Michigan Runner, November / December 2014 by Great Lakes Sports Publications, Inc.

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45th Annual

Belle Isle New Year’s Eve Family Fun Run

the longest continuously-held running event in Michigan

Wednesday, December 31, 2014 3:30 pm, Belle Isle Casino, Belle Isle Park Events 3:30 3:30 4:00 4:00

pm pm pm pm

- Children’s 1 Mile Fun Run - Open 1 Mile Fun Run - 5K Run - USAT&F Certified Course - Race Walk / Fitness Walk

Early Registration and Packet Pick-up •

Saturday, Dec. 27, 12 Noon - 3:00 pm

Race Day Registration and Packet Pick-up •

Wednesday, Dec. 31, 12 Noon - 3:30 pm

Start, Finish, Refreshments •

Belle Isle Casino

•

Belle Isle Park (except on designated race course)

Free Parking

Race Entry and Online Registration: http://www.belleislefunrun.com

Race Entry Includes • • •

Long-sleeve shirt All children 12 & under receive a trophy All registered Boy & Girl Scouts receive Fun Patches

• • •

NYE Toast and Festivities B-Tag timing by Everal Race Management 5K results will be posted: http://everalracemgt.com

• • •

Food & beverage Register early to guarantee your long-sleeved shirt First 1000 entrants receive commemorative awards

Children (12 and under) Race Entry

All Others (13 and older) Register before Dec. 22 Register after Dec. 22

$15 $30 $35

Online: Photo Gallery

Inside November / December 2014 online issue: http://issuu.com michiganrunner/docs/mr1114

Photography by Carter Sherline, Pete Draugalis, Greg Sadler & Victah Sailer

In This Issue November / December 2014

Event Calendar 32

November / December 2014 Events

Features and Departments 6

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

10 11 13 21 24

Albion 5K Baker’s Dozen Beer Run Capital City River Run Crim Festival of Races Dan Jilek Memorial 5K European T & F Championships Go Lab 5K Howell Melon Run Milford Labor Day 30K Philadelphia Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Raising Hopes & Foster Dreams Run Wild for the Detroit Zoo Spartan Invitational

25 28 31 36

Editor’s Notes: Beat By Scott Sullivan

Publisher’s Note: New Documentary Explores Gunn’s Storied Life, Career

By Art McCafferty

Wolverines Chase Dream, Spartans in Hot Pursuit By Charles Douglas McEwen

The Definition of a Runner

By Heather Hanks

2014 Fall Shoe Review By Cregg Weinmann Running Shorts with Scott Hubbard

Beyond the Chip: Down Time By Laurel Park One-Time Races By Dean Johnson

Real Runners Run Marathons By Dave Foley Ann Arbor Running Co. Open for Business

By Tracey Cohen

Running with Tom Henderson About the cover: Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Open, Hudson Mills Metropark, August 29 from left: Taylor Manett-bib 7, Erin Finn-bib 2, Taylor Pogue-bib 17, Brook Handler-bib 4, Anna Pasternak-bib 14, Shannon Osika-bib 13, Jamie Morrissey-bib 11. Photo by Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios

Online: Michigan Running News

Michigan State Spartans at Auto Owners Spartan Invitational, Forest Akers East Golf Course, September 12, from left: Jaclyn Magness-bib 208, Lindsay Clark-bib 201, Aubrey Wilberding-bib 218, Sara Kroll-bib 206, Rachele Schulist-bib 214, Leah O'Connor-bib 210. Photo by Pete Draugalis /draugalisphotography.com

Weekly email newsletter To join: email jennie@glsp.com

Vol. 36, No. 5

Michigan Runner - November / December 2014

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At the Races 8 12 22 22 23 25 26 26 27 28 29 30 30 31 38

Crusader 5K, Madonna Mile By Laurel Park Crim Festival of Races By C. D. McEwen Park2Park

By Scott Sullivan

Gilda’s Family 5K By C. D. McEwen Melon Run By Kacey Tulley

The Brooksie Way By C. D. McEwen

Scott Sullivan scott@glsp.com Jennie McCafferty jennie@glsp.com Associate Publisher

Dave Foley Mike Duff

Riley McLincha Charles D. McEwen Gary Morgan Jim Neff Bob Schwartz Bob Shaffer Nick Stanko Anthony Targan Kacey Tulley Cregg Weinmann Pamela Zinkosky Michael Zuidema Jamie Fallon Composer

Editors Emeritus

Bruckelaufe Half Marathon & 5K By Tracey Cohen

Kensington Challenge By C. D. McEwen

Rose Zylstra

Social Media Editor

Carter Sherline

Senior Photographer

Last Chance BQ Marathon By Michael Zuidema Mt. Baldhead Challenge By Scott Sullivan T-Rex Tri By Charles Douglas McEwen

Running Between the Vines By Tracey Cohen Tri to Finish Off-Road Triathlon By Charles Douglas McEwen

Run for the Hills By Charles Douglas McEwen

Online: Video through Fall

http://michiganrunner.tv http://youtube.com (search “glsp”) http://runningnetwork.com

ª Kona Wicked Halloween Run • Milford Labor Day 30K • Metro Health Grand Rapids Marathon • Mighty Mac Bridge Run • MHSAA LP Cross Country Finals • New York City Marathon • Playmakers Spartan Invitational • Run Wild for the Detroit Zoo • Sandhill Crane All Trail Half Marathon • Sault International Marathon • St. Mary Mercy Embrace Life 5K • The Brooksie Way Half Marathon • Zero Cancer Challenge 5K

michiganrunner.net

Art McCafferty artmccaf@glsp.com Editor

Run Wild for the Detroit Zoo By C. D. McEwen

• 50 Years Of SMC & 40 Years of Steve's Run -With Fred Mathews, David Briegel & Ron Gunn - a GLSP Documentary • Ann Arbor Running Company • Bank of America Chicago Marathon • Crim Race Starts/ Bobby Crim Statue • Dan Jilek Memorial 5K Run • Detroit Free Press Marathon • Farmington Run for the Hills • Helen DeVos Children’s Marathon • John Rogucki Memorial Kensington Challenge • Kevin Sullivan, Michigan XC Coach • Kona Chocolate Run

Publisher and Chief Executive Officer

Paul Aufdemberge Ian Forsyth Tom Henderson Scott Hubbard Desiree Linden Herb Lindsay Laurel Park Robin Sarris Hallop Rachael Steil

Peter Draugalis Gary Morgan Dane Robinson Greg Sadler Victah Sailer Erin Wilkinson Photo / Video

Columnists

Tracey Cohen Jason Elmore Heather Dyc Hanks Jeff Hollobaugh Dean Johnson Bill Kahn William Kalmar Dr. Edward H. Kozloff Doug Kurtis Grant Lofdahl Ron Marinucci Contributors

Cheryl Clark

Chief Financial Officer

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Editor’s Notes

Beat By Scott Sullivan

mong the moremerciful four-letter words I’ve been called is “beat.” I assume name-callers mean “beatific,” as writer Jack Kerouac did when he coined the term “beat generation,” or to say I cover the Michigan running beat for this magazine.

But recent news about football stars beating their girlfriends, kids and raps makes me wonder. To win you must beat someone, right? Beats losing. If folks mean I’m beat up or down, their regard may be less — and more realistic. I used to celebrate when I reached age limits and ran races. Now I can’t even beat an egg. My late father — who beat himself up with high expectations — said, “Never start fights. If someone else does, make sure you finish.” That’s why sports were a perfect outlet. Who cares who wins games or races? Competing motivates you to get faster, stronger, smarter, moreskilled … whatever succeeding calls for. Our best friends are our fiercest rivals; they push us most to get better. I used to like training with runners nearest me in ability — if better, better. After races we would congratulate and commiserate with each other, share

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laughs and lies and replace lost fluids with, perhaps, a beverage. Then we’d strive to whip each other’s butts the next time. The rhythm of race cycles, like a musical beat, propelled us. Our hearts beat but were not beaten. Who is hurt when you beat a drum or path? When a sailboat beats to windward? The problem comes when winners turn into losers by disrespecting or causing harm to the “other” party. I get it where, in war, you strike at your enemy’s ability to strike you — ideally so hard he cannot rebuild it. You may target his spirit too. Life is a longer-term proposition. The worm and world turns. Beaten children grow up, girlfriends take you to court — or, in football star Ray Rice’s case, defend him, then see the tape of his beat-down cause such revulsion he ceases to be your multi-million-dollar meal ticket. “There is no instance of a nation benefiting from prolonged warfare,” said Sun Tzu in his definitive book on the subject, “The Art of War.” Why talk smack or rub salt in your rival’s wounds while he or she devotes time and energy towards regathering? S/he’ll remember the next time you play or compete. Forgive, don’t forget. Move on. The greatest strength, said Sun Tzu, lies not in brute force but knowledge. “If you know the enemy and yourself,” he wrote, “you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory you will also suffer defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will lose every battle … “To know your enemy, you must become your enemy,” he went on. “Know yourself and you’ll win all battles. Appear weak when you’re strong and strong when you’re weak,” he said. If it appears I can run no longer, it’s not deceiving. Sometimes, when walking in a hurry, I break into a limping trot that at first feels as beautiful — the wind on my skin, heart pumping, lungs sucking oxygen, like old days — as it looks ugly and ends with my right foot and ankle throbbing. Find grace in this awkwardness, I tell myself, slowing quickly. Enjoy your time in the sun and, after it sets, the moon. Know your self and enemy; they’re the same. - MR -

Michigan Runner - November / December 2014

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Publisher’s Note

Crusader 5K, Livonia

New Documentary Explores Gunn’s Storied Life, Career By Art McCafferty

on Gunn came to our attention when he was named the first Michigan Runner of the Year in 1979. We were a nascent publication trying to establish readership, and felt naming a Runner of the Year would be a natural promotion. The awards have been of great value to MR and many outstanding runners have blessed our covers. We could not have done much better with our first selection, as Gunn became an icon serving Southwestern Michigan College as an educator, coach and community activist. As if that were not enough, he established a number of travel companies, starting with Roadrunner Tours with his lifelong friend, Hal Higdon. That firm morphed into the presentday Carinstone Adventure Tours. Gunn’s coaching credentials are impressive. He created the SMC track and field program, which produced many national titles and All-Americans. His junior college athletes were so skilled and polished they were invited to meets by Big Ten schools and independents such as Notre Dame. He established the “The Original Road and Trails Run” in Dowagiac, now a storied Michigan and Midwest event, 40 years ago. At one time he had to cap entries at 2,500 runners, as the trails could not accommodate any more. It was a benchmark experience in the running careers of many. The race was later renamed Steve’s Run after Steve Briegel, the son of SMC’s fifth president Dave Briegel and his wife Camilla. Steve developed cancer in his late teens and lost his battle a few years later. Gunn was so moved by the young man’s courage in facing the ravages of cancer he changed the event’s name to Steve’s Run. Fred Mathews, the first SMC president and longest-serving regent in America at 50 years, has just published a book about the college. It includes a major chapter about Gunn’s role in not only shaping an athletic powerhouse, but as a community health and wellness guru after the school canceled its intercollegiate athletic program. The

decision was a tough call, Mathews said, made as a cost saver for the school and because the program did not include many local students. Gunn was directed to create a health and wellness program for the students at SMC. His curriculum feature a popular intramural program and revised physical education curriculum that featured classes in whitewater rafting, rock climbing and hikes in the Grand Canyon. It became so popular enrollment among community members soared. Gunn’s Marathon 101 classes were must-attends for students and residents of area. Many completed their final exams by running marathons in Hawaii, Bermuda, Chicago and other places. Gunn retired from SMC a few years ago and others have taken over the reins of Steve’s Run. But his Carinstone Adventure Tours keep him more than busy. He has taken hiking groups to places throughout Michigan, the Grand Canyon, California, Utah, Spain and Scotland. Michigan Runner accompanied him on his California and Yosemite tour last year, and it was sensational. The thought of developing a documentary about Gunn’s contributions to his college, community and devotees from around the United States came as we ended our video coverage at Steve’s Run. We had followed the event for more than 10 years and created over 40 shows highlighting stories that occurred there. While our documentary ends at Southwestern Michigan College, our coverage of another Ron Gunn running adventure, the Sandhill Crane AllTrail Half Marathon, 10K and 5K, will begin this month. This time our cameras will record the action on the trails as well as from above with our new Drone Ranger. To view the documentary, visit http://michiganrunner.tv/2014rongunn or http://youtube.com/watch?v=kZFt3JmDWjU.

Michigan Runner - November / December 2014

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Crusader 5K, Madonna Mile Offer Scenic Tours By Laurel Park

LIVONIA (9/27/14) Bright, sunny skies and warm temperatures greeted participants in the Crusader 5K and Madonna Mile on the picturesque campus of Madonna University. Proceeds from the event, organized by school’s student life office, benefited the student emergency fund, which helps students facing non-academic financial hardships. The course consists of two loops around the Madonna campus and through the grounds of the Felician Sisters Motherhouse and Chapel. “The avenue of trees that runners enjoy twice would not look out of place in rural France,” said school eduction professor and participant Stewart Wood. “The course is flat and fast and presents racers with a golden opportunity for a season’s PR.” Laurel Park, 51, was the overall winner, clocking 18:57. She used the race as a low-key speed workout. “I had company for the first mile or so, then I was on my own,” said the winner. “I just kept pushing. “I’m not happy with my time, especially on a fast course like this, but I felt good,” she continued. “These last two years have been rough with inflammation in my upper hamstrings, but it feels like things are finally starting to settle down.” Second place went to Chris Carbury, 23, in 22:37. Many participants enjoyed the race with family and friends. Chris Strychalski was accompanied by his daughter, Addie, 3, in a baby jogger. “We both had a blast,” he said. “I enjoyed running with friends and colleagues and seeing parts of campus I hadn’t seen before. Addie loved going under the balloon arch at the start and then running through the finish chute (multiple times) to the cheers of the Madonna students. It was very family friendly and a lot of fun.” “The spirit of the volunteers along the course — many of whom are Madonna staff, faculty, administrators and alums — makes this a memorable race,” said associate dean for student affairs Chris Benson. “This was the first 5K I’ve participated in where everyone cheered my name when I neared the finish line,” said student Lisa Hursin. “The atmosphere was good and relaxed. I did not feel pressured to run my fastest, but rather to take in the environment and run with a new perspective.” Organizers hope to see the race grow while maintaining its family-like atmosphere. “Given the beautiful course, the excellent organization and the reasonable entry fee, I suspect it will gain in popularity. We just need to get the word out,” Park said. - MR -

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Michigan Runner - November / December 2014

Wolverines Chase Dream, Spartans in Hot Pursuit By Charles Douglas McEwen

Can a U-M women’s national title be at hand? Not if No. 2ranked Michigan State has a say in the final rankings. MSU has won the Big Ten women’s cross championship three times in the last four years. The Spartans finished sixth, just two places behind U-M, at the NCAA finals last year.

