The Bolt 5, a 1.1-mile foot race, through the heart of Northport is right around the corner on Saturday, Aug. 31 at 11 a.m. as one of the premier events of Labor Day Weekend.
The fun race starts at the bay (Northport Marina), goes up town, through the Nagonaba Footpath, and ends at the top of Braman Hill.
“It’s a competitive, yet familyfriendly, event that celebrates community spirit and local heritage,” event coordinator Sawyer Scott said.
The race will begin sharply at noon with 100% of the profits going to the Northport Area Heritage Association (NAHA). The NAHA, known as the Northport Museum, preserves local history. Through sponsors, donations, and entry fees, NAHA has received over $6,000. Donations have helped NAHA with fireproof filing cabinets to protect the priceless diaries and photos.
Funds from The Bolt 5 will help create a compelling documentary, “New Missions: The ‘88 Wildcats of Leelanau Twp,” blending township history with the inspiring tale of the 1988 Northport Wildcats’ basketball state championship. The long term project for Scott is expected to be done by 2030.
The race will travel uphill for over a mile to the summit and one of the highest peaks in Leelanau County Braman Hill.
Established in 2018, The Bolt was born from a desire to preserve the rich history of Northport, according to Scott. The race was originally inspired by Scott’s grandmother, Cherry L. Scott, co-author of “A history of Leelanau Township.”
“The big thing I’m grateful for in terms of being the fifth is how many people have made a part of their yearly traditions. I have one runner this year who is going on vacation, but he reached out to me and said, hey, I still want to run the bolt. Can we do something the week before?”
Scott says registration is looking similar to years past at this point.
From a competitive standpoint, Scott is excited to see if anybody can break the six minute barrier. Last year was the first time two people broke the seven minute barrier.
“We called last year, we nicknamed it the quintessential bolt because the two top competitors were both Quinn,” Scott said. “I didn’t think seven minutes could be broken ... Now I’m wondering if six minutes is attainable because there’s a 200 foot elevation change from the bay to the top of Brayman. The whole race is basically running up that hill.”
If anybody breaks the time barrier, Scott will donate an extra $500, and $250 dollar each runner for anyone who goes under seven minutes.
Tickets for ages 10-18 are $25; ages 19+ are $35; under 9-yearsold run for freer with parents. Racers are encouraged to register as soon as possible to secure their T-shirt.
Schedule: - Registration at Northport Marina: 10 to 11:45 a.m. - Race begins: Noon. - Medal Presentation: 12:30 p.m. Early registration can be located at bit.ly/the bolts.
