Jan 19, 2007 Doug Kurtis Column: Michigan Runner of the Year 2006 By Doug Kurtis :: Views- 1825
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And the winners are: Laurie Decker, Robin Sarris-Hallop, Tracey Lokken, Dot McMahon, Andy Muchow, Tim Emmett and Jeff Gaft. These are your Michigan Runners of the year.

Laurie Decker earned overall runner of the year. She previously won in 2002 and '04. In between, she picked up two female master's runner of the year plaques. Recently Decker finished 12 th in the nation at the National Cross Country Championships in San Francisco, competing for the Front Line Racing Team. She has never had a serious injury, attributing it to training 90% of the time on ski trails near her home in Cadillac. That's tremendously consistent success for an athlete that began her Michigan Runner reign at age 41.

Included on the cover of this month's Michigan Runner Magazine is Decker's mentor and close friend Robin Sarris-Hallop. She had an impressive string of races inspired by her husband Peter Hallop (a former MR of the year) and Detroit's Jackie Blair who chased Robin in the standings for the Senior (over 50) honors throughout 2006.

At age 51, Sarris-Hallop of Ann Arbor runs virtually seven days a week and continues to compete at a high level. It ameliorates some of the stress of long hours as Director of Fiscal and Human Resources at U of Michigan's College of Literature, Science and Arts.

Michigan's male runner of the year went to Tracey Lokken of Marquette. Despite a midsummer injury, Lokken came back to win the Pictures Rocks Run for Shelter in Munising. He then solidified his overall accolades by defeating former MR of the year Paul Aufdemberge for the Free Press Marathon master's title. Quite a feat for someone who took eight years off from running after graduating from Northern Michigan University.

Thanks to the Hanson-Brooks Distance Project, Dot McMahan left the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee as an all conference runner to live and compete in Michigan. The decision enabled her to set Personal records in every distance over 10km. Along with a victory at Northville's Solstice Run, McMahon was the first Michigan woman to cross the line at the Crim 10 miler with a PR of 59:20. Her tenacity at other Michigan races earned McMahon the title of Female Runner of the Year.

West Bloomfield's Andy Muchow won four of seven master's titles in the Michigan Runner race series. As Master Runner of the year he uses running as a getaway from work as a radiologist at Troy Beaumont Hospital. His best times this year included a 35:45 at the Mackinac Island Lilac 10km (1 st overall) and a 2:47 at the Free Press Marathon.

Tim Emmett of Royal Oak has been a fixture in local races since 1979. At 51, Emmett will now be honored for so many great performances. He scored points in six of the ten qualifying races, including Traverse City's Bay Shore 10km and Muskegon Chronicle Seaway 15km. He credits his fiancée and fellow runner Kathy Maliszewski, his boss at Redford's Advance Engineering for their encouragement, and the beer at all the post race parties for his success.

Jeff Gaft, manager of Traverse City's Running Fit isn't someone who wants to be in the limelight. He would much prefer to credit his fellow employees for their support of the Frozen Foot Race, the Big Foot snowshoe races and TC's Turkey Trot. Michigan's contributor of the year has also run 75 ultra marathons and as many marathons. Local runners can thank him for coming up with the idea for Michigan's Trail Marathon on the Potowatomi Trail.

Michigan Runner Magazine has recognized the state's top runners since 1980 . The honors expanded to include master and senior runners as well as contributor of the year. Awards are based on based on ten events including the Fifth Third Bank River Run 25km and Detroit Free Press Flagstar Bank Marathon.

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