Spartans Leah O’Connor, bib 210, and Rachele Schulist, bib 214, placed first and second at the Auto-Owners Spartan Invitational, September 12

But the Wolverines have impressive momentum on their side. U-M teams have been strong for years, with nine Big Ten titles to their credit. They’ve won nine Great Lakes regionals, including ones each of the last three years. Wolverine Katie McGregor was the 1998 NCAA individual champion. A bevy of U-M women have been All Americans. Mike McGuire has been named Big Ten Coach of the Year seven times in 23 seasons at the Wolverines’ helm. Almost all his top runners from last year return this year. Former state high school standouts Erin Finn and Shannon Osika lead the U-M’s top-ranked team. Finn, from West Bloomfield, was Michigan Runner magazine’s 2012 Michigan High School Runner of the Year. She won the Big Ten individual title last year, finished second at the Great Lakes regional and 30th at nationals. As a freshman she was named All American and the league’s female cross country athlete of the year. A few days after her cross season ended, Finn won the Detroit Thanksgiving Parade Turkey Trot 5K, which boasted more than 11,000 runners, in

In the 18-team Coast to Coast Battle in the Beantown 5K Sept. 26 in Boston, the Wolverines dominated, scoring 55 points. Next came Georgetown (77) and Syracuse (134). Boston College’s Liv Westphal won in 16:30, with Finn (16:51) and Osika (17:03) 2-3 behind her. Handler snagged eighth place (17:14) and Wechsler 15th (17:25).

The University of Michigan women’s cross country team finished fifth at the 2012 NCAA Division 1 championships. Last year the Wolverines moved up to fourth.The Sept. 30 USTF Cross Country Coaches Association poll ranked this year’s squad No. 1 in the nation.

s this the year?

Wolverine’s Erin Finn, bib 2, finished second and Shannon Osika, bib 13, finished first at the Michigan Open, August 29.

17:56. In 2012 Osika, U-M’s other wunderkind, ran 17:04 in the race, a split second behind women’s winner Sarah Boyle, an ex-Spartan. Argh! Osika, whose mother Andrea ran in the U.S. Olympic Trials, came to U-M from Waterford Mott High School. After earning freshman of the year honors in 2012, she finished 11th at the Big Ten championships, sixth in the Great Lakes regional and 56th at the NCAA finals last season as a sophomore. Osika has won the Michigan Open, the university’s season opener, three straight years. In this year’s race Aug. 29 at Hudson Mills Metropark, she and Finn crossed the finish line together in 17:01. The Wolverines’ roster brims with depth and experience behind them, including senior quad-captains Brook Handler of Rochester Hills, Megan Weschler of Wyandotte, Taylor Pogue of Goodrich and Alexandra Leptich of Ann Arbor. Junior Taylor Manett of Rockford is another standout. At the Big Ten Preview 6K Sept. 20 in Iowa City, Michigan’s women finished 1-2-3-4-6 for 16 team points, overwhelming Wisconsin (70), Northwestern (87), Kansas State (101) and Iowa (113). Finn led in 20:06, followed by Osika (20:16), Handler (21:20), Pogue (21:22) and Weschler (21:33).

Michigan Runner - November / December 2014

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Michigan’s greatest rival lies 60 miles northwest. State topped U-M for last year’s conference title led by junior Leah O’Connor of Croswell, who took second behind Finn. Classmates Katie Landwehr of Tipp City, Ohio, and Lindsay Clark of West Bloomfield finished fifth and ninth.

Add to those three returnees sophomore Rachele Schulist of Grand Rapids, who finished eighth at the Great Lakes Regional as freshman. MSU won the Bill Dellinger Invitational Sept. 5, the Spartan Invitational Sept. 12 and Roy Griak Invitational Sept. 27. Schulist led the team in two of those races. At the Dellinger 6K, Schulist smoked the field, timing 19:38; O’Connor placed second in 19:53. At the Spartan 6K, O’Connor and Schulist finished 1-2 in 21:03 and 21:05, respectively. At the 35-team Griak, Schulist snatched fifth overall in 20:50 and O’Connor ninth in 21:30. Clark finished third for the Spartans in all three invitationals and serves as a steady presence. Watch also for senior Sarah Kroll of Westland, who ran away with the 2012 Big Ten individual title, then sat out last year as a redshirt. She is back for her final year in good form. Look for a showdown at the Big Ten championships in Iowa City Nov. 2. The Great Lakes regional will be Nov. 14 in Madison, Wisc., followed by NCAA championships in Terre Haute, Ind., Nov. 22. - MR -

The Definition of a Runner By Heather Hanks

doctor. My body was screaming at me through a loudspeaker. I had traded in running for my beautiful baby girl. That’s the thing about being a cat. When your lives are up, they’re gone.

was 22 the first time I was told I would never run again. It turns out that’s the second worst thing a young runner can hear, The first being, “We’re going to surgically remove the infected parts of your intestine.” Freshly diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, my initial flare landed me in Providence Hospital for seven days, hooked up to an IV full of steroids, unable to eat or drink. Luckily, surgery wasn’t needed as I began to respond to medication. Later, while in his office for my follow-up appointment, my doctor asked about my lifestyle in hopes of assigning a trigger. To my knowledge, I was healthy. Better yet, I was a runner. I had even run the Detroit Half Marathon the day before being admitted into the hospital. Long silence. His eyes met mine and I knew.

“We’re all told at some point in time that we can no longer play the children’s game; we just don’t know when that’s gonna be. Some of us are told at 18, some of us are told at 40, but we’re all told.” – quote from “Moneyball” (2011)

Heather Dyc Hanks, 2nd, 2011 Martian Half Marathon

Had I listened the first time, maybe I’d still have my running. Maybe if I hadn’t pushed my fragile health over the edge I wouldn’t need to be medicated for the foreseeable future. Or have to wear a diaper when I go out in public. But playing the what-if game will do nothing for you. Hard times are a test of faith. True, I wasn’t a runner anymore, but that did not make me useless.

Being young is like being a cat. I believe you have nine lives to kill before you’re really dead. But most people stretch those precious second chances out over the course of their lifetime before taking a health scare seriously.

There’s nothing wrong with accepting defeat when you were never meant to play the hand very long. Instead of beating myself up, I learned to do the next thing.

Not runners. We take bad news and bury it deep inside, using it as motivation to make a comeback. Not because we don’t take doctors seriously, but because the desire to run is too strong. And even if we have to do it on one leg, limping, with an IV drip pumping into our veins, we find a way to run again.

My happiness returned when I stopped holding on to all the impossible standards I held myself to and concentrated on all the things I was still good at. In place of running, I played with my daughter and spent more time with my husband. I read books and visited family. Eventually, I became a better person. I was more relaxed and had finally accepted myself for what I was. I liked myself again, diseased body and all.

So that’s what I did. For the next few years I successfully held on to my precious title as a runner. But it was hard work. I couldn’t eat like other runners. In fact, I couldn’t eat or drink at all while running. I couldn’t run at night. Every run was a struggle to perfectly time my meals and bathroom breaks. I needed at least 10 hours of sleep at night to recover. Naturally, I cashed in late night socializing for early morning long runs so my only friends were other runners. I even married my running partner. I was all in. Until around age 28, when I found out I was pregnant. Running was the first thing to go. It was the week after the Hamilton Marathon and I couldn’t make it three miles around my neighborhood. Running turned into walking, then ceased altogether. There were days I couldn’t get out of bed. My doctor, who had been my running cheerleader, warned it would either get better or much worse. We prayed for the former. It’s been two years since the Hamilton Marathon and unfortunately, my prayers were not answered. This time I didn’t need to hear it from my

From there, the possibilities were endless. I wasn’t broken; I was free to find my true calling. After years of pummeling my body, I needed to use my brain. So I decided to go back to school and study about my disease. My hope is that one day I’ll be a part of someone else’s healing process, or at the very least, encourage them to find their new identity. Maybe you won’t ever be told. Maybe you were told long ago and didn’t listen. Whatever the case is, I don’t believe that when one door closes, another opens. You have to go find it. And it doesn’t require anything more than a runner’s heart and determination. Running doesn’t define you. Whether or not you are able to run, as long as you don’t give up on yourself, you are the definition of a runner. Heather Hanks is a contributor to Michigan Runner and suffers from Crohn’s Disease. - MR -

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Michigan Runner - November / December 2014

Crim Festival of Races, Flint

Deja Vu All Over for Kogo at Crim FLINT (8/23/14) — Find it hard to keep up with the Kardashians? Try keeping up with the Kenyans. Julius Kogo won his fifth straight 10-miler at the 38th annual HealthPlus Crim Festival of races, while Aliphine Tuliamuk-Bolton made it two straight for the women.

Teenagers continued to dominate the 8K. Addie May, 18, won for the second straight year, after joining her Flushing teammates Jessie Lindstrom, 15, and Paige Deitering, 14, winning the High School Challenge in the Michigan Mile Race Series she night before. Her 32:27 was more than three minutes faster than the next two women’s 8K finishers, Kristen Balasia, 38, of Troy (36:09) and Mary Wiesen, 33, of Grand Blanc (36:44).

Kogo, 29, is originally from the Nairobi area (population 3.3 million) and now trains in Chapel Hill, N.C. Tuliamuk-Bolton, 25, comes from the remote town of Kapenguria (population 13,000) hundreds of miles north of Nairobi. “Last year I was fresh from college (Wichita State University),” Tuliamuk-Bolton recalled. “This year I am more experienced (with road racing). Both winners attacked the course aggressively and led comfortably at the finish. Kogo’s 46:35 didn’t quite match his 45:55 time last year, but was his second fastest Crim. His main competition came from his training partner and fellow Kenyan Cleophas Ngetich, 24, who hung on his heels for much of the race and timed 46:55. “My colleague pushed me hard,” Kogo said.

Men’s 8K winner Carson Truesdell, 19, of Grand Blanc

By Charles Douglas McEwen

Winner for the fifth straight year, Julius Kogo (left) leads runner-up Cleophas Ngetich during the Crim 10 Mile.

“I took the lead right away,” she said. “My plan was to win and run a good time. I was hoping to run faster. My legs were tired, but my body felt great. The last quarter mile, I was hurting. I kept hoping someone was not closing in on me.” Next came Kenyans Cynthia Cherotich Limo, 24 (53:15), Sophy Jepchirchir, 20 (53:39) and Lillian Mariita, 26 (54:45). Rachel Hannah, 27, of Toronto placed fifth in 55:00. Nathan Martin, 23, of Spring Arbor paced the Michigan finishers for the second year in row (49:02), while Sarah Boyle, 28, of Brighton led the women in 55:29. Esteban Venegas, 44, of Alma (54:44) and Tammy Nowik, 40, of Clarkston (1:02:07) were the top state state masters. “My PR was 1:04:36,” said Nowik. “So I was happy with 1:02, especially with the humidity. I went out smart, not too fast. That gave me more speed in the last five miles.” Defending state women’s masters champ Lisa Veneziano, 49, of Fenton, placed second in 1:03:20. “I was in front of (Nowik) until about a mile and a half, when she passed me,” said Veneziano. “I stayed pretty close until five miles. Then the Bradley Hills got me. I felt every one of them.”

Tuliamuk-Bolton used a wrecking ball on her 54:28 time last year, crossing in 52:48.

Moroccans Hafid Chani, 28, snagged third place (47:30) and Mourad Marofit, 32, fourth (48:00). Yonas Mebrahta, 26, of Eritrea was fifth (48:19).

Greg Meyer greets Dathan Ritzenhein before the Crim 10 Mile race. Ritzenhein finished in 49:11.

Aliphine Tuliamuk-Bolton bettered her winning 10 Mile time from last year by 1:40.

(26:59) fought off Lawrence Tech University runners Graham Elliot, 20, of Linden (27:15) and Tanner Flint, 18, of Corinth, N.Y. (27:48).

teens Nicole Hanson, 16 (19:00) and Lynsie Gram, 17 (19:38) paced the women.

Truesdell claimed the lead on the third mile. “He broke away from me there,” Flint said. “Then Graham passed me and went after him.” “I was going as hard as I could and felt like I was reeling him in,” said Elliot. “But his lead was too big.”

The Crim races drew more than 14,000 entrants. “We have a fantastic team of staff and volunteers who make this happen every year,” said race director Andy Younger. “We listen to the feedback people give us to try and figure what we can do to make this a great experience.” For complete race results, go to www.crim.org.

Andrew Palumbo, 25, of Raleigh, N.C. (17:56) held off defending champ Ed Labair, 54, of Unionville (18:05) in the 5K. Clarkston

Michigan Runner - November / December 2014

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- MR -

In This Issue November / December 2014 Publisher and Chief Executive Officer

Art McCafferty artmccaf@glsp.com Scott Sullivan scott@glsp.com Editor

Jennie McCafferty jennie@glsp.com Associate Publisher

Dave Foley Mike Duff

Riley McLincha Charles D. McEwen Gary Morgan Jim Neff Bob Schwartz Bob Seif Nick Stanko Anthony Targan Kacey Tulley Cregg Weinmann Pamela Zinkosky Michael Zuidema Jamie Fallon Rose Zylstra

Social Media Editor

Carter Sherline

Senior Photographer

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Vol. 36, No. 5

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Melon Run, Howell Photos by Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios European Athletics Championships, Zurich Photos by Victah Sailer / photorun.net

Crim Festival of Races, Flint Photos by Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios Labor Day 30K, Milford Photos by Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios Golab 5K Labor Day Run, Hamtramck Photos by Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios Photos by Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios

Albion 5K

Auto-Owners Spartan Invitational, East Lansing

Photos by Peter Draugalis / draugalisphotography.com

Run Wild for the Detroit Zoo, Royal Oak Photos by Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios Baker’s Dozen Beer Run, Marshall Photos by Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios Capital City River Run, Lansing Photos by Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon, Philadelphia Photo by Victah Sailer / photorun.net

Dan Jilek 5K Memorial Fun Run, Ann Arbor Photos by Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios Raise Hope and Foster Dreams, Ypsilanti Photos by Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios Sandhill Crane All Trail Half Marathon, Vandalia Photos by Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios Wild Life Marathon, Concord Photos by Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios

About the cover: Amanda Wolski of Dearborn won the Run Wild for the Detroit Zoo 10K in 42:22. Photo by Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios

Michigan Runner Photo Gallery - November / December 2014

Melon Run, Howell, August 15, 2014

Photos by Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios

Mike Andersen of Walled Lake took the 10K title in 33:09.

Before running the 5K herself, Sarah Neville of Howell helps a small contestant roll his melon.

Audrey Belf, bib no. 577, of Bloomfield Hills, was first female and second overall in the 5K with a time of 17:06. 4

Michigan Runner Photo Gallery - November / December 2014

A small contestant holds on tightly to Sparty’s finger after a tumble during the melon roll.

European Athletics Championships, Zurich, August 13, 2014

Photo by Victah Sailer / photorun.net

Photos by Victah Sailer / photorun.net

Photo by Victah Sailer / photorun.net

Tiffany Porter (Ypsilanti / University of Michigan) won gold for Great Britain by beating Cindy Billaud of France by three hundredths of a second to win the 100m hurdles in 12.76. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the first time Britain has won this event.

Tiffany Porter celebrates her championship in the 100 meter hurdles. Michigan Runner Photo Gallery - November / December 2014

Crim Festival of Races, Flint, August 22 and 23, 2014

Photos by Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios

Addie May of Flushing won the high school challenge mile Friday night, then won the 8K run on Saturday.

Nicole Sifuentes of Plymouth (right) won the women’s professional mile in 4:44.13. Heather Kampf (bib 15) of Minneapolis was right behind her with a 4:44.24.

Nathan Martin of Spring Arbor was 8th, the top American & Michigan finisher in the 10 mile for the second year in a row. 6

Michigan Runner Photo Gallery - November / December 2014

Sarah Boyle finished the 10 mile in 7th place, the first American and Michigan athlete to finish.

ÂŠ Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios ÂŠ Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios

Carson Truesdell (bib 12778) was the eventual winner of the 8K Run. Members of the Lawrence Tech cross country team took the next three places: Graham Elliott (bib 12176) second, Tanner Flint (bib 12190) third, and Quinn Williamson (bib 12485) fourth.

