MICHIGAN RUNNING NEWS

December 11, 2002

PAULA RADCLIFFE IS BBC SPORTS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
British television viewers recognized Paula Radcliffe's fantastic year on the roads, trails and track and voted her British Sports Personality of the Year. Her world record at the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon capped a year in which she won the World Cross Country title, won her marathon debut in London, won the 5,000 at the Commonwealth Games and won the 10,000 at the European championships.

We had to chuckle at Paula's comment in an article she wrote for the Telegraph: "Running and competing is my life - it's what I enjoy more than anything. Events like the Sports Personality of the Year are exciting but they are also a bit unreal. I don't want to do that all the time. For one thing, getting ready takes up a lot of the day and I'm not sure about all the messing around with make-up and hair."

Actually, she's pretty successful at the make-up and hair thing, too. Check out the glamorous Paula on the BBC site http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/sport/newsid_2557000/2557335.stm or the Pakistan Daily Times site: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_10-12-2002_pg2_14.

SMITH OR BOHNSACK COULD EXTEND MICHIGAN STREAK AT FOOTLOCKER, SATURDAY
The 24th annual Footlocker Cross Country Championships return to San Diego's Balboa Park this Saturday. The top 64 high school runners will compete for the national title. Two Michigan contenders have a chance to extend the Michigan streak of three individual titles in three years: Dathan Ritzenhein, 1999 & 2000, Tim Moore, 2001. This year, Amber Smith of Ishpeming and Nikki Bohnsack of Rockford are both juniors and both competed at Footlocker as sophomores. Incidently, Ritz is only one of five two-time championships in the event's history.

NATE BRANNAN, KEVIN SULLIVAN TOP CANADIAN RANKINGS FOR 2002
"Athletics Canada" ranks University of Michigan sophomore Nate Brannen as Canada's best 800 meter runner for 2002. Brannen's 1:46:00 at the NCAA, Division I outdoor championships in May topped the Canadian list. He also had the four best times for that event. Miler Kevin Sullivan is the top 1500 and mile runner with a 3:34:99 in Rieta, Italy on September 9. Ann Arbor resident Sullivan holds the Canadian records for both the 1500 and the mile.

USATF FALL CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS, SATURDAY, IN CALIFORNIA
USA Track & Field asks "Where are the countries best runners? Boston, Indiana, California, Wisconsin, your state?" How about Michigan? Look for several Michigan runners to score in top spots in the Fall Cross Country Championships in Rocklin/Sacramento, California. Hansons' Running Team finished tied for first in 2001 and missed first by a single point in 2000.

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

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

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

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

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/

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