MICHIGAN RUNNING NEWS

December 4, 2002

NCAA DIVISION I CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS ON MICHIGAN RUNNER TV
"There is nothing more beautiful in all of sport than the start of a mass cross country race," said the announcer at the start of the NCAA Division I Championships last week in Terre Haute, Indiana. Michigan Runner TV's cameras were there to capture that start and the rest of the action at the 2002 Division I cross country season finale. http://michiganrunner.tv.

AMBER SMITH, NIKKI BOHNSACK HEADED TO FOOTLOCKER NATIONALS
Ishpeming's Amber Smith was one second away from the title Saturday at the Footlocker Midwest Regional High School Cross Country meet held at the University of Wisconsin, Parkside in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The Upper Peninsula junior finished second in 18:10, just behind Megan Kaltenbach of Colorado (18:09). Rockford's Nikki Bohnsack's also earned her second trip to Footlocker Nationals with a 7th place finish. Footlocker Nationals will be in San Diego December. Three time Division III cross country champion, Nicole Bush of Wyoming finished a heartbreaking 9th; only the top eight finishers go to the Footlocker national meet.

CRIM KIDS FEATURED IN USA TRACK & FIELD "ON THE ROADS"
USA Track & Field's Fall 2002 issue of "On the Roads" features various Crim Festival of Races kids programs as a model of successful youth running programs. The article mentions the "Neighborhood Running Clubs", Crim Kid's Scholarships, The "Crim Feelin' Good Mileage Club, the Crim Kids' Classic and, of course, the "Crim Teddy Bear Trot." Crim Race Director Sherlyn Everly and Crim Youth Development Director Marti Austin will present a program on the successful Crim youth programs at Running USA's annual meeting at the hp Houston Marathon, January 17-19, 2003.

MICHIGAN BEHIND THE SCENES AT NCAA CROSS COUNTRY IN TERRE HAUTE
Michigan license plates graced the parking lots at Indiana State University's cross country course at the NCAA Division I championships last week. John and Anne Gault of Gault Race Management were timing the races this year and Bill Fries and Dan Wytko who put on the Portage Invitational were part of the Gault timing team. Several folks from the North Kent Running Club came down to cheer on Rockford HS alums Emily Blakeslee (Northwestern), Kalin Toedebusch (Villanova), Linsey Blaisdell (Wisconsin) and All-American Jason Hartmann (Oregon). We also had a chance to talk to Notre Dame's top runner, Tim Moore and Colorado's Dathan Ritzenhein, who is red-shirting this year because of an injury. Ritz, who spent the season cross-training, was happy about resuming his running and was also happy about his team-mate Jorge Torres' individual championship.

IT'S JINGLE BELL SEASON

For those of us who love running in the winter, the Jingle Bell and holiday races in December are an excuse to go outside and play in the snow. Don't forget to tie bells on your shoes.

Thursday, December 5
. Kalamazoo Run Through the Lights Fun Run, 2.5-3MR, 6:30 pm, Gazelle Sports, 269-342-5996

Saturday, December 7
. Christmas Stocking 4 Mile Run and Walk, 10:00 am, Flushing, 810.659.6493, http://gaultracemanagement.com
. Reese Winter Road Race Series, 5KR/W, 10KR, 10:00 am, 989.693.6558
. Dickens Run, Mt. Pleasant, 5KR/W, FR, 8:30 am, 989.779.6000

Sunday, December 8
. Jingle Bell Run for Arthritis, 5KR/W, Birmingham, 9:00 am, http://www.arthritis.org/events/getinvolved/JingleBell_listings.asp
. Jingle Bell Run for Arthritis - Ann Arbor, 5KR, 5KW, 10:00 am, www.aatrackclub.org
. Frostbite Team Marathon, Holland, Alan Martens, 616.392.2282, http://gazellesports.com

Monday, December 9
. Jingle Bell Run, 5KR/W, 1MW, New Baltimore, 4:00 pm, 810.949.4510

Saturday, December 14
. Lifetime Fitness Reindeer Run, Troy, 8:30 am, http://reindeerrun.com/
. Holiday 5K Run Walk, Bay City, 10:00 am, 989.983.1093

Sunday, December 15
. Jingle Bell Run, 5KR/W, Northville, 9:00 am, http://www.arthritis.org/events/getinvolved/JingleBell_listings.asp

Tuesday, December 17
. Grosse Pointe 6 Mile Christmas Lights Run, 313.882.1325
. Downtown Runners 11th Annual Christmas Lights Run, Detroit, 5:45 pm, 313.965.2770

Saturday, December 21
. Calvin College Candy Cane Run, Grand Rapids, 10:00 am, 1.5, 3, 6 MR, [email protected]

Sunday, December 22
. Jingle Bell Run, Traverse City, 5KR, http://www.tctrackclub.com/

ADDITIONAL EVENTS

Thursday, December 5
. Hansons Group Run, 6:30 pm, Royal Oak, 248.616.9665, http://hansons-running.com

Friday, December 6 - Saturday, December 7
. AAU Cross Country Championships, Ames Iowa, www.aausports.org

Saturday, December 7
. KY 50 miler and 50 mile relay, Louisville, Kentucky, cherokeeroadrunners.org

Thursday, December 12
. Hansons Group Run, 6:30 pm, Royal Oak, http://hansons-running.com

Sunday, December 15
. Crazy Runs, Ann Arbor, 5KR/W, 9:00 am, http://www.geocities.com/aatccrazyruns/

Thursday, December 19
. Hansons Group Run, 6:30 pm, Royal Oak, http://hansons-running.com

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