The start of the 5K run shows female winner Nicole Hanson (bib 15240) and Ed Labair (bib 15317) runner-up and masters winner. Michigan Runner Photo Gallery - November / December 2014

Labor Day 30K, Milford, August 30, 2014

Photos by Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios

Nicole Monette of Royal Oak is the 30K Run female champion in 2:04:30.

30K Run winner, Mike Andersen (bib 1301), of Walled Lake, takes an early lead.

Cindy Goodhue (bib 1329) of Milford and Maryann Chupa (bib 1049) of Wixom celebrate as they finish the 30K run. 8

Michigan Runner Photo Gallery - November / December 2014

This tandem finishes the Labor Day 30K bicycle race.

Golab 5K Labor Day Run, Hamtramck, September 1, 2014

Photos by Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios

Justin Craig of Detroit finished first in 17:02, a full 2:51 ahead of all others.

Christine Zittel (bib 257) of Waterford, Trish Barrick (bib 256) of Bloomfield Hills, Domingo Valdez (bib 253) of Temperance, frequent racer JIm Zittel (bib 248) and Denise Dashner (bib 252) of Temperance run the 5K in Hatmtramck.

Albion 5K, September 20, 2014

Photos by Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios

Marcia Blackstrom (bib 2) was the first female and second overall to finish.

Chris Bell, age 16, was first overall in the 5K.

Michigan Runner Photo Gallery - November / December 2014

Photos by Peter Draugalis /

Spartan Elite girls start.

Michigan Runner Photo Gallery - November / December 2014

/ draugalisphotography.com

ÂŠ Peter Draugalis 2014 www.draugalisphotography.com College men start. Michigan Runner Photo Gallery - November / December 2014

Auto-Owners Spartan Invitational, East Lansing, September 12, 2014

Photos by Peter Draugalis / draugalisphotography.com

In the closest race of the meet, Royal Oak’s Ben Hill (bib 4219) edged Jesse Hersha of Concord for the win in the Spartan Boys Elite race.

Winner Audrey Belf, led her Birmingham Seaholm team to a first place finish in the Spartan Girls Elite race.

Donavan Brazier of Kenowa Hills was first to the finish in the Boys Green race, 15:57. 12

Michigan Runner Photo Gallery - November / December 2014

Sarah Kettel of the Capital Homeschool team captured first place in the Girls White race , 18:10.

Run Wild for the Detroit Zoo, Royal Oak, September 14, 2014

Photos by Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios

5K winner Danielle Savard talks with Michigan Runner reporter, Charles Douglas McEwen.

Winners gathered at the podium are Matt Yacoub, 1st Master 10K, Erin Kelly, 1st Master 10K, JacquelineMcKinley, 2nd Open 10K, Matt Fecht with three medals, 1st Open 5K, 1st Open 10K and 1st Open 15K (combined 5K & 10K), Amanda Wolski, 1st Open 10K, Joe Bojman, 1st Master 5K.

Participants in the Run Wild for the Detroit Zoo receive admission to the Zoo after the race. Among the Zoo’s residents are this mama kangaroo and her baby. Michigan Runner Photo Gallery - November / December 2014

Baker’s Dozen Beer Run, Marshall, September 20, 2014

Photos by Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios

This goofy, untimed event in Marshall includes a run, a bicycle ride, an, inline skate and lots of beer and doughnuts.

Capital City River Run, Lansing, September 21, 2014

Photos by Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios

The Capital City River Run added a marathon this year and Jerome Recker took the title of this first one in 2:34:47. 14

Michigan Runner Photo Gallery - November / December 2014

Rachel McFarlane of Lansing won the female’s title in the ingural Capital City River Run marathon in 2:50:33.

Rock â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Roll Half Marathon, Philadelphia, September 21, 2014

Megan Goethals, in her first half marathon, finished in 1:17:39.

Photo by Victah Sailer / photorun.net

Katie Kellner finished her half marathon in 1:14:39, a time which qualifies her for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials.

Photo by Victah Sailer / photorun.net

Photos by Victah Sailer / photorun.net

Half marathoners start in Philadelphia. At right, in the front, are Katie Kellner, and Megan Goethals, both running for Hansons Brooks. Michigan Runner Photo Gallery - November / December 2014

Dan Jilek 5K Memorial Fun Run Ann Arbor, October 5, 2014 Photos by Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios

n Family and friends of Dan Jilek gather every year for a 5K race to honor his memory. Jilek played football for Michigan and the Buffalo Bills.

Dan Jilek 5K Memorial Fun Run, Ann Arbor, October 5, 2014

ÂŠ Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios

Photos by Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios

Dan Jilekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s daughter, Elisabeth Jilek-Pace, runs the 5K in Gallup Park. 18

Michigan Runner Photo Gallery - November / December 2014

Raise Hope and Foster Dreams, Ypsilanti, September 27, 2014

ÂŠ Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios

Photos by Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studios

Ignacio and Emilio Paniqgua, both age 14, finished the 5K in 28:23 and 28:22 respectively. The race was held in Ypsilantiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rolling Hills County Park. Michigan Runner Photo Gallery - November / December 2014

Sandhill Crane All Trail Half Marathon, Vandalia, October 11, 2014

Hannah Norton of Union City beat all the men and all the women in the half marathon with a time of 1:35:28.

Emily Gunn of Dowagiac was the fourth female in the halfmarathon. Sister Sarah Gunn of Brookline, MA, and brother Jake of Olympia, WA also ran the half while their dad, Ron Gunn, directed the race.

Photos by Carter Sherline / Frog Prinde Studios

Mary Garcia (bib 20) of South Bend, Indiana and Monica Snide (bib 81) of Mishawaka, Indiana run the half-marathon. 20

Michigan Runner Photo Gallery - November / December 2014

Wild Life Marathon, Concord, October 12, 2014

Photos by Carter Sherline / Frog Prinde Studios

The Olsen family of Jackson took home lots of hardware: Kristina won the 5K in 18:31 and was third overall.

Brian Olsen was first master and second overall in the half marathon with a time of 1:23:51.

Martha Olsen was first master and second female in the half marathon. Michigan Runner Photo Gallery - November / December 2014

Running Shorts with Scott Hubbard Trivia: Immediately before it became USATF (United States of America Track & Field), what was the name of our governing body?

licly note, “Hey, your product, it seems expensive,” without pressure to require changes. I do suggest changes but trust in the running business to seek its own level of fees and expenses. And there’s this: if you’re willing to pay $57 for a color run, that’s your affair. I get that. But I don’t have to like it.

Increase Fallout

Scott Hubbard

I’ve watched the prices for races, shoes, apparel and accessories climb steadily in the past dozen years. The number of races has also risen steadily.

I don’t run or race anymore due to an arthritic foot, but prices and numbers don’t go unnoticed. I think I’d get a consensus many race entry fees seem too high, except, as my Texas friend Monte Wells noted, among newer runners who’ve never known any different. Yet, like the price for things we outfit ourselves with to run, it seems little can be done to stem this imminent hit to the wallet. Not only are price increases imminent, a leveling off or reduction is unlikely any time soon. And there you are, wanting to run and race with no option but to “pay the man.” The way I see things unfolding, you’re in a pickle: is there a way to fight back against higher prices or, flip side, should you fight the inevitable? Shouldn’t you bite the bullet and pay the asking price? I’m not going to get into what I feel are race fees that are ”too high”; I’m sure you can determine that yourselves. The fixed costs to put on races has gone up slower than many race fees in the past dozen years. Is it fair to single that out when comparing past fees with present? Who am I to begrudge a race from making as much money as the market will bear? What value, other than educational, would it be if I could get a dozen high-priced races to lay out their race budgets here for you to look over? It would certainly make for healthy conversation, but you’d still have to pay the fees. Runners are a captive audience and some races take advantage of that. Is that a bad thing? In the current climate, the answer is immaterial. They’ll do it anyway and there’s no recourse, no official body races must answer to. Oh sure, you could vote by not entering a race and/or write the race, asking about their entry fee. That’d make you a smarter consumer but won’t change the escalation of fees. I feel equal parts cynicism and frustration over rising fees. I debated raising this issue because I can’t see a “solution” and I’m not even sure it’s a problem. But, my goodness, some of these fees seem so high, some a lot high. Consider this venting then, a way to get this off my chest and “out there” for others to see. A way to pub-

Having said all this, there are plenty of reasonablypriced races, shoes, etc. Many to most deliver the same amenities as the higher-priced competition. It’s great to see them around and, better, reasonably-priced running stuff is not going away. I have many suggestions on how to cut race fees, but that’s for another time. I know some race costs are fixed, many are not. I mentioned the ever-increasing number of races. The calendar overflows with choices. There doesn’t appear to be any slacking in the number getting added either. Some of the explanation is many of the new events are staged to raise funds. I don’t have a problem with that or the flood of new races. Gives folks reason to stay closer to home to race and more options in general. However, the proliferation of races has had major impact on the number and quality of runners finishing at the top of all those races. The glut has watered down competition at the front of races. More races equals fewer good, performance-motivated folks to go around because they scatter to all points on the race schedule. I noted the downward trend in time for place in the Dexter-Ann Arbor half marathon here before, comparing 1983 and 2013. This trend can be seen at all Michigan races, with the Fifth Third 25K only recently seeing a slowing for place.

Prep and college running are my roots and there’s a restorative effect when I’m surrounded by it. While I’m happy and appreciative of all runners, I’m particularly drawn to the spirit/talent of the very best. High prices, too many races, the fastest runners: slices of the sport’s Big Picture.

Phun I hear and read a lot of people telling others to, “Have fun,” about an upcoming running event. That’s suggesting what occurs naturally. Running is fun. If it weren’t, no running would get done. There are many shades of fun in running from recreational to serious, social to solitary, sublime to challenging. You know it’s not fun when you feel signs of stress, compromising health and interest. Asking others to “have fun” hints it’s all work, no play. It’s work that is play. Run for fun, my friends; it’s implicit. Answer: TAC, The Athletics Congress. Much of the rest of the world refers to T&F as athletics. - MR-

Roseville Big Bird 0914_Roseville Big Bird 8/12/14 12:

36th Annual

It isn’t a matter of good or bad, simply inevitable due to various factors, principally the huge number of races to pick from compared to the past. On the up side, more folks are placing in their age groups. The downside: we aren’t seeing larger numbers of the very best showing up at the same place as in the past. We’ve gained quantity and sacrificed quality as far as competition is concerned. It’s been both bewildering and troubling to watch the gradual slowing of times for place over the past 25 years. Bewildering because I feel like asking, “Where have all the cowboys gone? Why so few running fast any more?” More races doesn’t explain fewer “cowboys.” It’s troubling to see the downturn because it’s still a sport where, at least in school, running your fastest is promoted. The rewards of training hard and racing well haven’t diminished. Why, then, fewer post-school-age runners “reaching for the sky”? Many theories and reasons have merit. While I’m bewildered and troubled on one hand, what’s happening on the prep and college level is heartening when it comes to large numbers of people motivated by performance. The NCAA Division 1 men’s and women’s cross country championships are the deepest, most-competitive races in America. I’m lucky to be as intimately involved as an announcer at both levels as I am. michiganrunner.net

Reg. Fees: $25 by 4pm Nov. 5 $30 on race day

Entry form & information: Recreational Authority of Roseville & Eastpointe 18185 Sycamore Roseville, MI 48066 (586) 445-5480 www.rare-mi.gov Register online: active.com

Michigan Runner - November / December 2014

Park2Park, Holland

Runners Take Flight, Cars Don’t at Park2Park By Scott Sullivan

HOLLAND (9/27/14) — Parking for Park2Park in Park Township is never easy. Not with the halfmarathon and 5K having grown so much in their 10 years.

ing in pacesetter Andrea Gearheart during the final mile. Hager, 41, of Hudsonville won in 1:25:54. Vis, 32, of Jenison (1:26:05) and Gearhart, 32, of Wayland (1:26:10) crossed close behind her.

When name sponsor Holland Hospital and race director Sherrie Santos moved last year’s start/finish to the Ottawa County Fairgrounds, it made car access easier. Road repairs this year meant meant parking nearby in the Park Township Airport, with drivers wary of ducking Cessnas.

The women’s race was as close as the men’s race wasn’t, with Eliz Hager and Karin Viss reel-

All could feast on traditional post-race refueling fare plus Park2Park’s famous meatballs. “Some runners come back for the meatballs every year,” Santos said.

Photo by Scott Sullivan

Ben Foreman, 36, of Grand Rapids shifted from park to drive in a hurry, gapping the field and winning in 1 hour, 13 minutes and 56 seconds. Runner-up Kevin Hagan, 25, of Grand Rapids (1:19:12) was a full mile back when the winner finished.

Photo by Scott Sullivan

No casualties were reported. Plus perfect weather (sunshine, mid-50s temperatures) and a flat, fast course drew close to 1,000 finishers to the long race, which included romps through lakes Macatawa and Michigan parks before finishing in front of the horse-race oval grandstand.

5K viewers thought they were seeing double when twins Nathan and Jeffrey Fujioka of Grand Rapids blazed through the Waukazoo Woods to finish 1-2 in 16:16 and 17:15. Third overall was women’s winner Alicia Sherwood, 27, of Zeeland in 18:11. The shorter race drew close to 400 runners and walkers.

Eliz Hager

The event raises funds for Neighbors Plus, a nonprofit Christian community development organization that provides programs to help individuals, children and families reach next-step goals.

Ben Foreman

For complete results and more information about next year’s races, visit http://www.park2parkrace.com. - MR -

Gilda’s Family 5K, Royal Oak

Gilda’s Champs Glide to PRs By Charles Douglas McEwen

ROYAL OAK (9/6/14) — Drew Minnich, 12, led the 21st annual Gilda’s Family 5K Run for the first mile. Then Kevin Sherwood, 52, took over. But Shawn Mueller, 30, of Birmingham led when it counted most: at the finish line. Mueller won after zipping by Sherwood with about a mile to go, posting a personal record time of 20:28, 17 seconds faster than second-place Sherwood. “I don’t know how I caught him,” Mueller said. “Just went for it.” “I heard the feet coming and thought, ‘Oh man. Not again!’” said Sherwood, who led last year’s 5K until the final 200 yards, when winner Jason Olson passed him. “When you’re the rabbit, you’re the goal of everyone behind you,” added the Royal Oak resident, who provides a nice target since he usually dresses in the red, white and blue favored by his hero, Capt. America. 22

Rounding out this year’s top five were Minnich, also of Royal Oak (20:57); Jesse Linue, 36, of White Lake (21:11) and Eric Stahmen, 32, of Troy (21:15).

“My mom died from cancer and was a Gilda’s Club participant,” said Lewandowski. “They offer tons of support to patients, families and survivors.”

Women’s winner Heather Lewandowski, 40, of Chesterfield finished right behind Stahman in 21:16. “I had a phenomenal time,” she said. “I never ran that fast before.”

Radner’s dream, according to the www.gildasclubdetroit.org website, “was to create a free support community for people with cancer, their families and friends. Today that dream is fulfilled at Gilda’s Metro-Detroit, a three-story, non-residential house in Royal Oak (also known as Gilda’s House).

Lewandowski chopped close to two minutes off her previous PR at that distance. “I don’t know where it came from,” she said. “I just had a lot speed and carried it through.” The next women were Jennifer Rea, 48, Rochester Hills (21:57), Hope Calati, 41, of Royal Oak (23:12), Heather Sejnowski, 27, of Pontiac (25:28) and Chloe Gilcher, 10, of West Bloomfield (26:03). This race, which started after comedian and actress Gilda Radner died from cancer, raises money for Gilda’s Club Metro Detroit.

