MICHIGAN RUNNING NEWS

November 6, 2002

MAC MEN'S X-C CHAMPIONSHIPS UNDER PROTEST
Michigan Runner senior photographer Carter Sherline reports that commotion reigned at the conclusion of the Mid American Conference Cross Country Championships in Miami, Ohio last Saturday. Eastern Michigan's Boaz Cheboywo was in the lead until he and a couple of other runners passed the lead vehicle. A course marshall pointed 2001 NCAA X-C champion Cheboywo in the wrong direction. Cheboywo ran an extra kilometer and placed sixteenth in the final standings with a time of 24:59:90. Central Michigan University won the Mac Championship by one point over Eastern Michigan and Cheboywo's teammate, Gavin Thompson, won the individual title with a course record 23:50:20. Eastern Michigan, ranked #7 nationally, is protesting the race. Central Michigan is ranked #9. In the women's race which followed, the University of Toledo's Briana Shook ran 17:03:6 to defend her individual title and to lead her team to back-to-back team titles.

ROSEVILLE BIG BIRD, NOVEMBER 10, 2002
Before feasting on the big bird, how about racing one? This 24th annual event features flat, fast courses for 10K and 4K runs, plus a 1-mile run/walk - a nice chance for an end-of-the-year PR. Races begin at 10 a.m. at the Roseville Recreation Center, 18185 Sycamore. Super Big Bird shirts to the first 750 registered runners. Call (586) 445-5480. -- Charles D. McEwen

"MICHIGAN DREAMERS"-HANSONS OLYMPIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM GETS INK
Hansons Olympic Development Team is featured in the December 2002 issue of "Runner's World". Marc Bloom interviews coaches Keith and Kevin Hanson as well as team members Clint Verran, Brian Sell, Joe Gibson, Richie Brinker, Jeff Campbell and Jason Hubbard.

MICHIGAN WOMEN WIN BIG TEN CROSS COUNTRY TITLE
The University of Michigan women's cross country team won a surprise Big Ten title at Purdue's Varsity Cross Country course last Sunday. The Wolverine women were ranked 24th among Division I teams coming into the meet. Michigan State's Michelle Carson (17:24.0) and Jamie Krzyminski (17:34.8) finished 1-2, but Michigan's depth made the three point difference in the victory over the Spartans. Michigan's Rebecca Walter (17:47.8) finished 5th and was the first freshman to cross the finish line. Wisconsin's men won their fifth consecutive title.

THE BURG RUN, LAINGSBURG, NOVEMBER 17, 2002
The third annual Burg Run offers a 10K run and a 5K run/walk, both starting at 2 p.m. A 1-mile Hike-4-Health is at 1 p.m. All start and finish at Laingsburg High School, 8008 Woodbury. Kids 12 and under are eligible to win one of two bikes. Proceeds benefit the Laingsburg Education Advancement Foundation (LEAF). Call Chris Lantis at 517.651.5091, ext. 257, or print the entry form at http://www.playmakers.com/races02/burgrun111702.pdf. -- Charles D. McEwen

COMRADES MARATHON EXTENDS TIME LIMIT TO 12 HOURS
The Comrades Marathon in South Africa has earned its fame not only with is age (77 in 2003) and its distance (54 miles/89 kilometers), but also with the nature of its no-mercy 11 hour time limit. If you finished Comrades within that 11 hours, your time was recorded, you received the bronze medal, and you earned the pride of finishing one of the world's most famous races. If you were short of the finish line at 11 hours, a gate closed your access to that line. No time, no medal, no finish, no nothing. Only once since 1928, to celebrate both the 75th event and the year 2000, has Comrades extended the deadline.

David Monti's Race Results Weekly notified us that the venerable race has not only extended the time limit to 12 hours for the June 16, 2003 event, but also has changed its attitude. Race official Peter Proctor explained: "Our main consideration was that of accessibility, a simple desire to encourage and enable as many people as possible to participate in the sport of road running and in particular, one of South Africa's greatest sporting events. To most people the personal challenge is to complete the distance, and the finishing time is of secondary importance."

Finishers between 11 and 12 hours will get a medal different from the traditional bronze one, though.

OLYMPIC MARATHON TEAM TRIALS - MICHIGAN QUALIFIERS
The Olympic Marathon Team Trials are still more than a year out, but it's time for us to track Michigan qualifiers. The men's race will be held in Birmingham, Alabama February 7, 2004 and the women's race will be in St. Louis, April 4, 2004. Qualifiers will be able to practice on their respective courses since the 2003 USATF marathon championships will be held on the Birmingham (February 9, 2003) and St. Louis (April 9, 2003) courses.

To qualify, women must run 2:40:00 (A standard) or 2:48:00 (B standard). Men must run 2:20:00 (A standard) or 2:22:00 (B standard)

Women
Anne Flynn 2:44:58 B Chicago

Men
Kyle Baker 2:14:13 A Chicago
Clint Verran 2:14:17 A Chicago
Carl Rundell 2:20:05 B Chicago

Other qualifiers with Michigan ties:
Ryan Shay 2:14: 39 A Chicago (now lives in California)
Jim Jurcevich 2:16:18 A Chicago (now lives in Ohio)
Chris Wehrman 2:19:03 A Boston (now lives in Illinois)
Lori Stich Zimmerman 2:43: 00 B Austin (now lives in Texas)
Cindy Keeler 2:46: 32 B Moline (now lives in Florida)

NOVEMBER EVENT CALENDAR

Thursday, November 7
. Hansons Group Run, 6:30 pm, Royal Oak, http://hansons-running.com

Saturday, November 9
. Hoffmaster Trail Run, 10KR, 10:00 am, Norton Shores, [email protected]
. Run to Freedom, 9:00 am, Detroit, [email protected]
. USATF Michigan Association Cross Country Championships, 10:00 am, Belle Isle, Detroit, 313.934.0126

Sunday, November 10
. A Souper Run - Dash for the Daily Bread, 10KR, 5KR, 1MW, 9:00 am, Adrian, [email protected]
. Cold Turkey Trot, 3MR/W, 1:00 pm, East Lansing, http://www.alam.org
. Roseville Big Bird, 10KR, 1M, 4K, 10:00 am, Roseville, 810.445.5480

Thursday, November 14
. Hansons Group Run, 6:30 pm, Royal Oak, http://hansons-running.com

Saturday, November 16
. Hanson's Run for Scouting, 10KR, 5KR/W, 1KR/W, 10:00 am, Stony Creek Metropark, http://hansons-running.com
. Michigan RRCA Cross Country Championships, 2-5KR, 9:00 am, Detroit, 313.610.1188

Sunday, November 17
. The Burg Run, 10KR, 5KR, 1MFR,1:00 pm, Laingsburg, http://www.playmakers.com/races02/burgrun111702.pdf . Ann Arbor Turkey Trot, 5KR/W, Kid's Run, 9:00 am, Hudson Mills Metro Park, http://www.signmeup.com/15698

Tuesday, November 19
. Wayne County Lightfest 8K, 7:00 pm, Westland, 734.261.1990

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