The Compuware 5km, Reebok Relays and Whole Foods Market Expo are part of the Detroit Free Press Flagstar Bank Marathon package but should be considered major events in their own right. 

The Compuware 5km has a newly designed course this year that hopes to reflect its sponsor.  If Woodward Avenue construction is far enough along, the route will include a loop around the Tigers ballpark and a turnaround near Tiger Stadium plus a showcasing of Compuware's new headquarters. The glorious finish on Ford Field should be electrifying enough to attract 1,000 runners including the Michigan Food and Beverage Association Kid's race.  Last year Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and singer Anita Baker joined the runners and hopes are that they will take on the challenge again.

Those of us who have lived and worked in Detroit have become accustomed to not feeling good about our city.  Running the 5km will be a lot like watching someone's attitude change after they've had a facelift. Only this one is far more than cosmetic.  The 5km, Relay and Expo show us that we are becoming a place to be proud of.

The Reebok Relays has been gaining momentum every year. It captures the spirit of the Marathon without running the whole thing. It's an initiation to the distance and the course.  Ask any member of past teams and they will recall the excitement at each exchange as will as the thrill of running into Ford Field together.  Relay Runners need to be reminded that they can run across the finish line together. Runners can take to exchange bus back to the finish area and walk down to Madison and Beaubien to wait for their teammates.

This year the Bib numbers will be colored to differentiate relay runners from marathoners. Relay Director Dennis Handley continues to refine the exchange points to make the transition smoother.  Plans are to pass on a timing chip at each exchange rather than a baton so that each leg can be accurately timed.

The Whole Foods Market Expo will be in a new location this year. Cobo Hall will host this years running vendors.  Expo Director Bill Ewing is now in his fifth year of coordinating one of the best expos in the country.  It's well organized and has great product samples and bargains. Exhibitors come from all over the country with products that range from skin care, to eyewear, to running shoes and apparel, to food products and energy drinks. 

The expo is open to all runners, wheelers, guests and the general public. Admission is absolutely free. All race participants must pick up their race packets and numbers at the expo since there is no race day 'pick-up' for these events.  Unlike past years, marathoners can register at the expo with the help of on site immigration checking.

Like past expos, there is a cornucopia of guest speakers that should appeal to a wide audience. TV and radio personality Zonya Foco, a Registered Dietitian, Certified Health and Fitness Instructor, and author of the bestselling "Lickety-Split Meals: For Health Conscious People On the Go" will be the headliner. Also sharing the spotlight will be Howard Schubiner, M.D. a practicing physician in the field of Internal Medicine at Providence Hospital. He will introduce concepts and practice of mindfulness and mindfulness meditation. Returning to the podium will be marathon race director Patricia Ball and Coach GP Pearlberg. Coach GP is the author of "Run Tall, Run Easy, the Ultimate Guide to Better Running Mechanics" which is still awaiting publication.

Upcoming Races: Sep. 6^th, Mackinac Island 8 Mile Road Race, 9:30 am, Call 810 659-6493.

Sep 6^th, 12^th Annual Witches Hat Run, South Lyon, 9:30 am, Call 248 347-6254.