Michigan Runner - November / December 2014

michiganrunner.tv

“Gilda’s Club provides a social and emotional program for men, women, teens and children living with cancer, their families and friends in a non-residential, home-like setting,” it continues. “There is no cost to participate in our program.” For complete esults, go to http://fastdogtiming.com. - MR -

third vertical template_third vertical 10/4/14 9:39 AM Pag

RunWild for the Detroit Zoo, Huntington Woods

Fecht Runs Wild, Doubles at Detroit Zoo By Charles Douglas McEwen HUNTINGTON WOODS (9/14/14) — Though Run Wild for the Detroit Zoo attracted more than 3,500 participants, Matt Fecht had the 5K and 10K all to himself this year. Fecht, 30, of Warren, who won the Plymouth YMCA one mile, 5K, and 10K in the same morning June 15, ran away with both races at Run Wild, which started and finished at the Detroit Zoo. The morning provided runners and walkers with sunny, Goldilocks-like weather. “Not too cold, not too hot,” Fecht said. “I’ll take that.” In the 5K, which started at 8 a.m., Fecht timed 16:03, easily besting runner-up Keith Erichsen, 16, of Farmington (17:47). “I kind of wanted to be around 5:10 (per mile) pace on the day,” Fecht said afterward. “So, goal one accomplished.”

“I was grinding a little,” Fecht said afterward. “It’s hard being all by yourself.” The time between races adds to the challenge, he continued. “You run the 5K, then you have 20 to 25 minutes where you have to stay warm and loose. Then you have to run a hard 10K.” Scott Moore, 30, of Royal Oak snagged third place in both the 5K (18:29) and 10K (38:89). “After the 5K, I didn’t have as much left for the 10K) as I wanted,” hr said. “But I ran nice and even.”

Moving on to the 8:45 a.m. 10K, Fecht finished in 32:33, far ahead of secondplace Matt Yacoub, 40, of Farmington (34:49).

Matt Fecht won both the 5K and 10K runs by large margins.

Danielle Savard, 31, of Rochester Hills dominated the women’s 5K, but didn’t love her 18:47 time. “It’s great to win, but I want to get back into the 17s. I didn’t do that,” she said. Lizabeth Devine of St. Clair Shores finished second for the women in 21:04. Next came Witney Laderoute, 23, of Clarkston in 21:16. Amanda Wolski, 33, of Dearborn won the women’s 10K in 42:24. “This is my first win ever!” she exulted. “I knew I couldn’t let up at all. It was exciting having people cheer for me. I even got a few fist-pumps from the spectators.” Wolski passed Angela Kasten, 28, of Davi-

son at the one-mile mark and held the lead to the finish. “I felt confident,” she said. “At one point I peeked behind me and didn’t see any women. ‘All right, I’ve got this,’ I told myself. And I did.” Jacqueline McKinley, 28, of Royal Oak finished second (43:09) after passing Kasten, who was third in 43:33. Race proceeds benefited the Detroit Zoological Society and veterinary care for the animals. For complete results, go to http://detroitzoo.org/runwild. - MR -

michiganrunner.net

Michigan Runner - November / December 2014

Beyond the Chip By Laurel Park

was really looking forward to this run.

before my Brooks sponsorship ended. Maybe I could take up cycling, like Rich, although having two cyclists in the house would be extremely expensive.

It was a beautiful, crisp morning. The temperature was in the low single digits, but lack of wind made it feel invigorating, not depressing. At 6 a.m., neighborhood lights were flicking on intermittently and woodland creatures were winding down a night of foraging and heading back to their secluded hideaways. The air was silent except for the occasional barking dog.

The footing was much improved, with the cold temps freezing the snowy mess and providing some welcomed traction. I adjusted my headlamp and started off at a slow jog, testing the footing and checking for errant snow clumps. The frosty air hit my face and brought a quick chill to my fingers, which I knew would lessen as I continued. Down to the end of my road, then a sharp left, then on to the rest of my customary morning route. I hadn’t gone more than a few feet past the sharp left when my right foot buckled. I pitched forward onto the icy road. Wow, I thought, I’ve never gone down this hard before. Sharp pain ripped through my right ankle. I gripped it and gritted my teeth. Oh, crap. This was a bad one. It was too cold to sit for long, so after a moment I hauled myself up and started to hobble home. I hadn’t run far enough to warm up and the frigid air cut through my jacket. Sometimes, after other ankle rolls, I’ve been able to jog slowly. Not this time. I was lucky I could walk and probably shouldn’t have been doing that. Anger and frustration hit simultaneously. I knew I wasn’t going to run again anytime soon and wondered whether I’d be able to run again at all. I’ve rolled my right ankle several times, twice severely, and didn’t know how much more damage it could endure. I wanted to cry but knew that wouldn’t help. And I didn’t want the frozen tears stuck to my face. I got back to the house, pulled off my shoes and grabbed a gel pack from the freezer. I knew the drill. I sat on the kitchen floor and wrapped the pack around my swollen ankle. My husband Rich watched quietly. “Do you need to go to urgent care?” he finally asked. No, I said. I had to give a

This was my first run of the week. I took Monday off to pacify my aching legs, which had battled thick, sloppy, slippery snow the past week. By the end of my (shortened) Sunday run, both quads were screaming, “No mas! No mas!” Tuesday morning had been a swim. Wednesday was another (involuntary) day off due to a work gathering. Thursday had been another swim, squeezed in at the end of the day. But now, finally, I was ready to hit the roads again.

For two weeks, I was the consummate couch potato. At work, I rested my foot on a chair next to my desk. As soon as I got home, I headed to the sofa with its trusty stack of pillows. Normally, the total lack of activity would drive me nuts. No cross training; nothing to channel my energy and nerves. But this time was different. It wasn’t a choice; not a “you should” but a de facto “you must.” That didn’t make it any more enjoyable, but it did make it bearable. I had to accept the situation or make myself and everyone around me miserable.

Laurel Park volunteers during the Dexter Ann Arbor Run in June. presentation at a meeting that afternoon and had a bunch of tasks on my to-do list for the morning. I would take the gel pack to work and keep the ankle wrapped and propped up. “If it’s looking particularly bad after my meeting, we’ll go,” I said. I never made it to the meeting. Despite the ice and some ibuprofen, the ankle continued to swell, gradually but continuously, throughout the morning. By noon, I was texting Rich in all caps (“COME GET ME!”) and we headed to the University of Michigan emergency room. Two hours later, my ankle swollen to the point that I couldn’t wear a shoe, I was fitted with a walking boot and given instructions to ice and keep the ankle elevated as much as possible. I was also handed a sheet of rehab exercises, most of which I already knew (and helped explain to the nurse trainee who was assisting me). The ankle wasn’t broken, just badly torn up. It needed time and rest. Fortunately, I guess, this happened on a Friday, so I could lie on the couch for two days without having to take sick time. My spring racing plans were down the crapper. Riverview Winterfest was the following Saturday and I doubted I would even be able to hobble by then. The Spectrum Health Irish Jig 5K was a month away and I ended up having to skip that too. During that first week, when even the pressure of the blankets on my bed brought intense pain, I was sure my running days were over. Goodbye career, goodbye quiet mornings on beautiful dirt roads, goodbye to the three extra pair of training flats I got

Michigan Runner - November / December 2014

michiganrunner.tv

The first hint of hope came about three weeks after my tumble, when the ankle was able to tolerate a short swim. It hurt like heck, but the resistance of the water felt good in a masochistic kind of way. Psychologically, it was a huge benefit; while swimming is far from my favorite activity, at that point I was ready to take anything. And I knew the gentle flexing of my ankle would serve as physical therapy, loosening up damaged tissues and helping rebuild their strength. Getting in and out of the pool was a challenge, as any direct pressure on the ankle was still torture, but I figured out a way to minimize the stress while also not drawing too much attention to myself. Scheduling my swim during the senior water aerobics session helped, as by comparison everything I did looked lithe and agile. The next step was cycling. The roads were still a snowy mess, so my bike was set up on the trainer in our storage room. Pedaling was a challenge — pressure, in addition to flexing those delicate ligaments — so the first session was brief (and extremely boring). But again, it was exercise. Better than nothing. The ultimate test, of course, was running. I looked forward to the day with a mixture of excitement and apprehension; excitement to be out on the (ice-free) roads again and apprehension because I had no idea how it would feel. Even if the ankle was fine, what about the rest of my body? Would everything work correctly? Would any slight favoring of the ankle bring on all those compensatory injuries I’ve been battling for the past 15 years? Was I willing to take that risk and pay the resulting price if it did? About six weeks post-spill, I laced up my shoes and headed out the door. Less than half a mile later, I turned around and walked home. Not yet. By this point, walking felt “normal” and was almost painfree. I knew I had to be patient until running felt that way as well — when I could do it without thinking about it. I gave it another two weeks, then tried a very slow and cautious three-mile loop on the dirt roads near my house. While not perfect, it

Instinct is a fascinating thing. Over the years, I’ve learned that instinct regarding my body is rarely wrong. My body knows whether the slight hitch in my stride, or the almost imperceptible tug in my hamstring, is an aberration or a harbinger of doom. It may not know exactly what is wrong, but my body knows something is wrong and reacts accordingly. Sometimes it over-reacts, which can be more damaging than the problem itself. It’s the over-reacting I worry about, so when my instinct tells me something is not right, I pay attention. I wondered how long it would take before my body stopped reacting to the ankle, when it would be satisfied everything was really OK and we could continue on as usual. I got my answer in early June. It was a beautiful, sunny morning and I was running one of my favorite routes. I wasn’t even thinking about my ankle. As I swerved to avoid some potholes in the dirt road, I felt my right foot trip on something; a large rock, indistinguishable from the ground around it, was jutting up out of the road. My ankle reacted; it tightened up, stabilized and protected itself. After a couple quick hops to regain my balance, I kept going. The ankle stung for a moment, then it was fine. I was back — ready for the next challenge. - MR -

Melon Run, Howell

Kids Melon Dash Offers Pinch of Fun By Kacey Tulley

HOWELL (8/15/14) — Giggles zipped around the warm-up area as my two little runners, amid hundreds, geared up for their quarter-mile Kids Melon Dash during the Howell Melon Runs. They chased each other around in a tag-like game to get the juices flowing, tickling, skipping and smiling: all things a mom would hope to see at a celebration for a fruitful harvest.

prestigious races. Knead and stretch the muscles. Warm them up so that they can carry you through this adventure.

Photo by Dane Robinson / Time Frame Photography

felt OK in a way that told me I would be back. Maybe not as soon as I’d like, and certainly not as fast as I’d like, but I would be back. If I kept my ambition under control, I might even be able to do some summer racing.

Start the timer with a bullhorn and bake in the glow of summer twilight for as long as needed to break the finish tape. Along the course, sprinkle runners generously with water to carry each kid through the final push. Whisk away any doubts or nerves with clapping and shouts of encouragement. Take in deep breaths of the ripe melon smell wafting through the air.

The race director Author’s daughter, gathered these brighteyed athletes under the Montana, races in start balloon. Nary a the Melon Dash. watch beeped for a signal, no one glanced around to size up the competition nor was sponsored; all were there because they loved to run. As our dashers began, the crowd erupted with cheers that could compete with the biggest and most

Listen to the rhythmic thumping of soles on the street. Little strides and pumps, yet big eyes of determination to give everything they have. Taste the celebration of all things summer; a celebration of all things good and of running. Regardless of clock time, you’re sure to get big smiles, some gasping for air, and a taste of success in finishing. Garnish with a finisher’s ribbon. - MR -

One-Time Races By Dean Johnson

very new race hopes to become a revered yearly favorite (witness the phrase “first annual”), but a few new runs are so bad that they thankfully lasted only one year. In my hometown of Lapeer in the late 1990s, I was excited to hear of a first-time race called the “Railroad 5K.” Who hasn’t enjoyed running on a smooth, un-trafficked rail-trail? But this race wasn’t on a rail-trail; it was run on actual railroad tracks. Ever try to run on endless boards, each 10 inches apart, with sharp, annoying rocks in between? At about the mile mark, we actually climbed up into a series of open-ended boxcars, running through them and jumping from one to the next. That part was actually pretty cool, but they apparently didn’t inform the Union Pacific people of the race, because the conductor hooked an engine to the cars and started to pull away. With about 30 of us inside, it started moving down the tracks and didn’t stop until we got to Flint.

I’d run 5K but gone 20 miles. And the company wouldn’t even drive us home, so I had to call my brother to come pick me up. To make matters worse, the race wouldn’t give us our finisher medals because we’d “gone off course.” Rightly, the Railroad 5K was a one-time race. A lot of Grand Rapids Christian groups sponsor events for charitable causes, so it didn’t surprise anyone when the group “Water for the World” (which digs wells in impoverished countries) announced a fundraiser marathon. What was “out there” was their decision to help people experience the anguish of thirst by holding the race at 2 p.m. on a July Saturday and not offer or allow any fluids during the race. When all runners were crawling by 15 miles and none finished, they never held this race again. Now instead they ask people to dump a bucket of nothing on your head and donate the money you save to supply water for Africa. Some courses are so popular more than one

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annual race is held on them. (A 5K course on Hines Drive near where I live seems to host at least 10 different races throughout the year.) Well, everyone loves the race across the Mackinac Bridge in October, so Harold Wiley decided to hold a race on the same course in the spring. He just didn’t understand concepts like permission, permits, consent, etc. Imagine 300 people running up the on ramp toward St. Ignace when nobody told state officials they were coming. Though billed as a 5-mile run, it only lasted 500 yards before police arrived. None of the runners got their money back because Harold needed it to pay all his fines. That race was held only one year, and rightly so. So to all the races that make it two years, we salute your success. To the others, may you rest in peace. When not writing and running, Dean Johnson is pastor at Lake Pointe Bible Church in Plymouth. - MR -

Michigan Runner - November / December 2014

The Brooksie Way, Rochester

Bruckelaufe, Frankenmuth

Richmond, Monette Find Ways to Win Brooksie Way

Bruckelaufe Half Marathon & 5K Dodge Rain

“I’m excited to win again here,” said the 29year-old Royal Oak resident. “I’m running for the Hope Water Project for Kensington Church (www.hopewaterproject.org), which made it extra special.”

FRANKENMUTH (10/4/14) – Close to 1,000 entries enjoyed ideal fall conditions at the third annual Bruckelaufe (the Bridge Race) Half Marathon and 5K, the final event of the Frankenmuth Jaycees Race Series.

Runners starting the half-marathon include Joel Kozlowski, bib 442, Lee Shaw, bib 444, and Nicole Monette, bib 373.

The event, held on a warm, sunny morning this year, honors the memory of Brooks Stuart Patterson, the son of Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, who died in a snowmobile accident in 2007 at age 28. Monette, who timed 1:21:58, led the women by nearly nine minutes. Next came Amanda Wolski, 33, of Dearborn (1:30:40) and top master Kim Sanner, 46, of Macomb (1:31:13). “It wasn’t easy,” Monette said of the course. “There are definitely some hills on it.” Men’s winner Donald Richmond, 29, of Portand, described the course from a different perspective. “It’s fast until you get to Dutton Road,” he said. “The Dutton hill (alone) makes it a slow course.” Richmond nonetheless broke the race open while ascending the hill. Up to that point he had tangled with defending champ Leo Foley, 33, of Independence Township and the 2011 and 2012 winner, Shane Logan, 36, of Clarkston. The three went through 10K in 33:30. After that Foley fell off the pace. “Donnie and I were cruising through eight miles at mid- 43 (minutes),” Logan said. “Then the hill ruined me. I tried to catch back up, but there was no way.” The last tenth of a mile challenged runners with a steep climb to the finish. “I was in immense pain,” Richmond said. “I felt like my legs were going to give out, but I kept it together.” Richmond finished in 1:11:57 and Logan in 1:12:21. Bryce Stroede, 19, of Rochester (1:13:29) edged Foley (1:13:30) for third place.

