Clarkston, Michigan · Saturday, May 22, 2027
The Perfect PR Backyard by the Ode is a backyard ultra, running, and ultra event held on Saturday, May 22, 2027. It is located at 9501 Sashabaw Road in Clarkston, Michigan.
Join the Ode Family! Be part of the coolest vibe in running. Wear your Ode medal proudly.
Pick either the hardest 5k in Michigan (maybe the country?) or pick the one that may be the most fun. Your choice, or select both and receive a $10 discount on one race (you'll receive one set of swag). Both races are part of July's Ode to Laz weekend festival and take advantage of some of the best hiking trails in Michigan at Holly Recreation Area, a jewel of the state park system. Enjoy plenty of family-friendly activities too, like kayaking, fishing, camping, or swimming and splashing on the Whoa Zone at Lake Heron's beach.
The Stairway to Heaven 5k: This is the easy one. 9:30 am start. Register between 8-8:45 please at the Overlook Picnic area. Cheer our backyard runners as they pass you on their 25th hour You'll run on the Wilderness trail on a rolling out and back course and finish with one loop down and up the famous Stairway to Heaven. COURSE MAP
The Stairway to Hell 5k: This is the beast - 11:30 am start. Register 8-10:45 am please at the Overlook Picnic area. Our backyard ultra runners run this stairway every hour during their day loops. They'll be in their 27th hour of running by the time they pass by you before your start. Feel free to call them sissies, cause you'll be doing the Ode to Laz Loop's famous Stairway to Heaven 12 times in a row for your 5k, without the hour rest in between!!! You'll do a total of about 1100 feet of vertical. Get your stair legs ready!!! A course map? HA! We're not silly enough to do this 12 times just to make a map. Feel free to look at the Stairway to Heaven 5k map, it has the stairs at the end.
Join us for our third annual Tails & Trails 5K! The race is open to participants of all ages and will kick off with a Cat Walk 1K at 10am (dogs and cats are welcome in both races). The 5K race begins at 10:30am and will take runners along Independence Oaks’ beautiful trails. A family fun zone and other activities for participants to enjoy will be on site for the duration of the race along with local animal businesses such as markets, groomers and more!
Our event is working to raise funds through donations for an amazing animal rescue this year: Great Lakes Dog Rescue.
Donations can also be made to Great Lakes Dog Rescue whose mission is to rescue well-tempered, adoptable dogs from animal control facilities and from owner-surrenders and provide them shelter and medical care until they are adopted. They are committed to educating and assisting the community in responsible pet ownership.
The race is open to both walkers and runners or all ages. Dogs or cats are welcome to race with their owner as long as they have a current license and are kept on a 6 foot leash. Please keep control of your pet at all times.
Join us for the third annual Dragon Trails Triathlon! We are excited to invite any adventurous athletes to race this scenic and rugged sprint triathlon course. You will be challenged with a .75K (.46 mile) freshwater swim through Tommy’s Lake, a 20K (12.4 miles) of mixed terrain biking through Bald Mountain, the Polly Ann Trail, and Orion Oaks County Park, and a 5K (3.1 miles) run through the forested trails of Camp Agawam.
This event is truly one of a kind, and our race organizers are excited to host a limited number of athletes through an intimate and organized open water swimming, mountain biking, and trail running experience. While competitive, we've capped registration at 100 participants to limit chaos and congestion and ensure athlete safety.
All registrants will receive a swim cap, event shirt, pre run fuel options and on course nutrition, and drink ticket to use in our "Dragons Lair" after the race.
Maps of the 2025 Dragon Trails Triathlon are included below. 2026 courses coming soon!
Lace up your running shoes and join us for an inaugural and unforgettable autumn adventure through the scenic trails of Orion Oaks County Park! The Rooted Half Marathon & 5k offers an experience for every skill level, from seasoned trail runners to first-time 5k participants to someone out for a supported hike. Enjoy the stunning fall backdrop as you are immersed in the natural surroundings so lush you would think you are in a northern Michigan forest and not an urban area! The course features well-maintained, multi-use trails that wind through wooded and grassy areas, offering a mix of flat to gently rolling terrain suitable for all abilities.
Whether you're pushing for a personal best or enjoying a leisurely hike, you'll find the perfect challenge. And you don't have to go it alone—5K runners can sign up for the Doggie Division and bring your leashed dog to share in the fun!
After you cross the finish line, celebrate your accomplishment with a truly great finisher award that will serve as a memento of your epic fall run.
RUN WITH YOUR PACK
Have more fun and share the experience with family and friends! During registration you will be given the opportunity to join or create a PACK which is a social group. PACKS can span across any race distance, onsite or virtual.
RACE DAY SCHEDULE
7:30 AM onsite registration and packet pick-up
9:00 AM Half Marathon start
9:15 AM 5K start
9:20 AM 5K Doggie Division start
WHO LET THE DOGS OUT
Please note: This is a dog park with dog pens. The race start and finish area will be inside one of the dog pens that opens onto the park trail system. Dogs MUST be leashed at all times while in the event staging area. There will be a couple of pens at the park which will be open to off leash dogs. Dogs must also stay on leash while on the trails. The only place during the event where your dog can be off leash are the OPEN dog pens. For the safety of all participants and dogs please adhere to this directive.
5K Run/Walk Doggie Division
This division will receive a swag item for their pet! A custom bandana and dog biscuit. This division will be capped at 50 pups
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RACE SWAG
Choose from a cozy crewneck sweatshirt or trucker hat. Or get crazy and snag both items!
Love the race but can't be with us on race day?
Register for the The Rooted Virtual Half Marathon or the 5K Run/Walk and get all the same swag! Choose your own route and time to run! Packet mailing is included in entry fee.
October is the peak of fall colors at Independence Oaks, so you will be running and walking through some of the most wonderfully decorated hardwood forests in southeastern Michigan, as well as on wood chip trails. Choose from any of three races of varying lengths - all beginning and ending at the same location.
The 2.5 Mile race makes a single circuit around Crooked Lake, with rolling hills. The challenging 5.5 Mile race continues a second time around the lake and branches off onto Rock Ridge Trail. The longest 8.5 Mile race includes a third lap, continuing onto Spring Lake Trail, and is not for the faint of heart.