May 10, 2007 Doug Kurtis Column: Fifth Third River Bank Run By Doug Kurtis :: Views- 1749
Contact Doug Comments

This Saturday, The Fifth Third Bank River Bank Run in Grand Rapids is celebrating 30 years of hosting one of America’s finest 25km races. If you haven’t run this race you’ve missed out on one of Michigan’s greatest running treasures.
Frank Cashman, of the Grand Rapids Track Club came up with the race idea at a club meeting. He approached the Old Kent Bank and the event was born. According to its historian Al Owens, “The event was sparked by Frank Shorter and Bill Rodgers, catalysts for the running boom. The first year we had committee members from the GRTC and Downtown YMCA. We chose a 25 km because it was a unique distance, not a 26 miler and not a 10 km (which was the popular distance in the 70’s).”

Marty Allen, the race’s first co-director acknowledged that, “ the city was going through a renaissance at the time and the chairman of the bank wanted to bring people downtown to show off the many new buildings that had been constructed. It took almost three years to develop a finish line.” The race originally finished underneath Alexander Calder’s La Grande Vitesse sculpture. The name means “the great swiftness or Grand Rapids” and run’s first winners received a replica of the art work as their trophy.

This year the race web site www.53riverbankrun.com profiles the 19 men and 2 women that have run the past 29 River Bank Runs. As an example, Don Rutherford, 61 of Grand Rapids said this about his most memorable 5/3 race, “I met my wife, Liz, after the 1983 run and ran quite a few races with her. We wore "Hershey Kisses" hats after our honeymoon so we could keep track of each other and it reflected the hot sunlight.

Over 100,000 athletes have shared the road along the Grand River. For an event that started with just 1,000 in 1978, its organizers have said that the event has gone way beyond their expectations. They have held onto the passion necessary to instill excitement and a strong commitment from its community and sponsors year after year. Two major keys to the event have been the expertise of race director Kristen Aidef and the many long time volunteer staff members.

This past year the 5/3 River Bank Run became the first event to be inducted into the Grand Rapids Hall of Fame housed in the Gerald R. Ford Museum.
Michigan's premier and age group stars have started side by side some of the nation’s best athletes and a number of outstanding foreigners too. Many great champions graced the run. Bill Rodgers and Diane Culp were the inaugural winners.
Many other athletes who were well known in running circles followed them. Names like Herb Lindsay, Keith Brantly, Mark Plaatjes, Jerry Lawson and John Kagwe. Three-time winner Joseph Kariuki set the world record for the 15.5 mile run on this course.
The women's winners have featured some big name stars. Olympic gold medalist, Joan Benoit won the event four times and set the American record here. Olga Appel and Svenlana Azkharova were multiple winners.
Ernst Van Dyke set a world record for wheelchair competitors.
Two Michigan runners stand out above the crowd at the River Bank Run. The race’s own ambassador Greg Meyer, who was the last American male to win the Boston Marathon, won the event seven times. He now is the official coach and in-training coordinator. Diane Brewer dominated the race in the late 80's.
Close to 12,000 runners from 40 states, Canada, Kenya, Mexico, Russia and South Africa competed in the 2006 events. Included is a community 5km walk/run. 2,500 staff and volunteers coordinate activities. Over 26,000 spectators are estimated to line event courses and congregate downtown.
Race coverage is provided by CBS, NBC, ABC and FOX television network affiliates for live news programming. Live radio broadcasts begin at 7 am on News Radio Wood Radio 1300 and will also be available later in the day on River Bank Run Replay and podcast.
The 25 km is the largest race of its kind in America and for many years it has been the named the USATF National Championships with a prize purse of $21,000. More than $60,000 of additional money is available to other divisions of the event.
If you’re coming into town on Friday night plan to arrive early enough to listen to Rodgers, Meyer, Kim Jones and last year’s winner, Fernando Cabada give an historical account of the race. They will be in the Gillett Auditorium in the Fifth Third Bank Main Office (corner of Lyon and Monroe) at 7 pm. Admission is free.
Also on Friday: The Sports & Fitness Expo held in conjunction with packet pick-up/late registration at DeVos Place (just north of the Amway Grand Hotel) will feature: More than 100 vendors, food samples, discounted apparel and prize drawings. Elite athlete introduction is set for 5 pm, followed by a fashion show on the main stage.
New this year: A podcast link is now available at http://www.53riverbankrun.com/07eventinformation/podcasts.php. Greg Meyer and Jon Matlock share moments from 30 Years.
Race starting times are: 7:50 am - 25K Wheelchairs; 7:55 - Hand Cyclists; 8:00 - 25K Run; 8:10 -
5K Run; 8:15 - 5K Community Walk.

YEAR	MALES		TIME		FEMALES		TIME
1978	Bill Rodgers	1:17:24		Diane Culp		1:42:09
1979	Greg Meyer	1:14:29		Cheryl Flanagan		1:36:39
1980	Greg Meyer	1:16:21		Karen Blackford		1:38:04
1981	Herb Lindsey	1:14:08		Joan Benoit		1:26:20
1982	Greg Meyer	1:14:59		Joan Benoit		1:26:30
1983	Greg Meyer	1:16:48		Jeanne Lasse-Johnson	1:31:07
1984	Doug Kurtis	1:17:56		Diane Bussa (Brewer)	1:32:18
1985	Greg Meyer	1:16:57		Joan Benoit		1:27:25
1986	Greg Meyer	1:16:38		Joan Benoit-Samuelson	1:24:43*
1987	Greg Meyer	1:16:12		Diane Brewer		1:28:17
1988	Mark Smith	1:15:56		Diane Brewer		1:28:39
1989	Brian Sheriff	1:16:34		Diane Brewer		1:25:34
1990	Brian Sheriff	1:15:26		Diane Brewer		1:27:02
1991	Mark Plaatjes	1:15:31		Marcia Narloch		1:28:29
1992	Bill Reifsneyder	1:14:47		Olga Appel		1:26:47
1993	Jerry Lawson	1:16:06		Olga Appel		1:27:27
1994	Simon Karori	1:14:59		Olga Appel		1:25:26
1995	Keith Brantly	1:15:20		Elaine Van Blunk		1:27:14
1996	Alfredo Viqueras	1:15:21		Jane Welzel		1:29:47
1997	John Kagwe	1:15:21		Kim Jones		1:26:54
1998	Joseph Kariuki	1:13:55**	Margaret Kagiri		1:28:46
1999	Joseph Kariuki	1:14:09		Teresa Wanjiku		1:26:51
2000	Joseph Kariuki	1:16:26		Svetlana Zakharova	1:27:35
2001	John Kagwe	1:14:07		Svetlana Zakharova	1:24:39
2002	Ronald Mogaka	1:13:56		Teresa Wanjiku		1:26:57
2003	Dan Browne	1:16:13		Albina Ivanova		1:27:28
2004	Simon Wangai	1:15:15		Alevtina Ivanova		1:26:38
2005	Simon Wangai	1:13:27		Colleen DeReuck		1:25:15
2006	Fernando Cabada1:14:20		Viktoriya Klimina		1:27:46

*American Record		**Former World Record

---

Doug Kurtis can be reached by clicking here!

---