Tour of Detroit

This past Tuesday, I went on a tour of Detroit. My cousin, a tour guide, broke down the course map for me in terms of what one would see when running both the Half Marathon and Marathon courses. Then, we drove around Detroit, mostly on the course, as he told me about the different buildings and their history. Here are a few important things I took away from this tour:

• Route mostly goes along the River including the E. Riverwalk stretch, Belle Isle, the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel and the Ambassador Bridge.
• Course doesn't take in a lot of Detroit's major architecture. 
• Fisher Building
• GM Buildings
• DIA
• Detroit Public Library
• Fox Theater
• Comerica Park 
• Thus, goal is not to take in Detroit's architectural highlights.
• He suggested that I compare the Detroit Free Press Marathon route to other races that run the streets of Detroit (Race for the Cure, Turkey Trot, and the Tour de Troit).

Course Break Down

• 1-3mi - West on Fort Street
• Gets participants to bridge, not much else to see
• view of bridge in distance
• Fort St. Presbyterian (since 1855)
• 3-4mi
• Ambassador Bridge
• 4-7mi (Canadian Shore)
• Great view of Detroit Skyline & River
• Longest stretch along the shore
• 7-8mi
• Detroit-Windsor Tunnel
• 8-9mi
• Renaissance Center
• Hart Plaza
• 9-10mi - to W. Lafayette
• 10-11mi Lafayette to 18th
• near St. Anne's
• First Church built in 1701
• Eastern most part of Mexicantown
• 11-12mi - Bagley, Leverette, Lebrosse
• Corktown
• Historic Irish part of town
• small 1800's homes
• 12-13mi - Michigan Ave.
• Abandoned Railroad Station
• Former Tiger Stadium site
• MGM Grand (New $800 million building)
• Westin Book Cadillac ($200 million restoration)
• to Campus Martius (Center of Downtown)

End of Half Marathon

• 13-14mi 
• Greektown
• to "Lafayette Park" neighborhood
• Urban Renewal, started in 1950's
• 14-16mi - E. Lafayette
• long stretch
• across E. Grand Blvd to Indian Village
• 16-18mi
• Indian Village
• Upscale 1900's homes
• Residents love the runners, give them food, H20, and encouragement
• 18-19mi - E Jefferson
• 19-20mi - Cross MacArthur Bridge
• 19-22mi - Belle Isle Loop
• Amazing view of both Detroit and Windsor Skylines, Detroit River
• Casino, atrium, aquarium, zoo
• 22-23mi - Back over MacArthur Bridge
• 23-24mi to E. Riverwalk for a half mile
• 24-25mi Atwater 
• 25-26mi Larned
• to Finish on w. Fort Street

I now have a better understanding of the course and the buildings that participants will see. I also was able to get a better idea of the city of Detroit from a much different perspective. I believe this trip will be very beneficial in the development of my project.