the route, many of my best races and running memories occurred at The Brooksie Way.

In 2017 The Brooksie Way started to acknowledge those runners who had participated in each and every race. The 10 Year Runner was established. As a 10 Year runner you were able to start in the first wave regardless of your race pace. We also celebrated that year at the Rochester Mills Brewery factory with Brooks Patterson and all of the race’s major sponsors. At that time there were slightly more than 100 runners who had competed in each and every Brooksie. Those of us able to attend that pre-race celebration were treated to a very special photo-op with the man himself, Brooks Patterson. Little did we know at that time it would be the only group photo of Brooks with our group as Brooks was only able to be with us for one more Brooksie Way before he passed away due to cancer before the 12th running of The Brooksie.

So, that brings me to the story of my 12th Brooksie! The short version (refer to my blog post “Do As I Say, Not As I Do” for the long version), is that I had not been feeling well days ahead of race day. I had been hampered with hamstring issues and what felt like a muscle cramp along my beltline when I ran. I also felt fatigued and had a temperature. Nonetheless, I had experienced similar aches and pains prior to races years ago and managed to run a decent race so why not al least try to run a half marathon? My race plan was to run slow, avoid pain, and only walk if and when necessary. My race goal was to finish the entire route and complete my 12th Brooksie!

Well, I started very slow that day, no pain, at least for the first mile, But in the second mile I was very uncomfortable, so much so that I struggled to just get to the 5K mark. From there I ended up walking the remaining 10 miles. All but one of the 1399 race finishers had passed be by. I finished second to last but managed to cross the finish line a few minutes ahead of the 4 hour mark. A 3hr 46 min finish time for me in a marathon but this was a half marathon!

But I completed my goal, finished the race, was driven home by a good friend, and collapsed on the bed and slept in my race gear for the next five hours! A few days later I was on my way to the local ER and a three day stay in the hospital for an extremely serious intestinal infection. A few months later I was back in the hospital where the awesome team of surgeons, nurses, and support personnel cut an 8” hole in my gut and removed a long length of my large intestine. I was home in time for Christmas and started to make plans for returning to racing and looking forward to a full year of good health, many races, and especially The Brooksie Way!

Well I don’t need to tell you about 2020, the good news is that I was able to return to running in mid-February and have maintained my health, but along the way I joined the unemployment line this summer and in mid-August my wife fell and suffered a hip fracture. Her injury required surgery and now a lengthy re-hab, I was able to land a new full time position with an excellent architectural firm (Partners in Architecture, with expertise with municipal and educational facilities), but it entails a long commute each day. This commute along with my new role as caregiver, and assuming more duties around the home including chauffeur services for my wife as she travels to physical therapy, reconfiguring parts of our home, doctor visits, and trips to the pharmacy, all has combined to significantly shift my priorities and thereby nearly eliminate any serious running.

As unusual as it is for me I had not yet signed-up to run the virtual version of The Brooksie Way this year. When it was announced in mid summer that the race was to be virtual I, along with thousands of other runners were extremely disappointed but understood the need to do so. Up to then I was holding out hope that conditions would improve by the fall and the race would be on! I discouraged myself from competing virtually. Until a few days prior to the race day! I had to be one of the last runners to enter but how could I let my streak of running every Brooksie end? Especially after what I endured last year!

My training for all of 2020 had been significantly less than normal for me. I ran consistent but I did not run long. In mid-summer my longest run in any week was an eight miler and I often struggled to complete that distance. My September mileage was only half of any previous month. I was in no shape to run 13.1 miles! or so I thought. i paid my entry fee and I was determined to keep this streak alive! I plotted a route at my usual weekend running spot at Kensington Metro Park that minimized repeating any part of the normal loop there. I arrived at sunrise. A runner could not ask for better race day conditions, temp hovering at 50*, plenty of sunshine, and no wind. I took off in a slow pace that I felt I could maintain for 13 miles.

I ran alone in much the same way as I ran Brooksie last year but this was different. As I approached my 3 mile mark at Kensington I felt blessed to be able to simply run again, regardless of my current pace. I also imagined myself running past the 3 mile mark along Avon Road at Brooksie and not needing to walk. Throughout my route, I reminisced about where I would be along the Brooksie route at any given distance. At 4 miles I was crossing a pedestrian bridge along the scenic trail path. At 5 mile or so, I was running thru downtown Rochester MI. At the half way point back on the trail, I remembered when Bill Rogers attempted to pass me during the very first Brooksie, by the way, I did not let him pass me back then. But as I approached my 7th mile, I was glad that my route did not include a very long uphill at Tienken Rd.!

I was approaching my 10 mile mark and realized that I was now running my longest distance in over a year and I felt good and strong. Well at least thru the first 10 miles. The last three miles were a bit of a struggle for me as my pace slowed but my enthusiasm for finishing my 13th Brooksie was growing! I knew my approximate pace of 9:12 min/mile would likely carry me over the 2 hr mark but I truly had no concern for my finish time, I simply was glad to finish. Afterward my watch clocked my total running time of 2 hr and 01 minute! Wow! if I had only pushed those final few miles a bit harder I could have broken the 2 hr mark! But I really didn’t care. I had finished my 13th Brooksie Half Marathon and once again I look forward to returning to real racing and challenging myself to be a strong competitor in 2021 once again!

I feel blessed and lucky that I have been able to maintain my health and continue to run this 13th running of The Brooksie Way and the year of the pandemic! Thanks for taking the time to read my lengthy story, I hope it may inspire you to reach your goal.

PS: My wife continues to recover from surgery, is making great progress, becoming more mobile, and I have been able to return to some running in the recent weeks. Thanks again.

Coach Lee

The Running Architect

Another PS: I found way too many pics of Brooksie past. Below are just a few of the many memories of racing and celebrating over the past 13 years. Keep Running Happy friends and thanks for stopping by to read about my experience!