James Beaudrie

07/08/2025

For all the Run the Pier Summer Running Festival athletes! 👇

07/06/2025

🚨 The Countdown is on! 🚨

Athletes! As we gear up for Run the Pier on Saturday, July 26, we need your help rallying volunteers to make the day unforgettable. We’ve added more aid stations, especially for the Half and Full Marathon, to support YOU—but we still have slots to fill!

✅ Most shifts are just 2 hours
✅ Volunteers get a race day t-shirt + post-race drink tokens
✅ All they need to bring is a positive attitude, a chair, and maybe a cowbell 😉

👉 Volunteer Sign-Up Here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B44A9AE29A4FDC70-50191145-runthe #/

Let’s get the word out—friends, family, coworkers, running buddies, or that awesome neighbor who’s always up early anyway. Every little bit helps!

And while we’re talking prep… remember:
🔥 Train smart
💧 Hydrate well
🥗 Fuel right
🐢 Train slow to race fast

We’ll take care of the aid stations and the party—you bring the heart.

Let’s do this 💪
— James

07/01/2025

Volunteers needed!

With your help Run The Pier Summer Running Fest will be a success (Saturday, July 26th 2025)! Each Volunteer will recieve an offical race day t-shirt and 2 drink tickets for the beer tent. (must be 21 for the drink tickets) Please review the available slots below and click on the button to sign up.....

07/01/2025

https://www.patreon.com/posts/132466211

Get more from James Beaudrie on Patreon

06/25/2025

Just wrapped an incredible conversation with Troy Anderson — a true creative force and all-around fantastic human being.

Troy wears a lot of hats — and wears them well. He’s a photographer, filmmaker, and marketing and sales expert who specializes in visual storytelling across industries. Whether it's professional sports, commercial campaigns, or the art world, Troy captures and produces content that not only meets—but exceeds—his client’s vision.

He currently handles marketing and sales for his family’s award-winning Iron Fish Distillery, contributes live social content for the NHL, and serves as a live content correspondent for the NFL. Troy’s resume also includes work as a freelance camera operator for Fox Sports, video producer and photographer for The Montgomery Code, and director, producer, and videographer for the Clark Park documentary through INFYER LLC.

That’s just scratching the surface. Troy’s passion for storytelling, eye for detail, and positive energy made this a conversation I know you’ll enjoy.

Just wrapped an incredible conversation with Troy Anderson — a true creative force and all-around fantastic human being.Troy wears a lot of hats — and wears ...

06/22/2025

Such a good morning!

06/20/2025

https://youtu.be/t_IR1iuepqw?si=MT107ZEOr0kmiZuF

This one’s for anyone who’s ever asked, “What the hell does a City Manager actually do?” I sat down with Bill Gambill, the City Manager of Manistee, and we w...

06/14/2025

🔥

The Morning coffee break around 6am before our athletes start rolling in when we take some time to soak in and appreciate all the work that was put in up to the start of the Rusty Fish. It is at this point as race directors we can finally take a breath, knowing that once the race begins so to does the fun! (Zach not pictured, because at this point he is already out in the woods hiding cameras and drones to capture our riders taking on the challenge.) We can't wait to see you at the start line for the 2025 Rusty Fish. And I can't wait to have a beer with you at the Finish! Cheers. James-

06/14/2025

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

The other day, while out on a trail run with Betsy, I looked over and said, “Can you believe this?” It was a Friday morning, and we had both taken the day off—not for errands, not for obligations, but simply to log some long miles together on the trail.

It struck me in that moment how far we’ve come. When we first started dating, neither of us was really into running. Sure, we were active in our own ways—occasional walks, workouts here and there—but running wasn’t part of our routine, let alone a shared passion.

About 12 years ago, I signed up for a local 5K: the Firecracker 5K held every Fourth of July weekend in our small town. I remember preparing for that race with no smartwatch, no run-tracking app—just me and the road. I didn’t know how far I was running during training, how fast I was going (which, in hindsight, was very slow), or how I compared to anyone else.

But that wasn’t the point. I set a goal: run the 5K and finish it.

Race day came and I was buzzing with nervous energy. I had never participated in a race before, but the atmosphere was electric—friendly faces, laughter, the sound of sneakers on pavement, and that shared pulse of anticipation. I knew right then: I want more of this.

Like many first-timers, I took off like I was running from the cops. My heart was pounding, my legs screaming, and I quickly realized: this pace isn’t sustainable. I was forced to slow down. About a mile from the finish was a long hill, and I walked it. As others passed me, I felt embarrassed. But once I crested the top, I picked up the pace and “sprinted” toward the finish. (Let’s be honest—it was probably an 11-minute mile.)

What mattered more than the pace was the people: the volunteers, the spectators, the strangers cheering with “You got this!” and high fives. That community, that energy—it filled me up.

And I knew: I’m doing this again.

So I signed up for another 5K. Then another. Then a 10K. A trail half marathon. A full marathon. And now, I’m training for a Half Ironman.

But this newsletter isn’t about what I’ve done. It’s about what you can do.

Wherever you are in your running journey, I’ve been there. We all have. We all start somewhere. And the truth is, there’s only one finish line—at the very end.

Whether you're preparing for your first 5K or your tenth ultra, remember this: enjoy the run. Soak in the atmosphere. Meet the people. Relish the challenge and the accomplishment.

Do it for joy. Do it for you.

And I can’t wait to see you at the start line.

—James