A cross country runner’s spikes do not get enough credit for what they are put through. They trek in the most diverse and difficult terrains in any weather, then get shoved in a box until next season. I’d like to salute my spikes and thank them for all I’ve put them through; they deserve a hooray. Hooray! My body and Carson City must have been fierce rivals in another life, because something terrible always happens at that meet. It was particularly horrific my sophomore year. First, ignoring experience, I decided to eat the granola bar. Then I got cut off by the girl in front of me, causing me to fall and get spiked. Finally, at three miles, my stomach went into that all-contents-must-go wholesale phase and I knew the race was over. Vomit spewed from my mouth like a volcano, and through my nose, which at least cleared my sinuses. The pain was so hot it almost dropped me dead in my tracks. You’re supposed to sprint the last 200 meters of a cross country race. This was my slowest sprint of the year. My junior year shed a whole new light on the art of puking. Now my body wanted to make this happen violently. They teach us in school that violence is wrong. I can attest that hurling violently is wrong too. At Brewer Park I came over the hill at three miles and was practically brought to my knees in agony. Palms on the ground, head down, throwing up, getting passed by runners just wanting to be done. What a great first race of the season. It happened again at our second meet, again near the three-mile mark. This time I gave my teammates the pleasure of sharing my experience by having the episode happen beside our tent. Later I learned someone got still-frame pictures of the ordeal. That didn’t seem like a Kodak moment to me, but I’m sure they are interesting to see. At Fremont I was already gagging at the two-mile mark, and I’m sure jumping hay bales didn’t help. That shook up everything like a blender, then my stomach had a trampoline part y. It would seem like I crashed the part y, but that’s what it gets for not inviting me. Running while puking is one of the hardest things a person can do in life. It takes skill, dedication and quite a bit of practice to do it right. Coaches Antel and Stevens, along with my parents and teammates, will be there to help me through it, or to laugh at me, whichever works best. “The easiest solution would be to stop running,” said my doctor. That would be the obvious choice, but apparently my body doesn’t prefer to do things the easy way. Why start now? Becca Putans will enter her senior year at Wyoming Kelloggsville High School this fall. MR Solstice Run to Shine By Scott Sullivan The Fifth Third Bank Solstice Run is held near the longest day of the year by necessity. It takes all the daylight you can get to have this much fun. The event — set this summer for Saturday, <strong>June</strong> 25, in Northville — has grown in three years to one of <strong>Michigan</strong>’s landmark races. Why? Start with courses through historic Northville that culminate at Ford Field. Add top competition — both the 5K and firsttime 10K this year offer prize money — and children’s fun. Add an Outdoor Expo that features a Taste Fest, live entertainment, hot-air balloon rides, face painting, MoonWalk and more fun for kiddies, and the fact proceeds go to charity — and we’re talking family fitness fun you won’t want to miss. The new Fifth Third Bank 10K, which adds parts of Northville Township to the 5K course through Victorian Northville neighborhoods, gets festivities underway at 7:30 a.m. Based on time limits for road closures Brighter Yet The quarter-mile Kids Fun Run, Presented by Foresters, gives moms and dads time to finish the 10K, then cheer on the little ones if they choose. and safety issues, runners must be able to go the distance at better than a 12-minute-mile (roughly 1:15) pace. The quarter-mile Kids Fun Run, Presented by Foresters, takes place at 8:45 a.m. — giving moms and dads time to finish the 10K, then cheer on the little ones if they choose. Foresters will provide medals for all participants. The 9 a.m. 5K Run/Walk, Presented by <strong>Michigan</strong> Television, is part of the <strong>Michigan</strong> <strong>Runner</strong> Race Series, in which the top-three open, master and senior runners earn points toward this magazine’s <strong>Runner</strong> of the Year honors. Karen Newman will sing the national anthem before the start. Presenting sponsor Comcast will broadcast events on tape delay via its new local channel, which reaches more than 1.3 million <strong>Michigan</strong> homes. The race staff, headed by director/ founder Alan Whitehead and course director Doug Kurtis, has set goals of making the Solstice Run a world-class event. Three years and they’re there. For more information and/or to register online, visit www.solsticerun.org. MR 14 M A Y / J U N E 2 0 0 5
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