Scrumpy Skedaddle hard cider run held in Flushing
FLUSHING, Mich. (WNEM) - The Scrumpy Skedaddle returned to Flushing on Sunday morning, and it’s become a community favorite because it takes place in an apple orchard.
“I grew up coming to these orchards as a kid, so bringing back people for hard cider has been super fun,” said race director Mandy Hetfield.
What better kick-off to fall than running through an apple orchard?
“It was a great race and it’s a great cause, again, just being out here, supporting the community, anything that we can do, again, it’s just great,” said Chris Castro of Flushing.
The Scrumpy Skedaddle returned to mid-Michigan Sunday, Oct. 1. Now, nine years later, its easily a fan favorite event in the community.
“Clayton Township has been super supportive and they love that we bring people up here. The orchard loves that they get a new audience. We bring people from all the way from Detroit, Ann Arbor, so, I think everyone’s enjoyed it. I can see by the T-shirts, we have people with old shirts here that have been coming back year after year, so, I know that it’s one of their calendar favorites for the year,” Hetfield said.
Participants had great weather and a great turnout too, with Hetfield saying over 800 runners from all over Michigan registered.
“One hundred and fifty of them are competing in their Thirsty Three series, which means they’ve run our beer run in Detroit, our wine run in Jackson and they’re finishing off with hard cider in Flushing,” Hetfield said.
For 5K winner Chris Reischel, this was his first time running the Skedaddle, and he said he’s rewarding himself with some cider and pancakes.
“I’ve never been here before, but you can’t go wrong with an orchard in October in Michigan, right?” he said.
For the returning runners, it’s a unique race right in their hometown that they can look forward to every October.
“I ran this race about five years ago, but this is my first time running a race and running this since having children, so this is my first race to get back into running I guess. You know, when I was training, I only ran two miles, but uh, I kept going the whole way. It was cool to go through the orchard and see all that. It kept me going,” said Emily Thelen of Flushing.
And if there was one thing they could all look forward to at the end of the finish line, it was cider.
“When you’re out here, you’re with an amazing group of people who just want to get healthy, want to live healthy, and just want to be in this weather. We got to take advantage of it because we all know it doesn’t last,” Castro said.
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