4A || Monday, April 22, 2013 || Central Michigan Life
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[News]
Third-annual Chip River Run racers brave cold weather, flooded river By Sam Fitzpatrick Staff Reporter
Charlotte Bodak/Staff Photographer
Runners participating in the Chip River Run run through Mill Pond Park Saturday morning.
Not even a flood could stop these runners. The third-annual Chip River Run was held at Island Park in downtown Mount Pleasant Saturday on a chilly morning. Because of the flooded park, nearly all of the routes and runners had to be re-directed from the Main Street entry gate to City Hall’s parking lot, where the registration tents and information could be found. Shivering runners gathered around the tents to quickly memorize which routes they would be taking due to the last-minute changes, which were now north of the original routes. Runners were given the options of running a 10 or 5K or two half marathons divided into two parts. This was also the first Michigan Half Marathon Se-
ries held by Central Michigan University’s registered student organization Club Running. Scott Cooke helped promote Club Running’s name to further reach the Mount Pleasant area and gain the interests of runners in the area. “I’m not running,” the Bloomfield Hills senior said, adding that he was there to volunteer. “Club Running teams up with this race every year.” Because of the park’s wet conditions and confusion among the runners, the start of the event had to be delayed until 9:15 a.m., and, out of the 200 runners registered for that morning, only about 100 were present. However, that did not stop Midland residents Laura Leboeuf and Adrienne Bowman. “We picked up running last year,” Leboeuf said. “And we’ve just been going
with it ever since, and this will be our second 5K together. We’re pretty excited ... This is actually colder than the first one we ran in November.” Bowman said they’ve been training for the event and braving the cold temperatures since late 2012. “We started running last November, and we casually kept it up over the winter,” Bowman said. At about 9:45 a.m., the first wave of runners reached the finish line, which was located on Broadway Street, where every runner was welcomed with cheers. Tents were also relocated across the street in the Broadway Health Services’ parking lot, which was full of complimentary water and bananas for the runners to rehydrate at the end of their races. studentlife@cm-life.com
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[NEWS]
Central Michigan Life || Monday, April 22, 2013 || 5A
Alumnae run Coldwater consulting firm By Katelyn Sweet Staff Reporter
Central Michigan University alumna Hillary Eley said her relationship with fellow alumnae Courtney Dirschell and Lori Gunthorp is like an automobile mechanic shop. “It’s like we share a garage, and each have our own specialty tools,” Eley said. “People might come in and get a full service, or they might have only specific needs.” Eley, Dirschell and Gunthorp are the co-creators of 2nd Story Marketing, a full-service marketing consultant and eventplanning agency designed to help small businesses in Coldwater, Mich. “So many small businesses can’t afford a full-time marketing/PR employee, but they can afford a consultant,” Dirschell said. Eley said, while on vacation, she and her husband started discussing their dream jobs. “I told him I wanted to own my own business that would
help small businesses market effectively on a proactive level,” she said. “He dared me to do it. He said, ‘I’ll give you a year to make it happen’, so I did.” Eley graduated from CMU in 1994 with a degree in marketing, and, right after graduating, she moved to Charlotte, N.C. to work at an advertising agency. She eventually moved back to Michigan and worked at the Chamber of Commerce in Coldwater for 13 years. “(My previous jobs) were a great learning environment and networking opportunity. I met so many people who knew what I was good at and who helped me gain more clients,” Eley said. “But, it wasn’t my dream job.” Gunthorp, who graduated from CMU in 2011, said her first job after college couldn’t have been a more amazing experience for her. She started at Tibbits Opera House in Coldwater as the special events and marketing coordinator, where she was responsible for executing events and receptions, implementing
marketing strategies and managing a database of more than 3,000 members and volunteers. “Because there was no room for growth in the organization, I jumped at the opportunity to work alongside the ladies of 2nd Story Marketing,” Gunthorp said. Gunthorp said she regrets not getting involved in academic and social organizations in college that would have opened more doors for her post-graduation. She said she is trying to make up for it now. “I never say ‘no’ to any free seminar, networking event or volunteer opportunity, because you never know where your big break will be,” Gunthorp said. Dirschell, who graduated in 2001 with a degree in integrative public relations, said Gunthorp and Eley are hardworking, independent, fun and savvy businesswomen. “We work together without the formal rules of a partnership, which has been great for us,” Eley said. “If (the business)
Photo courtesy of Hillary Eley
Co-creator of 2nd Street Marketing Hillary Eley poses with fellow alumnae Lori Gunthorp and Courtney Dirschell.
gets bigger, there is a possibility things will change, but, right now, it’s just new and fun.” Dirschell said the women pool their resources and tools to create a successful environment working together and do not act as competitors. “I’m proud to associate myself with them. Together, we
make a great team, empowering and pushing each other to think big,” she said. The women of 2nd Story Marketing collaborate while keeping their independent businesses to avoid any difficult challenges that partnerships often face, Eley said. “We are also a referral source
for each other, so we all get to work on projects and tasks we enjoy,” she said. “It’s a very unconventional way of operating a business, but we are thriving and, most importantly, finding joy in our work.” studentlife@cm-life.com