The vernal equinox is upon us, and with it came the annual No Frills All Thrills Trail Race at Huron Meadows Metropark. Hard to believe it’s been a year since the memorable 2014 race, with its Iditarod-like conditions.

The NFAT is one of my favorite races, in part due to the minimalist approach the organizers take. No shirts, no photographer, not even chip timing, just an 8K or 4K trail run through a pretty metropark. For an early spring run in unpredictable conditions, it attracts a surprising variety of runners of all ages. I even saw a stroller this year. Now that’s hardcore.

Just a couple of weeks ago, with snow still covering southern Michigan, I’d expected something similar to the 2014 race, where snow and ice covered the entire trail 3-4 inches deep. But the recent thaw took care of that. I asked the nice lady at the registration area what the trail was like this year.

“The first half mile is a bit muddy,” she said. “And there’s some snow and ice, but not much. It’s much better than last year.” Which would have been true about any year other than 2014. I replied that last year was one for the ages, and she said. “Yep. The Ice Ages.”

Yet last year I pulled off once of my best efforts, aided by many runners deciding mid-race to drop to the 4K rather than stick out the full 8K. I wound up in 6th place overall. This year, with the trails mostly clear and runnable, I figured there was no way I would finish in the top 10 again. But I lined up in the front anyway.

As promised, there were some muddy spots, and a few large patches of snow and ice here and there. But most of the trail was in surprisingly good shape, and my Saucony Peregrine trail shoes provided good grip throughout. I got off to a good start and settled in at the rear of the lead pack, about 20 or so. We pulled well away from the rest of the runners, and with no one behind me to worry about, I began to work on those ahead.

The 8K route isn’t a killer but it has its challenges, and my winter workouts and all the hill work in Costa Rica paid off as I caught and passed other runners beginning to tire. And no other runners passed me. I love it when that happens! I crossed the finish line in 36:46 – good for an age group win and 9th place overall. Top 10 again!

Top things I love about this race:

• The “no frills” as proudly advertised. Low key and straightforward.
• A trail race in March means the conditions are unpredictable and practically guaranteed to be different from year to year.
• It’s a good test of my fitness level as I get set for my late spring and summer races.
• The organizers are very nice people, and so are the other runners. Every year I have a good time chatting with people after the race, and learning about other can’t-miss trail races. This year I found out about the debut Two Hearted Trail Run in the UP in June. (Don’t tell anyone – space is limited and I haven’t signed up yet.)

Normally, I’d be adding “the post-race goodies” to the list. But the homemade chocolate chip and red velvet cookies of the past few years were missing this year, replaced by boxes of store-bought. Perhaps it’s just as well – a couple more of those red velvet cookies and I’d have proposed to the baker, which probably wouldn’t have gone down too well with my wife.

And now for the big news I promised last time:

Coach Marie has a new baby daughter! Kasey June Morgan was born on March 13. Congratulations to Marie and her husband Rob, who faced difficulties in having a child, but whose patience and optimism saw them through. Kasey doesn’t know it yet, but she’s going to be a runner. Heck, she already has a 100+ support group!

And in other news, I’m signing up for two spring ultras: the Pinckney Trail Marathon Weekend April 25-26, and the Glacier Ridge Trail Ultra (50 miles) in May. And the 100K retry is also on the list – just need to choose the venue. Stay tuned!