LMCU-Bridge Run-Matt Cook

LMCU-Bridge Run-Matt Cook

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
This is Talk of the Town,a news radio with thirteen hundred and one
oh six nine FM Steve Kelly withsports director Brett Bikita from West Michigan's Morning
News. Wow. Thanks for thetitle. Yeah, there you go get
that's why he has the office.We are also joined by Matt Cook,
who is the vice president of communityRelations in all of Lake Michigan Credit Union.
Matt, thanks for coming in today. Thanks for having me. We've

(00:20):
been talking about it coming for alittle while and we do an interview with
you every year, but it isback. The LMCU Bridge Run Sunday September
seventeen, So in just a coupleof weeks twenty twenty three, Matt talked
to us a little bit about lmcu'sinvolvement in this important race. Yeah.
So we've been involved for over tenyears of the over twenty years that the

(00:40):
race has existed here, and it'ssuch an awesome opportunity every fall to be
able to come out on a Sundaymorning as art prize kicks off, and
this week it's just after the startof our prize and an opportunity just to
be able to partake. Whether you'rean avid runner, participating in either the
ten mile or the five k,or maybe it's your first ever five k.
We offer both options and a greatchance for us to be able to
welcome the community in but also havea lot of our staff and members participate.

(01:06):
And kudos to you guys, becauseall the races locally, let alone
across the country kind of hit alittle bit of a skid because of COVID
and everything naturally, and you know, people don't necessarily always want to do
a virtual event even though that optionis out there. But for the Bridge
one, it stayed consistent, itdiscontinues to grow, it has and it's
really been an exciting opportunity to partnerwith run gr who puts on this race,

(01:26):
and Kyle Cutler and Rob Hyde arethe race directors, and they've done
a great job of trying to bestrategic about how we can offer that race
experience that welcomes people in whether it'stheir first time or if they've been a
part of it annually. And soreally we took twenty twenty off, you
know, had that virtual option,but came right back in twenty twenty one
with strong numbers and right now,depending on hopefully we get some of the

(01:47):
listeners to join in. But we'retracking for potentially a record year again this
year. Wow Bridge run dot comagain the Bridge run dot com for registration
information. We'll get to pack apickup and all that good stuff too.
What's fascinating about this what I hearfrom the running community. There are five
ks out there, but the tenmiler that's are really cool. There aren't
many of those. How come thereare not And it's really just a unique

(02:09):
distance, but it's one in whichyou do need to train. You know,
you could go out there and doit without training, but I wouldn't
recommend it, but it is it'sa distance that challenges you. It's a
great opportunity, especially here locally wehave the Grand Rappids Marathon and so it's
a chance for people to do thattraining run. But the ten mile isn't
a common distance. But there isthe Krim and Flint which just happened here

(02:30):
in late August. But outside ofthat, there aren't many other ten mile
races. But it's a great opportunityfor people to do something that is a
unique distance. It's not like everyother race that's happening, and so it's
a chance for us to have thatunique opportunity. The neat thing about this
is once you get your time atthe end of the race, you know
how many miles an hour you gobecause it's a ten mile and you can
do them. Sorry, Brett SportsDirector, next question. It is a

(02:54):
beautiful weekend. But if you've neverexperienced the Bridge Run, there's a couple
of nuances and even things that change. Just last year. We want to
let you know about. First ofall, the Bridge Run dot Com.
It's where you want to go tosign up on all the details the Bridge
Run dot Com. But Gauzelle Sportsis your Friday pickup. Last year because
of your relationship with a ballpark Saturday, there was a pickup time at LMSU

(03:15):
Ballpark as well before the race onSunday. Yeah, it's a great opportunity
for us. We have people thatwill come in and just sign up on
that day and then they're able tograb their shirt. But those that have
signed up ahead of time can grabit, come in, get their packet
in their race shirt. But it'sa great chance for us. We actually
have our LMCU Shred Day, soif you're somebody that want needs to shred
some of those sensitive documents. Youcan come between eight and eleven, and

(03:36):
then right after that we'll have thepacket pick up there at LMCU Ballpark and
hopefully the white Caps are in theplayoffs at that point too. Just don't
shred your bib. That's what wedon't want to do it. I mean,
you know, get through the racebefore you do that. The other
thing too, that I wanted toallude people to is the fact that a
little bit of a change and Ithink this was first time last year,
correct me if I'm wrong, Madwhere Rosa Park Circle isn't the main hub

(03:57):
anymore. It's Sixth Street Bridge,right, Yeah, So that was an
exciting change for us. The citywas trying to encourage more things happening throughout
downtown, and so it was agreat opportunity for us to spread out a
little bit more where a large race, so over twenty five hundred runners and
walkers, and so that's a chancefor us to have a giant parking lot
to be able to spread out.And you do start right in front of
the sixth Street Bridge and go aroundthe five k route and the ten mile

(04:20):
actually start together, so you gosouth through downtown, which is a change
from previous editions prior to last year. You go south through downtown and then
the five k will turn towards thefinish line at the three mile mark,
and then the ten miles continue togo north through Riverside Park. So it's
a great opportunity. Goes through anumber of bridges, hence the name,
and so in one of those differencesbetween a lot of the other races that

(04:43):
happen here, we have a chancefor you to see all of the awesome
sites downtown, but also get northto the river, running right alongside,
and then come back into downtown tofinish. The Bridge Run dot com again
the Bridge Run Gut come if you'venever run a race before and you're not
exactly sure where to line up.The Bridge Run is another one of those
when they have pacers lined up soyou can kind of get your pace and

(05:05):
hang out with people that aren't goingto run you over or slow you down.
That's very true. So we havemy team Triumph, which will go
off five minutes before the rest ofthe participants. But like Steve said,
there's a lot of opportunity for you, whether you're an avid runner or not,
to be able to find your groupthat you're going to run with and
stay consistent. That's also one thingthat people sometimes get worried about when they're

(05:25):
going to do a race, maybeif they haven't done it before, is
how am I going to stay consistent? Make sure that I make it through
and it's that community that sticks withyou, those pacers. Gauzelle Sports helps
with that pacing program and does agreat job every year of finding volunteers to
be able to do that and stayconsistent. Opening ceremonies start on race day
seven fifty am. Nashal Anthem willstart things off and then at eight o'clock

(05:46):
we get going. And remember it'sunique as well. Sunday morning, September
seventeenth, make sure you mark itdown your counter. I know I will
be there with a Bikita family man. I love it well and thank you
and for any listeners. LMSU fivegives you five dollars off your race century
at the Bridgerun dot com. Lmc U five get there now again.
The bridgrun dot com Vice president ofCommunity Relations for Lake Michigan Credit Union,

(06:12):
Matt Cook. Always great to seeyou. Thank you. This is Talk
of the Town on NewsRadio. Wouldthirteen hundred and one oh six nine FM,