By Tracey Cohen

“It was great running weather and fun to see the colors of trees on the route,” said Joe Burns, Detroit chapter coordinator of the nonprofit Medals4Mettle group. “It was generous of the Jaycees to let us collect medals for our clients fighting illness.”

Joel Kozlowski, 43, of Macomb (1:21:52) outkicked Mack Stillwagon, 40, of Harrison (1:12:58) for the masters title.. Mohamed Hrezi, 22, of Rochester ran away with the 10K. The recent Iowa State University graduate, competing in his first road race for the Hansons-Brooks Distance Project, finished in 31:11. Next came Aaron Greb, 18, of Washington Township in 36:30. “I just tried to take advantage of the downhills and work hard on the uphills,” Hrezi said. Laura Armstrong, 38, of Ypsilanti (46:11) edged Aimee Kaber, 33, of Canton (46:20) to capture the women’s 10K. As in the half marathon and 10K, 5K runners had to contend with hills. “The first two miles were really fast; they’re downhill,” said Adam Richmond, 26, of Ortonville, the men’s winner in 16:59. “But the last mile was really tough.” Second overall in 17:14 was women’s champ Amanda Mergaert, 23, of Shelby. She finished one second ahead of men’s runner-up Justin Craig, 34, of Detroit and more than two minutes ahead of women’s runner-up Natalia Garlan, 35, of Oakland Township (19:42). Mergaert, a recent University of Utah graduate who now runs for the Brooks Beasts Track Club, had pre-race trepidations regarding the hilly course. “It was easier than I expected,” the winner said. Race proceeds support programs that encourage healthy and active lifestyles and are distributed through Brooksie Way mini-grants. For complete results, visit http://.thebrooksieway.com. - MR -

Michigan Runner - November / December 2014

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ROCHESTER (9/28/14) — After winning the 10K last year while pregnant, Nicole Monette captured the half marathon with her eight-month-old son and husband on the sidelines at the seventh annual Health Plus Brooksie Way.

By Charles Douglas McEwen

Medals4Mettle’s Joe Burns runs the half marathon. Athletes, starting and ending at Heritage Park downtown, traversed a USATF-certified route of grass, paved and dirt roads with numerous bridges, hence the race name. Joel Kozlowski, an “original Bruckelaufe dude” back for his third year, called the course, “quite challenging, especially running through the farm cornfield and turns in the final mile of the race. “I love Frankenmuth,” he continued. “I’ve

J. Rogucki Memorial Kensington Challenge, Milford

Andersen, Michmerhuizen Romp at Kensington Challenge By Charles Douglas McEwen

Michmerhuizen, a Division III All-American who has a 34:09 10K PR, graduated from Calvin College in May. “This is my first road race since then,” she said. “I’ve done one other 15K, but my main event was the 10K.”

Arbor (59:08) and Melissa Broyles, 36, of Milford (1:01:49).

15K winner, Nicole Michmerhuizen MILFORD (9/13/14) — He may have taken a tad more time circling Kent Lake than three years ago, but Mike Andersen still made short work of the John Rogucki Memorial Kensington Challenge 15K, presented by DMC Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital. Andersen, 27, of Walled Lake finished in 48:31, 28 seconds slower than in 2011 but still fast enough to win by more than five minutes on the Kensington Metropark course. “Three years ago, Matt Fecht and I battled it out,” said Andersen. “Once I got through the first mile this year, I knew it was going to be a solo effort. But a race like this — a Road Runners Clubs of America state championship — deserves to be pushed. So I was on my horse out there. It felt good.” The cold, blustery weather wasn’t ideal for running fast times. Though still technically summer, many of the spectators — including Andersen’s wife and five-month-old daughter — bundled up in jackets, sweatshirts and/or sweaters.

Kessler was content with runner-up status this year. “I’m coming off an injury and haven’t run very much in the last year,” she said. Cindy Tews, 56, of Kawkawlin won female masters honors (1:09:51). Helen Peck, 50, of Farmington Hills topped the grand masters (1:14:52) and Joanie Rogucki, 61, of Green Valley, Arizona the senior masters (1:15:15).

Kurt Lenser, 56, of Northville (19:17) and Olivia Huszti, 13, of Milford (21:51) topped the 5K runners. For more information, go to www.aatrackclub.org. Run Like the Dickens 2014_Run Like the Dickens 10/6/1 - MR -

15K winner, Mike Andersen “This kind of weather reminds you of the cross country and marathon season,” Andersen said. “Doug (race director Goodhue) does a first-class job putting on the event. Nothing beats running around Kensington with the leaves beginning to turn.” Robert Cameron, 28, of Brighton finished second in 53:52. Eric Green, 46, of Pontiac took third in 54:30. “I was in second until six (miles),” said Green. “Then he (Cameron) went by me. The wind got to me at that point.”

Christopher Gregory (1:18:42) and Amber Dermyre (1:34:44) earned top men’s and women’s honors in the half marathon, while James Rogers (16:19) and Cassie Williams (23:01) paced the 5K. Tom Belford (2:30:33) and Lynette Heinlein

9:00 am

10K Run • 5K Run • 5K Walk • Tiny Tim Trot

With Green claiming third-place overall, John Niven, 50, of Swartz Creek was the masters winner in 58:15. John Tarkowski, 61, of Northville topped the grand masters in 1:02:37. Graham Astley, 61, of Brighton was the senior masters champ in 1:04:38. A newcomer with a long name and even longer stride captured the women’s 15K. Nicole Michmerhuizen, 22, of Ann Arbor won in 56:52. Next came 2011 and 2012 champ Serena Kessler, 42, of Ann

Bruckelaufe continues: come here since I was a kid.” He also liked “the huge medal” he earned for completing all three events.

Sat, December 13

(2:20:00) topped the half marathon walk. Todd Aldous (27:37) and Elizabeth Putti (27:43) led the 5K walkers. For complete results and information on the 2015 Jaycees Race Series, visit http://bruckelaufe.org.

FREE BABY SITTING • FAMILY DISCOUNT • Carols by Holly High School Choir • Homemade Treats • Get a Massage

Runlikethedickens.com (248) 328-3255 nick.ejak@HAS-K12.ORG or coach.tschirhart@has-k12.org Karl Richter Campus, 920 E. Baird Street, Holly 48442

- MR michiganrunner.net

Michigan Runner - November / December 2014

Real Runners Run Marathons

here is no peace of mind until you run a marathon, preferably Boston. At least that’s what it seemed like during my first years of running. I could do 20-milers, race the Crim 10miler and Old Kent River Bank 25K, but when I proudly told my Dave Foley non-running friends of these adventures, they offered obligatory compliments but then asked, “Have you run a marathon?” To the sedentary world, you may be someone who runs but you’re not a real runner until you have passed the 26.2-mile test. Ironically, many have no idea how long a marathon is — six miles, 16, 26 … any of those distances could be a marathon to them. What is important to those who ask is that you have run a marathon, whatever distance it is. In about my third year of running, I did in fact do a marathon. But the questions persisted, only now they were, “Have you run Boston?” The next year I ran a qualifying time and proceeded to Boston, where I made the Hopkinton-to-Boston tour and felt relieved

By Dave Foley

that the questions would finally stop. The questions about running marathons and Boston are probably a good thing, since a few of us might not have done so without the prodding. Few who have ever gone there, even if they ran poorly, have regretted the trip. Once you run Boston, the questions about marathoning end. To the non-running sect, you are a real runner. Doing Boston may make you a runner, but if you venture into other endurance sports there are more standards to be met. As soon as you start triathlons, you’ll be asked if you’ve done the Hawaiian Ironman. If you race on cross country skis in Michigan, there’ll be no relief until you do the Vasa 50K race, and anyone with any skiing background will want to know when you’re going to do the Birkebeiner. I know this because I’ve done Vasa but not the Birkebeiner. As a canoe racer, you’ll be asked, “Have you done the AuSable Marathon?” This event, which pays out more than $50,000 and is the premiere race in North America, involves paddling the 120mile length of the AuSable River, including portaging over six hydroelectric dams. To make it more interesting, the event begins with a 9 p.m. running start and paddlers work through the night to finish 14 to 18 hours later. Although I had won two medals in the Na-

tional Canoe Marathon Championships, among my fellow paddlers and non-canoeing friends I wasn’t a real racer until I paddled the AuSable. So I did the race in 1990. The adventure, one of the most thrilling in my life, might not had happened if I hadn’t endured several years of having to answer, “Have you paddled the AuSable Marathon?” I’m sure dog sledders have to do so with the Iditarod and northern Michigan mountain bikers must do so the Ice Man race, a 50-mile trail event held in November that invariably features snow and sleet. Until you do these competitions, you’re just a pretender. The fact that endurance athletes are asked if they’ve met the gold-standard event for their sport is good. The nature of such sports is to test the athlete’s mental and physical reserves. Few who set out to meet a standard, whether it is a 26.2-mile run, 50K ski race or all-night canoe marathon, will fail if they’ve done a reasonable amount of preparation. Yet many of us doubt our abilities; we need a push or maybe just having to answer the question “Have you run a marathon?” a few dozen times to spur us into action. Michigan Runner editor emeritus Dave Foley is a retired coach and teacher who remains active in the woods and on the streams near his Cadillac home. -

-MR -

OAM Metro Sports Medicine Last Chance BQ.2 Marathon, GrandRapids

More Than Half of Boston-Qualifying Field Succeed By Michael Zuidema

GRAND RAPIDS (9/13/14) – Don Kern first ran the Boston Marathon in 1996 after winning a lottery commemorating the event’s 100th anniversary. He has returned several times since then and remains impressed by the tradition of the world’s oldest annual marathon. The number of runners who qualify for the race at his Metro Health Grand Rapids Marathon each October fills him with pride. Kern also knows, however, that many fall marathons are held too late in the year for qualifiers in them to register in time to get into a high-demand race like Boston.

a brand-new concept,” Kern said. “We expected that even though the event wasn’t full, we’d still see a high percentage of runners qualifying for Boston – and we did.” The event was the brainchild of Kern and his friends at the Fox Valley Marathon in St. Charles, Ill., Dave Sheble and Craig Bixler, who wanted to create an event geared toward the type of runner who could qualify for Boston. Kern strived to add personal touches to the sixloop Kent County Trails course, including personalized water stations and bib numbers that reminded runners of their qualifying times.

the same time. Two cities, two courses, designed to be fast and treat everyone like an elite runner.” Kern’s event drew runners from all over the map, including Ohio, Texas, Kentucky and, yes, Boston. Will Kirk of Richmond, Va., was the top overall finisher in 2:47:36. The former Christopher Newport University runner and current law student originally planned to stamp his ticket to Boston back home at the Richmond Marathon in November before realizing he didn’t have the qualifying dates correct. Instead he found an ad for the Last Chance BQ.2, booked his first trip to Michigan and wound up winning his first-ever marathon.

That’s why he decided to hold an event catered exclusively to the Boston Marathon crowd. The OAM Metro Sports Medicine Last Chance BQ.2 Marathon was held on a crisp, cool morning with only 60 participants — but 33 of them qualified for Boston.

“They scheduled the event to coincide with the last day of the early registration week, so that anyone who beat their BQ time by more than 5 minutes could still register on Saturday before general registration begins,” Kern said.

“I was scrambling to try to find a marathon in September that would qualify me,” Kirk said. “I was excited to come here. It’s a great race they’re putting on to try and get everybody to Boston.”

“At first, I thought it would fill up fast, however, it was more of a wait-and-see thing because it’s

“They called to tell me of the idea, and we decided we could hold the same event in both places at

Another first-time marathoner turned first-time winner was Rosa Haag of Mexico City, the first

Michigan Runner - November / December 2014

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Mt. Baldhead Challenge, Saugatuck-Douglas

More Than 300 ‘Step Up’ to Mt. Baldhead Challenge By Scott Sullivan

SAUGATUCK-DOUGLAS (9/6/14) — Three-time Michigan Runner of the Year and U.S. over-age-40 10,000-meter record holder Paul Aufdemberge had heard about the famous (or infamous) Mt. Baldhead Challenge course. So he drove across state from metro Detroit early Saturday morning to try it out for himself. “I haven’t experienced anything like it in my 32 years of running,” said Aufdemberge, 49, after winning the 15th annual 15K Challenge in 1 hour, 3 minutes, 11 seconds.

Was it climbing 302 steps to the top of Mt. Baldhead that tested even this very-fit runner’s quadriceps? Running down dunes thereafter? Through the wooded, secluded OxBow Art school campus? How about rambling alongside Lake Michigan? Over a boardwalk, under the Blue Star Bridge, up 14 more “baby steps,” then through a sculpture garden “wildlife section”?

Photo by Erin Wilkinson

“It was memorable. I’m inspired to get my quads into better shape before next year’s race!”

Gayle Bobo (bib 316) of Gary, Indiana, and Angela Cantor (bib 328) of Chicago, Illinois, each finished the 15K in 1:42:08.

Last Chance BQ.2 Marathon, continues: woman to finish in 3:13:32. Her husband, Paul, found the event while searching for Boston qualifiers, and Rosa was able to blow away her required time by more than 30 minutes. “I thought it was going to be more hilly,” said Rosa. “It was easy. I wasn’t sure, but I trained and did it.” Kern plans to hold the event again in 2015. Judging by the strong feedback - sample Facebook reaction: “I might be biased because I qualified for Boston, but everything with the race was perfect” — and with the number of finishers who qualified, he expects the Last Chance BQ.2 to grow. “I believe that with a high percentage of runners from our event heading to Boston, the event will be even more popular next year,” Kern said.

Aufdemberge wasn’t alone enjoying a course that showcased the USA Today’-voted “Top Weekend Escape in America.” More than 300 others signed up to tackle the 15K or 5K races, both starting and ending at Beery Field in downtown Douglas.

paced the women in 21:17.

Close to 100 volunteers helped the SaugatuckDouglas Rotary Club, in its third year as Challenge sponsor, raise funds for the Saugatuck High School Interact Club and more local charities, plus create smiles and energy for runners who came from as faraway as New York to taste what vibrant, small towns can offer.

Saturday’s sunshine and mid-60s temperatures, on the heels of Friday night storms, were not a small factor either.

Saugatuck native Melissa Moore, 29, who now lives in Kalamazoo, finished second overall and was the 15K women’s winner in 1:06:20. Saugatuck Middle School harrier Corey Gorgas finished first in the 5K in 19:15. Fennville High School junior Mary Mendoza — one of seven members of her running family to participate —

Race directors Jack Sheridan, Chris Yoder and Scott Sullivan (full disclosure: yours truly) thanked sponsors and volunteers for making the fitness celebration possible.

