In This Issue - Michigan Runner

By Dr. Edward H. Kozloff
Frank Shorter’s marathon
victory at the 1972
Olympic Games began an
increased interest in marathoning
throughout the United States.
The 1976 Olympic Marathon
caused even more enthusiasm
and by 1977 over one hundred
recognized marathons were held
in the United States.
That year, Detroit Free Press
Sports Editor Joe Falls wrote
what was perhaps at that time
the most comprehensive and
interesting book on the Boston
Marathon. Two Motor City
Strider members, Jerry Coyle and
Bob Kiess, had each run over
twenty marathons and were
friends of Falls. They were
instrumental in his becoming
interested in the sport and are
featured in one of the chapters of
the book.
At about this time, Neal
Photo courtesy of Ed Kozloff
Shine, Managing Editor of the
Free Press, was visiting his
brother in Cape Cod. During
the visit, they watched the
Falmouth Road Race and Shine
returned home inspired with the
idea that Detroit could host and
support such an event.
Early in 1978, Joe Falls was lured away
to the Detroit News. Shine and Ladd
Neumann, new sports editor, decided that
Detroit was ready for a major marathon race.
They were also aware that the city already
held a marathon which was nationally
respected by the running community and
enjoyed a long history of success. The Motor
City Marathon, first held in 1963, was the
nation’s tenth oldest. In the 1966 race, Mike
Hazilla, a student at Western Michigan
University, became only the third American
to break 2:20 when he set a course record of
2:18:47. Three years later, in 1969, Jerome
Drayton, of Toronto, set a North American
record of 2:12:00 on the Belle Isle course. In
1975, Ella Willis, a senior at Detroit’s
Pershing High School, won the women’s race
in 3:13:15 – one of the fastest times ever for
a high school female. One year later, the race
was awarded the Road Runner Club of
America North Region Championship.
In its fifteenth year, in 1977, the field
nearly doubled to 428 entrants, making it
one of the ten largest in the country. On a
windy day with steady, mid-40°temperatures,
Bob McOmber, of Bowling Green, Ohio, ran
his first marathon and was first to the tape in
2:23:37. Ann Forshee, of Wyandotte, set a
women’s state record with a time of 2:55:59,
placing her in the all-time top twenty-five
performances for women in the country.
There had never been a sponsor for the
Motor City Marathon. All contacts, work,
1997 Motor City Marathon, #343 John Gault, 32, Flushing, 3:13:18. Striped shirt behind
him - Ann Forshee, 21,Wyandott, 2:55:59, 1st women, women's race & state record.
and expenses had been handled by the
Striders. The closest the club had ever come
to receiving outside support was in the first
years of the race, in 1963 and 1964 when
club officials made contact with Marathon
Oil of Ohio. However, after initial promises
and several positive letters of correspondence,
the deal fell through . . . All for a $50
sponsorship! The leaders of the club at that
time were quite disappointed and resented
the oil company for several years thereafter.
Early in 1978, the Striders were contacted
by the Free Press and a meeting was held
with Neal Shine, Ladd Neumann, and
Strider club president Ed Kozloff. The Free
Press representatives stated that they wanted
to put a marathon race on the streets of
Detroit and wanted it to be international in
scope. The reputation of the Motor City
Striders as well as that of the club’s Motor
City Marathon assured them that the
Striders would be the perfect partners for
this venture. Kozloff would remain the race
director (which would be his fourth year in
that position) and Molly Anderson of the
Free Press would be the race coordinator.
The original plan was to start the race
on Belle Isle, run to downtown Detroit, and
then through the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel.
The race would continue in Windsor to the
Ambassador Bridge, which would be about
seventeen miles into the race and would be
Detroit’s version of “Heartbreak Hill.” The
route would then return to the finish on
Belle Isle.
Authorities at both the tunnel and
“Run the inland sea”
Grosse Pointe Run
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Grosse Pointe Farms Municipal Pier
at Moross and Lake Shore Road
5K & 10K runs • 5K competitive
walk • 5K wheelchair- 9:00 am
1 Mile fun run - 8:30 am
Registration is from 7:00-8:30 am
** 5 & 10K runs - USATF Certified **
Organized by
Grosse Pointe
Rotary Sunrise Club
Register online: active.com
800-299-5007
M I C H I G A N R U N N E R
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