EAST GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A four-mile race around Reeds Lake in East Grand Rapids is a fast, festive way for anyone looking to get a head start on their physical fitness-related New Year's resolution.
On Wednesday, hundreds participated in the Reeds Lake Resolution Run, including several elite runners and also yours truly (who is very certainly not elite). For the past several years, the race has been a New Year's Eve tradition for me and my family.
The first person to cross the finish line was Benjamin Hardy from East Jordan, Michigan, who ran the race in 21 minutes and 48 seconds, a 5:10 mile pace.
A portion of the proceeds from this year's race will be given to Guiding Light, an addiction treatment center in West Michigan that helps men and women find hope and long-term recovery.
A number of men in Guiding Light's programs also served as course marshals on Wednesday, protecting and directing runners along their route.
"We give people that are in recovery a chance at a different way of living," said Nick Jennette, a life coach and case manager at the treatment center. "Very cool to watch some of these guys come alive over the four months they spend with us."
Four miles, four questions: FOX 17's Sam Landstra runs the Reeds Lake Resolution run
LAST YEAR'S RACE: FOX 17 runs the Reeds Lake Resolution Run
READ MORE: 'Anybody can do this': Michigan man runs 5K in every county in the state