Planning is already underway for the Sept. 12, 2015, Mt. Baldhead Challenge. For complete results and more information, visit www.mtbaldheadchallenge.com. Event photographs may be found at http://bigshotsforkids.org/BaldhedChallenge2014. html and http://www.ewilkinson.com/Events/MiscEvents/Mt-Baldhead-Challenge. - MR -

- MR michiganrunner.net

Michigan Runner - November / December 2014

T-Rex Triathlon, Brighton Running Between the Vines, Jackson

Life’s ‘Grape’ for Running Between Vines Entrants

Henris Cleans Up At T-Rex Tri

By Tracey Cohen

By Charles Douglas McEwen

Along with winning the T-Rex Triathlon, Henris also won the Triceratops Triathlon in June and Pterodactyl Triathlon in July. All took place at the 4,000acre Island Lake Recreation Area and have the same half-mile swim, 12-mile bike and 5K run course. Henris, racing for Team ATP, became the first woman to win all three triathlons in the same year. She, however, didn’t feel as strong as she did in the first two races.

Photo by Greg Sadler / Greg Sadler Photography

BRIGHTON (8/13/14) — With her victory in the T-Rex Triathlon Kelly Henris, 25, of Saginaw captured all three races in the Running Fit T-Rex Series.

“It was a bit of struggle today,” she said. “I was coming off nationals in Milwaukee.” There, Henris finished 11th in her age group at USA Triathlon Sprint Championships. “I was still feeling that in my legs,” she said. Henris trailed Laura Crowar, 29, of Midland after the half-mile swim, then caught up to her three miles into the bike leg.

The winner took the lead for keeps at the end of the bike and expanded it during the run.

Photo by Charles Douglas McEwen

“We went back and forth,” Henris said. “She’d take off, I’d gun it past her. then she’d pass me again.”

Runners gather for the start of Running Between the Vines.

JACKSON (8/16/14) — “This day is a gift,” said Randy Step, race director of the first Running Between the Vines Half Marathon and 5K, the second in Running Fit’s inaugural Thirsty Three Event Series. The cool, crisp race conditions couldn’t have been better for close to 1,300 athletes taking on a quiet, country race course littered with motivational signage that started and finished at family-owned Sandhill Crane Vineyards. Such a crane fittingly graced the sky as the pre-half marathon national anthem sounded.

Kelly Henris won all three Running Fit triathlons.

Henris timed 1:08:09. Next came Cristina Noble, 40, of Brighton (1:09:00) and Karen Perzyk, 45, of West Bloomfield (1:10:47).

Henris, Noble and Perzyk also went 1-2-3 in the T-Rex Series. Henris had a combined time of 3:24:40, Noble 3:27:25 and Perzyk 3:33:33. Among the men, Will Jurkowski, 28, a former University of Michigan triathlon and track standout, spoiled Roman Krzyzanowski’s bid to win all three triathlons as Henris did. Krzyzanowski, 43, of Plymouth pretty much dominated the Triceratops and Pterodactyl triathlons. But Jurkowski came out of the water ahead of him, claimed the overall lead on the bike and finished in 59:03, 59 seconds ahead of 30

Audrey Spring, persuaded by her aunt to run, was glad she did. “I knew the area was beautiful and love the winery and country roads,” she said. “I train on roads like these, but that was a really hilly course.”

Krzyzanowski (1:00:02). “Roman is always awesome to race against,” said Jurkowski, who won all three races in 2013 with Krzyzanowski taking second in each. “I could not keep up with him, today,” Krzyzanowski said. “It was a tough race.” Krzyzanowski had a shot at breaking his 59:41 personal record set at this year’s Pterodactyl

Michigan Runner - November / December 2014

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Ann Anderson, who ran the 5K, agreed that the “hills were challenging and course beautiful.” She added she enjoyed the “race swag and after party” complete with wine glass, medals, music and wine tasting. Brian Mazur won the men’s half marathon in 1:23:30. Kelly Valente triumphed for the women in 1:35:21. Dan Owczarek (20:01) and Hannah Tuson (21:08) claimed the 5K. For complete results and information on the series and next year’s race, visit www.rftiming.com and runvines.com. - MR -

Triathlon, “but had issues getting my wetsuit off (after the swim),” he said. In the series, Krzyzanowski finished first with a combined time of 3:00:20. His Motor City Endurance teammate Dan Lynch, 34, of Novi was second (3:05:46) and Chris Swiecicki third (3:12:35). For complete results, go to http://runtrextri.com. - MR -

Ann Arbor Running Co. Open for Business

Tri to FInish Off-Road Triathlon, Shelby Twp.

Tilly Overcomes Lost Wheel to Win Try-Tri

By Tracey Cohen

By Charles Douglas McEwen

“I dolphin-kicked my way into the lead during the swim,” said Tilly, 24, of Dayton, Ohio. “On the second really big hill of the bike, my back wheel fell off and I slid off the bike. “The guy who came in second (David Daprato) passed me while I was fixing my wheel. Then I passed him back and expanded my lead during the run,” he said. The event consisted of a 3/4mile swim in Stony Creek Lake, 17K mountain bike on hilly trails and 5K run on a paved bike path, all in the 4,461-acre park. Tilly, a recent graduate of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, competed on that school’s swim and triathlon teams, but had never done a triathlon that involved mountain biking. “I was nervous the past two weeks,” he said. He won in 1:22:05. Daprato, 32, of Grand Rapids finished second in 1:24:46. Daprato found the bike trails easy to navigate. “It’s not real technical,” he said. “It has nice, wide trails. You can pass easily.” Top master Brett Dowdican, 43, of New Baltimore, placed third

among men in 1:34:11. The third person across the finish line was actually Mindy Fernando, 36, of Franklin, who defended her women’s title in 1:27:27. “I came out of the water first, which is unusual for me,” she said. “Swimming isn’t my strength. After that I led the rest of the way.” Fernando put in a lot of training miles this summer. “I did a 100mile bike yesterday, so I came into this race a little tired,” she said. Megan Fecteau, 29, of Utica, who was third among women last year, improved to second with her 1:41:11 clocking. “The mountain bike course has serious hills,” she said. “The swim’s great and the run’s pretty easy. So it’s the bike course that dominates the race.” The next women were Amber Headley, 32, of Pinckney (1:44:48) and masters champ Phoebe Moore, 43, of Caro (1:45:35). This race included a duathlon consisting of 5K run, 17K mountain bike and 5K run. Winners were Bob Miller of Saginaw (1:29:17) and Abby Callejas of Webberville (2:20:46). For complete results, go to www.tritofinish.com or http://raceservices.com. - MR -

SHELBY TOWNSHIP (8/10/14) — Trevor Tilley pretty much dominated the Tri to Finish OffRoad Triathlon at Stony Creek Metropark. But he did have one hiccup.

Ian Forsyth and Nick Stanko celebrate the opening of their Ann Arbor Running Company store.

fter opening its doors Aug. 4, the Ann Arbor Running Co. stepped it up Aug. 16 with a grand opening celebration complete with an out-and-back run/jog/walk, refreshments, raffle and complimentary t-shirt accompanying any shoe purchase. Co-owners Nick Stanko and Ian Forsyth, both University of Michigan alumni and part of the local running community for decades, are excited to expand “what they do” as runners, coaches and businessmen. Longtime Ann Arbor Track Club member Ken Castle stopped by the store at 2755 Oak Valley Dr., just off Ann Arbor-Saline Road, to check out the new digs. “I work just down the street,” said Castle. “It’ll be nice having a place close by, and I like supporting local businesses.” On their way home from a race in Jackson, Ann Anderson of Pinckney and Maris Laporter of Ann Arbor

michiganrunner.net

hopped off I-94, also excited to check out the “new guy in town.” “We’ve been following their progress,” said Anderson. “They have a great selection of shoes.” Brooks, Mizuno, Asics, New Balance, Saucony … the company plans to add vendors to its growing supply of merchandise while keeping the open feel of the store. “We strive to provide the highest quality service as possible,” said Stanko. “If our customers are running happy, we are happy. “We have been through it all,” he continued. “We have run great, horribly and everything in between. We know the ins and outs of running from pure experience, and that’s what we want to share with our customers.” For more information, call (734662-2400 or visit http://annarborunningcompany.com. - MR -

Michigan Runner - November / December 2014

running fit template_running fit template 10/4/14 9:27 AM Page 1

November / December 2014 Event Calendar Sat, 11/1/14 Sat, 11/1/14 Sat, 11/1/14

Agri-Fit Challenge Day of the Dead Dash ‘Dia de los Muertos’ / Day of the Dead 5K

5KR/W 5KR/W 10KR, 5KR/W, kids run

Ithaca Hudson Saginaw

Sat, 11/1/14 Sat, 11/1/14 Sat, 11/1/14

Give It Away 5K / 10K “It’s All Good” Scott Pierce Commemorative 5K Lee Honors College Scholar Scare

10KR, 5KR/W

Brighton Dearborn Kalamazoo

Sat, 11/1/14 Sat, 11/1/14 Sat, 11/1/14

Livonia Park Run 5KR Livonia Turkey Trot 5KR/W Michigan High School Cross Country L.P. State Finals 5KR

Livonia Livonia Brooklyn

(734) 642-6664 (734) 466-2410 (517) 332-5046

parkrun.us/livonia/ www.ci.livonia.mi.us mhsaa.com/sports.aspx

Sat, 11/1/14 Sat, 11/1/14 Sat, 11/1/14

Moonlight Bootlegger 5K Muddy Watters Cider Slam Muskegon Turkey Trot 5K Trail Run

5KR 4MR 5KR/W, kids run

Northville Rochester Hills Muskegon

(313) 304-0903 (248) 320-5705 (231) 894-9693

bootlegger5k.com/locations/ jeffwatters.com goracego.com

Sat, 11/1/14 Sat, 11/1/14 Sat, 11/1/14

Outrun Hunger Raising “Bucks” for COA Red Cedar Salmon Run

5KR/W, kids run 5KR/W 5KR/W

Sat, 11/1/14 Sat, 11/1/14 Sat, 11/1/14

Run of the Dead, a Race Through Southwest Detroit 10KR, 5KR Scope It Out Detroit 5K 5KR/W St. Clair River Turkey Trot 5KR

Detroit Detroit St. Clair

(313) 842-0986 (989) 430-4683 (810) 329-7186

Sat, 11/1/14 Sun, 11/2/14 Sun, 11/2/14

Tri to Finish St. Peter Turkey Trot Back to the Wild D.O. Monster Dash

10KR, 5KR/W 5KR, 2MW, 1M Kids 5KR/W

Hemlock Harrison Twp. East Lansing

andy.brady@tritofinish.com tritofinish.com (586) 783-6729 everalracemgt.com (509) 991-0492 runningfoundation.com

Sun, 11/2/14 Sun, 11/2/14 Sun, 11/2/14

d’Ear Trail 5K/ 10K Race Day of the Dead (Dia de Los Muertos) 5K Despicable Run

10KR, 5KW 5KR/W, 1MR/W, kids run 5KR/W, 1MR

Haslett Muskegon Grosse Ile

Sun, 11/2/14 Sun, 11/2/14 Sun, 11/2/14

New York City Marathon Nightmare 5K, Monster Mile, Kids Pumpkin Roll Rochester Area Optimist Club Bloomer Boogie

26.2 MR 5KR/W, 1MR/W, kids run 5MR/W, 5KR/W, 1KFR

New York City West Branch Rochester Hills

Tue, 11/4/14

Hansons Group Run - Tuesdays

Sun, 11/2/14

Tue, 11/4/14

5KR/W, 1KR

Shelby Twp. Veterans Memorial Run

5KR/W

PR Fitness Group Run

20MR, 10MR, 3MR

(989) 463-5525 (517) 448-8125 (989) 399-9925

(810) 355-8459 facebook.com/pages/GiveItAway (313) 268-6595 active.com (269) 387-3230 signmeup.com/102223

Commerce Township (248) 887-3700 outrunhunger.com Mt. Pleasant marcyhosking@isabellacounty.org isabellacounty.org/dept/coa East Lansing steph143@msu.edu runsignup.com

(517) 655-9698 (616) 240-6756 greg@everalracemgmt.com

(248) 693-9900 (248) 616-9665 (313) 815-4513

hansons-running.com hansons-running.com

(989) 790-5280 (231) 675-9734 (231) 922-5926

saginawcounty.com/parks/ umich.edu/~funrun/ iceman.com

Ann Arbor

Thu, 11/6/14

PR Fitness Group Run

6MR, 3MR

Fri, 11/7/14 Sat, 11/8/14 Sat, 11/8/14

Firefly Fun Run/Walk ASME/SWE 5K Charity Run Bell’s Beer Iceman Cometh Challenge

5KR/W 3MR/W 27MB

Saginaw Twp. Ann Arbor Kalkaska

michiganrunner.tv

www.nyrrc.org info@wbstjoseph.com active.com

hansons-running.com

Grosse Pointe Royal Oak

www.theear.org michianatiming.com everalracemgmt.com

(248) 693-9900

Shelby Twp.

Hansons Group Run - Wednesdays Hansons Group Run - Thursdays

Michigan Runner - November / December 2014

(212) 423.2249 (989) 345-0220 (248) 421-0261

savorsouthwestdetroit.org scopeitout5k.com/detroit/ scturkeytrot.weebly.com

Grosse Pointe

Wed, 11/5/14 Thu, 11/6/14

facebook.com/agrifitchallenge thompsonmuseum.org cincokrunsaginaw.com

Ann Arbor

(313) 815-4513

active.com

prfitnessa2.com

November / December 2014 Event Calendar Sat, 11/8/14 Sat, 11/8/14 Sat, 11/8/14

Churchill Family 5K Fun Run Churchillâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Half Marathon Coldwater High School NHS Turkey Trot

5KR/W, 1MFR 13.1 MR, 5KR/W, 1MR

Livonia Perrysburg, OH Coldwater

(734) 744-2650 (419) 360-3709 (517) 279-5930

chs-cap.com churchillshalfmarathon.org stevbt@ccscards.org

Sat, 11/8/14 Sat, 11/8/14 Sat, 11/8/14

Don Dansereau Memorial Scholarship 5K Fall into Fitness 5K Race Gillette Nature Association Turkey Trail Run

5KR/W 5KR/W, 1MR/W 5KR, 1MFR

Bay City Adrian Muskegon

(989) 553-6656 (517) 265-8544 (231) 798-3573

race-mrm.com runningwithes.com goracego.com

Sat, 11/8/14 Sat, 11/8/14 Sat, 11/8/14

Hideous Holiday Sweater Run Hightail It for Heroes Key of Hope 5K

5KR/W, 1MR/W 10KR/Wheel, 5KR 5KR, 1MR

Milford Shelby Twp. Linden

(248) 595-8526 (248) 475-6411

scleroderma.org/michigan essmichigan.org keyofhope.org

Sat, 11/8/14 Sat, 11/8/14 Sat, 11/8/14

Livonia Park Run Long John Run Mid-Land Half / 10K/ 5K

5KR 5KR/W 13.1MR, 10KR, 5KR

Livonia Grand Rapids Midland

(734) 642-6664 parkrun.us/livonia/ facebook.com/Long JohnRun (989) 317-5899 michiganhalfseries.com

Sat, 11/8/14 Sat, 11/8/14 Sat, 11/8/14

Mt. Brighton Hot Cocoa Classic 5KR/W, 1MR/W Mustache Dache 5KR/W, kids run NJCAA D1 Cross Country National Championship 8KR, 5KR

Brighton Detroit Lubbock, TX

(313) 757-5022 epicraces.com alia@run-detroit.com mustachedache.com (864) 587-4237 go-thunderbirds.com

Sat, 11/8/14 Sat, 11/8/14

Road Hawg Classic 10KR, 5KR/W Turkey Trot 10K, 5K, Iron Turkey (5 & 10K) 1MR

Sat, 11/8/14 Sat, 11/8/14 Sat, 11/8/14

Sun, 11/9/14

Sat, 11/8/14

Panther Fall Classic

Battle Creek (269) 969-3441 road.hawg.classic@gmail.com Dexter (734) 213-1033 a2turkeytrot.com

