Firecracker 5K Sustainability Report

Independence Day in Ann Arbor wouldn’t be the same without its traditional 5K event. At least not to runners, and the Epic Races team! And so despite a warm morning and a new location, the show went on without a hitch. This year’s event, for several reasons, took place at Briarwood Mall instead of downtownContinue reading “Firecracker 5K Sustainability Report”

Epic Races Goddess Weekend 2021 Sustainability Report

The forecast for last weekend at Portage Lake predicted a soggy mess for the Epic Races Goddess 5K on Saturday and the Tri Goddess Tri on Sunday. But the weather goddesses were smiling down on us, and both days were (nearly) rain-free, making for happy athletes and happier staff. We set up our Zero WasteContinue reading “Epic Races Goddess Weekend 2021 Sustainability Report”

Island Lake Tri Sustainability Report

A beautiful day for a triathlon, from mini-sprint to Olympic distance, at the Island Lake Rec Area. And with restrictions lifted, nearly 500 athletes turned out. And the classic Epic Races food was back, with pancakes, breakfast burritos, candy, and even ice cream. The Zero Waste effort would be put to the test! We setContinue reading “Island Lake Tri Sustainability Report”

Flirt with Dirt 5K/10K Sustainability Report

This event represented a first for Happy Planet Running – leaving the Zero Waste station unattended for an entire race. Yes, perhaps a more fitting title for this was Flirt with Disaster, but I don’t get to name the races. I’m just the Trashman. How did this come about? A very fortunate event – theContinue reading “Flirt with Dirt 5K/10K Sustainability Report”

The Roar Restored: RF Events Stegosaurus Tri Sustainability Report

The RF Events T-Rex series of triathlons is finally back in business, and kicked off June 2 at the Island Lake Rec Area with its brand-new fourth in the series, the Stegosaurus! Despite a cold, rainy afternoon fit for neither man nor dinosaur, several hundred eager athletes braved the weather for a half mile swim,Continue reading “The Roar Restored: RF Events Stegosaurus Tri Sustainability Report”

The Classic Returns: RF Events Trail Marathon Weekend 2021 Sustainability Report

April 24-25, 2021 – Pinckney Recreation Area, Silver Lake After over a year, RF Events returned to live races this month with its longstanding (34 years) classic trail marathon, and HPR was there to support the newer tradition (5 years) of making the race Zero Waste. Due to park restrictions, attendance was limited to 300Continue reading “The Classic Returns: RF Events Trail Marathon Weekend 2021 Sustainability Report”

Back in Business! Waterloo G&G Bike Race Sustainability Report

April 17-18, 2021 – Portage Lake Recreation Area A gorgeous weekend for a gravel bike race. So nice, it went both days instead of just Saturday. Perhaps a certain park capacity limit due to a certain lingering ‘situation’ contributed to that, but I didn’t see anyone complaining. The Epic Races Zero Waste effort picked rightContinue reading “Back in Business! Waterloo G&G Bike Race Sustainability Report”

The New Running Reality: Scrumpy Skedaddle 2020

Sustainability Report: Scrumpy Skedaddle Date: October 4, 2020 Event company: RF Events Where: Almar Orchards, Flushing MI # Attendees: 400 Zero Waste Team size: 1 It’s been quite a while since Happy Planet Running has had an event to report about. Since February the great majority of running events have been virtual, and the fewContinue reading “The New Running Reality: Scrumpy Skedaddle 2020”

We’re Still Here!

Well, it’s been a long time since I’ve had an event to work. But Happy Planet Running is still here! And when racing resumes, so will my work to keep events as Zero Waste as possible. The last event I helped with, the Super 5K in February, seems like it happened years ago. Now it’sContinue reading “We’re Still Here!”

Ann Arbor Track Club Salutes Zero Waste at its Flagship Event

The Dexter-Ann Arbor Run, a half-marathon put on by the Ann Arbor Track Club (AATC), has been held annually since 1974 and draws thousands of runners each year. As with any event that size, it generates a lot of waste. In 2018 AATC approved a Zero Waste initiative for the race, and landfill waste wasContinue reading “Ann Arbor Track Club Salutes Zero Waste at its Flagship Event”