Don’t be afraid of the name. You’re more likely to encounter mosquitoes than deer flies on this unique and fun trail 5K. The Deer Fly 5 occurs on the pretty, forested trails at Lake Lansing North Park in Haslett, Michigan.
If you’re looking for a great 5K trail race, this is one you won’t want to pass up!
Deer Fly 5 Course
The Deer Fly 5 is a looped course that primarily follows the blue route at Lake Lansing North. Participants start in an open field next to the parking area before hopping on the trail.
The next 3 miles are entirely on the trail. While not super technical, there are a few small hill climbs and plenty of roots along the way. It was a very runable route and made for a pleasant run through the woods.
At about 2.7 miles, the trail turned into a wonky boardwalk as we made our way across the final marsh and closer to the finish line.
Goodies
All participants received a very cool t-shirt, a Michigan Trail Experience sticker, and a finisher patch.
Those who placed first in their age group always received a $10 gift card to Playmakers and the overall male and female finishers received a $25 gift card to Playmakers. That alone made it worth participating!
Michigan Trail Experience
Michigan Trail Experience is a local organization that brings many opportunities for trail running to the Lansing area. Their races are great for experienced and new trail runners and are a blast to participate in.
This is the second one of their races that I’ve had the pleasure of running. The first was the Full Moon 5 – a night time race at Sleepy Hollow State Park.
Overall
Finding trail 5Ks in this area is hard. Finding GOOD trail 5Ks is even harder. That’s part of what makes the Deer Fly 5 so special. It is a fantastic trail run for people of all levels.
The people are wonderful, the course is fun, and the location is pretty. What more could you ask for in a race?
For more information, visit RunSignUp.