Photo: Governor Jennifer Granholm (l) and Gary Morgan.

MACKINAW CITY (9/5/05) - The 48th annual Labor Day Mackinac bridge walk included a run for the 2nd year. As a way to promote healthy living, the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness started the run across the Mackinac Bridge in conjunction with the Labor Day walk. 264 runnners were selected by lottery for the big event.

Festivities started Sunday evening with check-in and a scrumptous pasta dinner. Desert for the dinner was a raffle with some great prizes. As an added note, the tee shirts are collectors items. If you see one, you'll know why: the tee's feature a fantastic drawing of the bridge.

The evening concluded with fireworks over St Ignace. Watching the fireworks across the Straits of Mackinac was a great way to anticipate the Straits' Labor Day festivities.

Monday morning came mighty early as I got up at 4 am to catch the 5 am ferry to St Ignace. It was cool to be riding by the still-lighted bridge and conversing with and get to know our fellow runners. We then loaded up on buses and headed over to the start line. During the 30 minute wait for the sun to rise and the run to begin, lo and behold, Governor Jennifer Granholm appears, ready to run the bridge herself. She greats everyone enthusiastically and poses for photos with the runners. As the official starter for the run she sends us off in waves of 25 to 30 every 30 seconds.

As I start running across the bridge it brings back memories of a race walk competition I did on the bridge in before the 1981 Labor Day Walk.

I looked over to the east to see the sun coming up, then looked down and to see water 200 feet below and then looked ahead to see those majestic towers. All my senses are engaged; I'm exhilarated. It's pretty awesome. I take some pictures for the memories.

As I run across the finish line and pick up my completion certificate a real sense of accomplishment and joy swept over me. We all cheered and high-fived the Governor and her fellow state workers as they finished. Governor Granholm set a new bridge-crossing record for a Governor in 40:52. It's great to have an athletic, running Governor in office. Granholm's husband, Michigan First Gentleman, Dan Mulhern joined his wife in the run across the bridge.

The Governor posed for more photos with us and congratulated all of us on a run well done.

It was a special run on a tradition-filled day. Every Michigander should walk or run across the Mighty Mac at least once in a lifetime. You won't forget it. MR