5KR/W

Comstock Park

(616) 785-7880

pantherfallclassic5k.weebly.com

USA Marathon Trail Championships 26.2MR USATF Michigan Association Junior Olympic XC Championships 5KR, 4KR, 3KR Veterans Honor Run 11KR, 5KR/W

Moab, UT Northville Burton

(313) 623-3029 (810) 743-0149

usatf.org michigan.usatf.org veteranshonorrun.com

Big Bird Run

Roseville

(586) 445-5480 (248_ 249-3128

roseville-mi.gov

Mattawan Maple City

(269) 342-5996 (231) 334-3061

gazellesports.com schutr@glenlake.k12.mi.u2

(248) 320-9102 (810) 287-7835 (231) 349-9980

stayintheshade.org rotpac.com icrush.org

10KR, 4KR, 1MR/W

Woldumar Nature Center Run-a-Munk

13.1M, 10K, 5K, kids run

Sun, 11/9/14

Capac Athletic Boosters Turkey Trot

5KR/W

Sun, 11/9/14 Sun, 11/9/14

Dirty Herd World Run Day Trail Run Glen Lake Turkey Trot

10KR, 5KR 5KR/W, 1MR/W

Sun, 11/9/14 Sun, 11/9/14 Sun, 11/9/14

Highland Rugged Man Hogsback Trail Run iCrush 5K

4.8MR, 2MW 5MR, 2MR 5KR/W

Highland Lapeer Big Rapids

Sun, 11/9/14 Sun, 11/9/14

Monroe Half Marathon Friendship Relay and 5K The Burg Trail Run

13.1MR, 5MR/W 10KR, 5KR/W, 1MFR

Monroe monroehalfmarathon@gmail.com Laingsburg (517) 285-6487

20MR, 10MR, 3MR

Ann Arbor

(313) 815-4513

Sun, 11/9/14

Clarkston State Bank Backroads Half Marathon and 10K

Tue, 11/11/14 Hansons Group Run - Tuesdays

Wed, 11/12/14 Hansons Group Run - Wednesdays Thu, 11/13/14 Hansons Group Run - Thursdays

Lansing

Capac

13.1MR, 10KR/W

(517) 927-8955

Clarkston

woldumarnaturecenter.wildapricot.org roadrunnertiming.co

clarkstonbackroadshalf.com

monroehalfmarathon.com www.leaf4Kids.com

Grosse Pointe (248) 693-9900

hansons-running.com

Grosse Pointe (248) 693-9900 Royal Oak (248) 616-9665

hansons-running.com hansons-running.com

Tue, 11/11/14

PR Fitness Group Run

Thu, 11/13/14 Fri, 11/14/14 Sat, 11/15/14

PR Fitness Group Run 6MR, 5MR, 4MR, 3MR NCAA Division I Cross Country Regionals - Great Lakes 10KR, 6KR Befit Festival 10K Fun Run 10KR

Ann Arbor Madison, WI Royal Oak

(313) 815-4513 prfitnessa2.com (419) 530-4925 http://ncaasports.com tralriz#comcast.net www.befitfestival.com

Sat, 11/15/14 Sat, 11/15/14 Sat, 11/15/14

Dirty Duel 6KR, 3.1MR Livonia Park Run 5KR NCAA Division III Cross Country Regionals - Great Lakes 8KR, 6KR

Grand Rapids Livonia Mason, OH

mark@miadventureracing.com dirtyduel.com (734) 642-6664 parkrun.us/livonia/ (440) 775-8525 ncaasports.com

Sat, 11/15/14 Sat, 11/15/14 Sat, 11/15/14

Rickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Run 4 Kids Schrauger Memorial 5K Turkey Trot 5K Run / Walk

5KR 5KR/W, 1MFR 5KR/W, kids run

Ann Arbor williams@a2schools.org Lake Orion (248) 505-3701 Sault Ste Marie, MI (616) 403-3071

Sun, 11/16/14 Sun, 11/16/14

Conquer the Summit Indoor Triathlon Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis

20min S/B/R 5KR/W, kids run

Canton Portage

Sun, 11/16/14 Kona Chocolate Run

10KR, 5KR/W,1MR

Plymouth

Tue, 11/18/14 Tue, 11/18/14

20MR, 10MR, 3MR 8KR/W

Ann Arbor Westland

Tue, 11/18/14 Hansons Group Run - Tuesdays

PR Fitness Group Run Wayne County Lightfest 8K Fun Run/Walk

Wed, 11/19/14 Hansons Group Run - Wednesdays Thu, 11/20/14 Hansons Group Run - Thursdays

michiganrunner.net

prfitnessa2.com

aarecedricksrun.weebly.com active.com lssulakers.com/sports/c-xc/

(734) 394-5467 bchiasson@canton-mi.org (248) 530-5024 jinglebellrunportage.kintera.org

(248) 345-6168

konachocolaterun.com

Grosse Pointe (248) 693-9900

(313) 815-4513 (734) 261-1990

hansons-running.com prfitnessa2.com parks.waynecounty.com

Grosse Pointe (248) 693-9900 hansons-running.com Royal Oak (248) 616-9665 hansons-running.com |

Michigan Runner - November / December 2014

Thu, 11/20/14 Fri, 11/21/14 Fri, 11/21/14

PR Fitness Group Run Silver Bells in the City Fun Run Yule Run, I’ll Walk 5K

6MR, 5MR, 4MR, 3MR 3MR 5KR/W

Ann Arbor Lansing Grand Rapids

Sat, 11/22/14 Sat, 11/22/14 Sat, 11/22/14

Alma Turkey Trot Blitzen the Dotte Grand Blanc Chocolate 5K

5KR/W 10KR, 5KR/W, kids run 5KR/W

Alma Wyandotte Grand Blanc

Sat, 11/22/14 Sat, 11/22/14 Sat, 11/22/14

Grand Valley Turkey Trot 5K Holiday Hoof Livonia Park Run

5KR 3.5MR, 2MW 5KR

Allendale Ferndale Livonia

Sat, 11/22/14 Sat, 11/22/14 Sat, 11/22/14

NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships 10KR, 6KR NCAA Division II Midwest Region Cross Country Championships 8KR, 6KR NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships 8KR, 6KR

Terre Haute, IN Evansville, IN Mason, OH

(812) 237-4040 (920) 582-7585

ncaasports.com ncaasports.com ncaasports.com

Sat, 11/22/14 Sat, 11/22/14

Pat Kellerman Memorial Turkey Trot WMU Turkey Trot

5KR/W 5KR/W

Bad Axe Kalamazoo

(989) 551-8273 (269) 387-3765

lkahler42@gmail.com active.com

20MR, 10MR, 3MR

Ann Arbor

Mon, 11/24/14 Grosse Pointe War Memorial Clinic, Women’s Running 101 Tue, 11/25/14 Hansons Group Run - Tuesdays

Wed, 11/26/14 Hansons Group Run - Wednesdays Tue, 11/25/14

PR Fitness Group Run

Thu, 11/27/14 Ann Arbor Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot 5KR/W

(313) 815-4513 prfitnessa2.com (517) 349-3803 silverbellsinthecity.org/events.html (616) 233-3560 yulerun5k.com (989) 620-1031 (734) 284-5560 (810) 238-5981

facebook.com/almaturkeytrot everalracemgt.com werunthistown.com

(248) 921-2433 facebook.com/GrandValleyTurkeyTrot (248) 591-7034 downtownferndale.comSat, (734) 642-6664 parkrun.us/livonia/

Grosse Pointe (313) 882-1325

hansons-running.com

Grosse Pointe (248) 693-9900

hansons-running.com

Grosse Pointe (248) 693-9900

(313) 815-4513

Ann Arbor (248) 446-1315

hansons-running.com prfitnessa2.com

goodboyevents.com

Thu, 11/27/14 Thu, 11/27/14

Chemical Bank/ Niles/Buchanan YMCA Thanksgiving Day Run 10KR, 5KR/W, 1MFR Niles Dorks Brothers Turkey Trot 5KR Alpena

(269) 683-1552 (989) 354-7314

Thu, 11/27/14 Thu, 11/27/14

Gazelle Sports Gobble Wobble Gobbler Gallop Trail Run

East Grand Rapids Saginaw

(616) 940-9888 (989) 513-5195

Thu, 11/27/14 Thu, 11/27/14 Thu, 11/27/14

Greg Wirgau’s Run for Fun 5KR/W KAR Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot Prediction Run 5KR Kiwanis Turkey Trot 5KR,1MR

Chesaning Portage Boyne City

awirgau@gmail.com (269) 929-4954 karturkeytrot.wordpress.com (231) 582-3416 boynechamber.com

Thu, 11/27/14 Thu, 11/27/14 Thu, 11/27/14

Lakeview Turkey Trot Lansing Turkey Trot Raisin Valley Turkey Trot Fun Run

5KR/W 5KR 5KR

Lakeview Lansing Adrian

(616) 824-9100 michelle_outman@yahoo.com (517) 702-0226 runningfoundation.com (517) 423-3676 active.com

Thu, 11/27/14 Thu, 11/27/14 Thu, 11/27/14

Smoke the Turkey 5K The ANTI-Turkey Trot Life Time Fitness Turkey Trail Trot - 2 day event

5KR 10MR, 10KR, 5KR/W 10KR, 4MR, 2.5MW

Sylvania, OH Shelby Twp. Shelby Twp.

(419) 841-5597 eliteendeavors.com (586) 532-1300, shelbyrunclub.weebly.com (248) 872-521 move-itfitnessllc.com/turkey-trail-trot/

Thu, 11/27/14 Thu, 11/27/14 Fri, 11/28/14

Turkey Trot for a Cause 5KR/W, kids run Up North Media’s Traverse City Turkey Trot for Charities 5MR, 5KR/W, kids run 5K Glow Run/Walk 5KR/W

Canton Traverse City Owosso

(734) 394-5360 csc.canton-mi.org (231) 645-8184 trot.evugo.com dwiddows1@aol.com runningfoundation.com

Fri, 11/28/14 Fri, 11/28/14 Sat, 11/29/14

Fantasy 5K Turkey Trail Trot - 2 day event Gobbler Gallop

5KR 4MR 4MR/W, 1MR

Howell Shelby Twp. Milford

Sat, 11/29/14 Sat, 11/29/14 Sat, 11/29/14

Livonia Park Run Run for Shelter 5K Run/Walk Toy Town Toy Trot 5K

5KR 5KR/W 5KR/W

Livonia Monroe Cadillac

(734) 642-6664 (734) 242-6866 (231) 878-6544

parkrun.us/livonia/ http://tiny.cc/2ij0mx toytowncadillac.com/

Sat, 11/29/14 Sat, 11/29/14

Turkey Trot 5K Run/Walk Ugly Christmas Sweater 5K Run/Walk

5KR/W 5KR/W

Holland Kent City

(616) 399-9086 (616) 799-0500

girlfriendsfitclub.com michianatiming.com

Tue, 12/2/14 Tue, 12/2/14

Hansons Group Run - Tuesdays PR Fitness Group Run

6-8MR

Grosse Pointe (248) 693-9900 Ann Arbor

(313) 815-4513

Thu, 12/4/14 Thu, 12/4/14 Sat, 12/6/14

PR Fitness Group Run Run Through the Lights Allegan Ugly Sweater 5K

4-7MR 5KR 5KR/W

Ann Arbor Kalamazoo Allegan

(313) 815-4513 (269) 342-5996

prfitnessa2.com gazellesports.com/RTTL alleganuglysweater.com

Sat, 12/6/14 Sat, 12/6/14 Sat, 12/6/14 Sat, 12/6/14

Almont Reindeer Run Fundraiser Belleville Jingle Bell 5K Run and 1K Kids Run ChoiceOne Bank St Nick Kick 5K/10K Run Dashing through the Snow

5KR/W 5KR/W, kids run 10KR, 5KR/W 5KR/W, 1MR/W

Almont Belleville Newaygo Fowlerville

(810) 542-0118 (734) 732-8857 (231) 652-3068 (810) 938-1315

runsignup.com vbpsef@gmail.com newaygonaturally.com fowlervillesports.com

Thu, 11/27/14 5/3 Bank Thanksgiving Turkey Trot

10KR, 5KR/W, 1MR/W

4.1MR/W, 1MFR/W 5KR/W, 1MR

Sun, 11/30/14 Hansons Group Run Thu, 12/4/14

training

Hansons Group Run - Thursdays

Michigan Runner - November / December 2014

michiganrunner.tv

Detroit

Lake Orion

(313) 247-4149

nb-ymca.org thunderbaytrails.org

detroitturkeytrot.org gazellesports.com dfbernar@stcs.org

(517) 546-3020 howellfantasy5k.com (248) 872-5215 move-itfitnessllc.com/turkey-trail-trot/ (248) 320-8167 gobblergallop.com

(248) 693-9900

hansons-running.com

Royal Oak (248) 616-9665 hansons-running.com prfitnessa2.com

November / December 2014 Event Calendar Sat, 12/6/14 Sat, 12/6/14 Sat, 12/6/14

December Chill Adventure Race 7 hr sprint: canoeing, MB, orienteering, trekkking, Detroit Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis 10KR, 5KR/W, kids run Dickens of a Run 5KR

Location TBD Detroit Mt Pleasant

Sat, 12/6/14 Sat, 12/6/14 Sat, 12/6/14

Egg Nog Jog Farmland 5K European Style XC Challenge Ionia Jingle Bell 5K

Fun Riun 5KR 5KR/W

Utica Traverse City Ionia

(248) 616-9665 (231) 631-2195 (517) 702-0226

hansons-running.com xcchallengetcruns.com runningfoundation.com

Sat, 12/6/14 Sat, 12/6/14 Sat, 12/6/14

Jingle Bell Fun Run / Walk Livonia Park Run NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships

10KR, 5KR, 2KW 5KR 10KR, 6KR

Port Huron Livonia Louisville, KY

(810) 987-6400 (734) 642-6664 (812) 237-4040

bluewaterymca.com/runs/ parkrun.us/livonia/ ncaasports.com

Sat, 12/6/14 Sat, 12/6/14 Sat, 12/6/14

Reese Winter Road Race Series Scrooge Scramble Snap Fitness Jingle Bell Fun Run

10KR, 5KR/W 5KR/W 5KR/W

Reese Lansing Ionia

(989) 529-7904 (517) 899-5211 (517) 743-1495

race-mrm.com iloveoldtown.org ionia5k.com

Sat, 12/6/14

YMCA Santa Run

(810) 232-9622

Tortoise and Hare Winter Challenge

various 2K loops

Ann Arbor

(734) 623-9640

Sun, 12/7/14

Anchor Bay Jingle Bell Run

5KR, 1MFW

New Baltimore

(586) 648-2525

flintymca.org

Tue, 12/9/14

PR Fitness Group Run

6-8MR

Ann Arbor

(313) 815-4513

prfitnessa2.com

Fri, 12/12/14 Sat, 12/13/14

Snow Dash Alma Jingle Bell 5K Run/Walk

5KR/W 5KR/W, kids run

Marshall Alma

Sat, 12/13/14 Sat, 12/13/14

Candy Cane Run Dork Brothers Ugly Christmas Sweater Run

Sat, 12/13/14 Sat, 12/13/14 Sat, 12/13/14

Jingle Belle Women’s 5K Livonia Park Run Paw Paw Santa Run

Sat, 12/13/14 Sat, 12/13/14

Ugly Sweater 5K 5KR/W USATF National Club Cross Country Championships 10KR, 6KR

Auburn Bethlehem,PA

Sat, 12/13/14 Sun, 12/14/14 Sun, 12/14/14

USATF National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships 5KR, 3KR Santa Hustle Half Marathon & 5K Cedar Point 13.1MR, 5KR Shelby Township Jingle Bell Run 5KR/W

Myrtle Beach, SC Sandusky, OH Shelby Twp.

