In This Issue - Michigan Runner

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Run Charlevoix
Hot First Charlevoix Marathon
Comes Off Without a Hitch
By Don Kern
Heather Dyc of Redford (3:47:37).
While the course was relatively flat, both
winners noticed the hills. “I’m not used to hills;
they were a little rough,” Snellgroves said. “The
heat’s OK for me, being from Florida.”
The race was organized by Red Rock Co., a
Tempe, Ariz. firm founded by former
Michigander Jeff Suffolk. While most of its races
are in the Southwest, Red Rock also put on the
Ann Arbor Turkey Trot here in Michigan.
Suffolk was happy with the Charlevoix
race’s outcome. “It was fantastic: great weather,
great volunteers, excellent staff. We’re looking
forward to the next ten years,” he said.
While the race had a couple small first-year
glitches, the day went on with no major problems.
An interesting addition was the Michigan
debut of a new timing system from Australia.
Ryan Linden blew away the field
to win the inaugural Run
Charlevoix marathon in 2:35:54
CHARLEVOIX (6/16/07) — Forty-one entrants
enjoyed the very warm inaugural Run
Charlevoix Marathon on a beautiful Saturday
morning.
“Get a shot of the young guy in the Brooks
outfit,” a man about my age told me at the
starting line.
“Is he going to win it?” I asked him.
Sure enough. For the next two-and-a-half
hours the man’s son, Ryan Linden of Rochester
Hills, blew away the field, finishing nearly an
hour ahead of his nearest competitor in 2:35:54.
Doug Fry of Grosse Pointe (3:34:19) and
William Ouchark of Bradenton, Fla. (3:35:25)
rounding out the top three spots.
Linden was trying for an Olympic qualifier,
but the heat slowed him down. “Having competition
would have helped me today,” he said.
“But the temperature and humidity would have
made it difficult to run a fast time regardless.”
Would he try again?
“I am registered for Twin Cities Marathon
in the fall,” Linden said. “I hope to qualify
there, then come back three weeks later to run
the trials.”
In the women’s race, Christy Snellgroves of
Bradenton, Fla., led the field with a 3:28:29 while
running her second marathon of the month. Next
came Jane Jarcho of Chicago (3:41:43) and
The heat didn’t bother
Floridian Cristy Snellgroves,
marathon winner in 3:28:39
Red Rock times races using IPICO Sports
“chips,” a credit-card-like piece of plastic slightly
smaller than a business card with holes to ziptie
it to your shoe.
The new piece of technology coupled with
an inaugural event had a few people curious
how things might turn out, but there were no
real timing problems.
In other races, the half-marathon winners
were Dave Henderson (1:14:09) and Tina
Wilder of Petoskey (1:44:31), the 10K champs
Ryan Bissell of Vassar (35:32) and Mary Miller-
Acko (41:40), and 5K winners were Eric Buddy
(17:50) and Brittany Ockenfels of Sault Ste
Marie (23:59).
And the adventure continues ...
“Marathon” Don Kern, Grand Rapids
Marathon founder and race director, ran
marathons on all seven continents within 35
days Feb. 11 through March 18. MR
M I C H I G A N R U N N E R
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