Sat, 12/6/14

Tue, 12/9/14 Tue, 12/9/14

5KR/W, 1MW

Flint

(231) 233-4736 infiterrasports.com (248) 530-5024 jinglebellrundetroit.kintera.org (989) 772-0323 facebook.com/Mt.Pleasant.Striders

Ann Arbor Track Club Winter Mini Track Meet Hansons Group Run - Tuesdays

Thu, 12/11/14 Hansons Group Run - Thursdays

Sat, 12/13/14 Holiday Hustle

tortoiseandhare.com www.jinglebellrun.com

Ann Arbor Grosse Pointe

(734) 769-9105 aatrackclub.org/races (248) 693-9900 hansons-running.com

Royal Oak

(248) 616-9665

hansons-running.com

6MR, 3MR, 1.5 MR 5KR

Grand Rapids Alpena

(616) 240-6756 (989) 354-7314

(734) 929-9027

grandrapidsrunningclub.org thunderbaytrails.org

runholiday5k.com

5KR/W 5KR 5KR/W, 1MW

Lansing Livonia Paw Paw

(517) 321-4014 (734) 642-6664 (269) 624-4841

www.dtdl.org parkrun.us/livonia/ santarun.pawpawmi.us

5KR, 1MR

Dexter

Sat, 12/13/14 Run Like The Dickens and Tiny Tim Trot 10KR, 5KR/W, Tiny Tim Trot Holly

(269) 339-9664 (989) 463-8336

runcalhoun.org aripley@ci.alma.mi.us

(248) 328-3200 runlikethedickens.com

(989-450-5533 theauburnjaycees@gmail.com (502) 320-2264 usatf.org (843) 918-2305 usatf.org (847) 829-4536 santahustle.com/cedar-point/ (586) 484-5523 jinglebell5krun.com

Tue, 12/16/14 Hansons Group Run - Tuesdays Tue, 12/16/14

PR Fitness Group Run

6-8MR

Ann Arbor

Sat, 12/20/14 Sat, 12/20/14 Sat, 12/20/14

B A R C Christmas 5K HUFF 50K Trail Run Livonia Park Run

5KR/W 50 KR, 50K Relay, 10MR 5KR

Bay City Albion, IN Livonia

(989) 832-2267 (260) 436-4824 (734) 642-6664

Sun, 12/21/14 Sun, 12/21/14 Sun, 12/21/14

Dashing through the Snow Jingle Bell Run Whoville 5K Run & Walk

5KR/W 5KR/W 5KR/W, kids run

Saginaw Traverse City Grand Rapids

(989) 205-5838 tritofinish.com 231.941.8118 tctcjinglebellrun.com dbostian@live.com whoville5k.com

Fri, 12/26/14 Sat, 12/27/14

Harold Webster Boxing Day 10 Mile Run Livonia Park Run

10MR 5KR

Hamilton, ON Livonia

(905) 971-6040 (734) 642-6664

Thu, 12/18/14 Hansons Group Run - Thursdays

Tue, 12/23/14 Hansons Group Run - Tuesdays Sun, 12/28/14 Hansons Group Run

Tue, 12/30/14 Hansons Group Run - Tuesdays Sun, 12/28/14

Rock the Clock Run

Grosse Pointe (248) 693-9900 Royal Oak

(248) 616-9665

(313) 815-4513

Grosse Pointe (248) 693-9900

training

Lake Orion

Grosse Pointe

5MR, 5KR/W

Plymouth

Wed, 12/31/14 Fifth Third New Year’s Eve Family Fun Run/Walk 5KR/W, 1MR/W

hansons-running.com

hansons-running.com prfitnessa2.com

barc-mi.com www.huff50k.com parkrun.us/livonia/

hansons-running.com

(248) 693-9900

boxingdayrun.ca parkrun.us/livonia/

hansons-running.com

info@rocktheclock.com rocktheclockrun.com

5KR/W

Detroit

Midland

(313) 886-5560 (989) 205-3813

belleislefunrun.com

5KR 8KR, 5KR/W

Lansing Flint

(810) 659-6493

runningfoundation.com www.riverbendstriders.com

Wed, 12/31/14

Eve on the Ave 5K Run/Walk

5KR/W

Jackson

Wed, 12/31/14

Midland Resolution Run

Wed, 12/31/14 Wed, 12/31/14

New Year’s Eve 5K New Year’s Resolution Run

michiganrunner.net

(517) 945-8579

stjohnsunited.org

midlandresolutionrun.com

Michigan Runner - November / December 2014

Running with Tom Henderson By Tom Henderson

ere’s an issue I see both sides of, but, unlike my fellow runners in the geezer age groups, I can’t get worked up about it. Even though older runners have complained about it for years. The issue is the lack of equal awards in older age groups, or, worse, packing more years into the older age groups. An example of the first would be going five deep in younger age groups and three deep, or maybe even one deep, in the older groups.

Twenty years ago, a very good older age-group runner came to me after awards were given at one of the Motor City Striders races. The younger age groups had gone three deep. But Ed Kozloff had only gone one deep in her age group and she was angry. She wanted me to write about it. If three men aged 40-44 got awards and only one woman in her 55-59 age group did, wasn’t that discrimination? Maybe not. There might have been 40 entrants in men’s 40-44, which would mean that 8 percent got awards. There were exactly two women ages 55-59 in that race. Ed gave half of them awards. She had finished last in her group and thought that she should be honored. I understood it wasn’t her fault more women hadn’t entered, but I didn’t work up much energy over her not getting something for finishing last. There’s a runner in his 70s I see at all the upnorth races. He’s something of a legend in the Traverse City-Bellaire-Petoskey area, a true bulldog, a lover of running and racing I’ve long admired. His wife approached me after a Labor Day trail run. She wanted my help in a campaign to end agegroup discrimination. Local older runners had taken up the cause. They’d showed up at the Frankfort Port City runs this summer to tell the race director they would not enter his event because of a lack of equitable awards. I run races nearly every weekend. Often I am the only one in my 65=69 age group. Sometimes I get screwed by having to compete in 50 and over groupings and have no chance for an award. But I don’t race for awards these days. I’m much more concerned about taking 28 or 29 minutes to get through a 5K these days than I am about not being rewarded for it. Back when I was training 60 miles a week and doing two track and two fartlek sessions each week, getting an award was a reward for having worked so hard to get into the top 8 or 10 percent. It was not a 36

An example of the latter would be races that have five-year age awards for the younger groups, then go to 60-69 and 70-79, or, more egregiously, do something like 55 and over or 60 and over.

Jeff Crumbaugh’s events bring runners to scenic trails, including this one, the Grand Island Trail Marathon. reward, as it is most of the time these days, for just showing up.

Motel on the beach in what I think is the prettiest harbor town in Michigan. The plan was to stay a few days there, then head to the Porcupine Mountains.

“R

emember when we were sitting in the back of a pick-up truck and I said I was going to put on some trail races?” Jeff Crumbaugh asked at registration in August in the aptly-named town of Paradise for his glorious Tahqua trail runs in the Upper Peninsula. Both the 25K and 10K finish at the Upper Tahquamenon Falls, with the 10K just an incredibly tough, incredibly beautiful single-track that starts at the Lower Falls. I do remember sitting in the truck with Jeff. Hard to believe how fast the time goes. It was July 4, 1999, and we were heading out from the village of Eagle Harbor at the tip of the Keewenaw Peninsula almost to U.S. 41, where we would be dropped off at a boulder known as the Popeye Rock for a 10K run back into town. A few days earlier, Kathleen and I had rolled into Eagle Harbor. We had a reservation at the Shoreline

Michigan Runner - November / December 2014

michiganrunner.tv

At the Eagle Harbor general store, our plans changed. There was a flyer in the window advertising the Fourth of July runs, a 5K and 10K, no entry fee required. My wife and I were both race junkies. No way we were leaving town as planned. I called the motel where we were supposed to stay just outside the Porkies, told them we had car trouble and needed to cancel our reservations. By way of consolation, the manager said he would refund our down payment. White lie — OK, plain old lie — accomplished. The Popeye runs were a blast. We were told to show up in front of the volunteer fire station in town about an hour before the start of the race. After runners had gathered, the director asked for a show of hands. How many were doing the 5K? How many the 10K? Then he asked local residents who had volun-

teered their vehicles to drive us to the starting lines. I ended up sitting in the back of a pickup next to Jeff, whom I didn’t know. He told me he had come to the U.P. from Ann Arbor and was teaching in Hancock. He was planning, he said, to put on a three-day festival the next summer on his favorite trails in the Keewenaw. One of the races, in fact, would be in Eagle Harbor, a hill climb to the top of Mt. Baldy from a starting point on the beach. Sounds good, I said, already mentally making plans to be there. Jeff won the 10K, which had maybe 25 runners, and I finished second. I was 10 days shy of turning 51 and it was the last time I broke 39 minutes in a 10K. My wife reminds me it was a downhill course. Indeed, better than flat and fast, and I’m still proud I ran in the 38s at an advanced age. The Trail Festival became an annual summer highlight, so tough and unrelenting that I always repressed the pain and suffering and just remembered the views. Saturday morning began with a tough 10K in McLain State Park; that night was the 3.8-mile hill climb to the top of Mt. Baldy, which required a 3.8mile cool down to get back into town; Sunday morning was a 25K of unrelenting ups, downs and views that alternated between deep forests and pastures filled with wildflowers. I was selling stories once in a while to Runner’s World magazine then. One was a profile of American miler and Eastern Michigan University All-American

Paul McMullen. Another was a first-person account of spending my winters running in the southern highlands of Guatemala, on mountain roads along Lake Atitlan through a series of Mayan villages.

“How are they getting us back?” one woman asked me.

In 2002 I ran into Runner’s World editor Amby Burfoot in Traverse City. He was in town to promote a book and speak at the kickoff of a Bayshore Marathon training program. I told him he needed to come back to Michigan in July and run the Trail Festival. You won’t believe how cool and tough it is, I told him.

“Yeah, back to the start? How are we getting there?”

His summer was already booked, he said. Hey, why don’t you do feature on the race? Fantastic. I ran the races that summer. Or, rather, survived them. Carter Sherline shot them. And Runner’s World gave the festival a big spread in its July 2003 issue. The next spring, I called to get my usual reservations at the Shoreline. They’d been booked, alas, since my story ran. I spent hours on the phone calling every motel I could find. They were all booked. Finally I got what must have been the last room in the U.P. Over the 2004 race weekend, trail addicts from around North America wandered the Keweenaw, my article in the their hands as they hit the cool spots and great restaurants I recommended. The highlight for me that year was finishing the last impossibly long, steep uphill to the top of Mt. Baldy and catching my breath as the out-of-state visitors stared in awe at Lake Superior, Isle Royale visible at the top of the horizon.

MRSub0311_Sixth Vertical 2/6/11 9:52 PM Page 1

“Back?”

Well, since we’d come up on a single track, clearly there weren’t any buses coming for us. So, fast forward, and there Jeff and I were greeting each other warmly. Over the years, Jeff, now a schoolteacher in Wisconsin, has expanded far beyond his original idea of a weekend of races in the Keewenaw. He puts on snowshoe races in Wisconsin and the U.P., and his summer schedule has grown to include the Grand Island trail marathon and half-marathon in Munising, the Tahqua runs, the Waugoshance marathon and half marathon in the northern Lower Peninsula, and a 5K, half-marathon and marathon in the Porcupines. The Porkies event has been held for two years. I planned to do it this year but Kathleen had knee-replacement surgery two weeks before the races and it seemed just a bit self-indulgent to leave her prone at home while I went off to the U.P. for a race. Next year. - MR -

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Michigan Runner - November / December 2014

Run for the Hills, Farmington Hills

Kiprotiuch Nips Kiptoo, Cops Run for Hills

By Charles Douglas McEwen

Runners head up a hill at the start of the Run for the Hills in Farmington Hills. FARMINGTON HILLS (8/16/14) — After finishing runner-up to training partner Julius Kiptoo last year, Geoffrey Kiprotich turned the tables to capture the Run for the Hills 10K at Shiawassee Park. The race benefits Special Olympics-Michigan. Kiprotich, 35, and Kiptoo, 36, battled for about six miles of the 6.2-mile distance. “We ran together,” Kiprotich said. “I tried to pick it up (at the end).” As they sprinted down the final hill and entered the park, Kiprotich broke the race open.

“ It was tough with the hills,” said Kiptoo. “And I was tired. I knew he was trying to go at the end. But at that point I didn’t mind.”

Aaron Vickers races a bandit duck. 38

Kiprotich finished in 31:32, Kiptoo 31:39. The two Kenyans, who now live in Toledo, Ohio, used the race as an hors d’oeuvre to prepare for the Crim 10-Mile Aug. 23. “In Toledo, we don’t have hills,” Kiptoo said. Jason Bruscha of Ster-

ling Heights finished third in 33:43. Next was Andrew Porinsky of Dexter in 33:53. Eric Green, 46, of Pontiac continued his winning streak among masters runners. He has finished first among men over 40 here every year since the race began in 2010. (Green was also the overall champ in 2010.) He just missed his 2011 masters course record of 34:05, timing 34:09 this year. For the women, Denisa Costescu, 38, of Commerce won her first race in more than a year after being sidelined with an ankle injury. “I just started running again three months ago” she said. “I slowed down a little during the second half of the race. But I’m happy I can run with no pain.” Costescu, who finished in 38:02, was followed by Emily Barrish of Farmington Hills (40:56), Jill Peterson of Royal Oak (42:08) and Alissa Lurie of Ann Arbor (42:33). Mary Dorazio, 46, of Whitmore Lake was fifth overall and the top masters woman (42:39). Costescu’s husband Ovidiu Olteanu, who recently celebrated his 44th birthday, ran away with the men’s 5K, posting the fastest masters 5K in race history with a 16:43. “It’s a beautiful race,” Olteanu said. “Lots of turns, ups and downs. It’s a scenic course. Great weather. It’s a pleasure to be here.”

Michigan Runner - November / December 2014

michiganrunner.tv

Olteanu, who like his wife is originally from Romania, led the race from the gun. “I kind of ran by myself, setting a fast pace,” he said. “But I didn’t push it extremely. So I think I did a great workout today.” Rod Corby, 37, of Rochester finished second in 17:09. Kerry Barnett, 54, of Keego Harbor placed third in 17:40. With Olteanu receiving the overall prize, Barnett was named the male masters champ. For the 5K women, Wyandotte Roosevelt High School sophomore Robyn Loselle, 15, achieved her first victory in a road race, timing 19:23. “It’s OK, not my best time,” she said. Loselle’s PR is 18:52. Next came Amy Corby, 38, of Rochester (20:19) and Charlotte Beaudoin of Northville (22:16). Donna Olson, 64, of Southgate won the women’s masters title in 22:58. The 5K runners-up, Rod and Amy Corby. are a married couple. “There’s always room for improvement, but we did well,” Rod said. Ed Anderson served as race director. “You have no idea how much passion and energy he spends to put this race on,” said Olteanu of Anderson. For complete race results, go to http://farmingtonrunforthehills.com. - MR -