Author: mixcspeedratings

Welcome back for another week. I *think* we should be on the better side of the weather, at least here in Southeast Michigan. More sunlight, less snow, more 40+ degree days, all heading towards the pinnacle of the indoor track season.

I thought I’d write about a few matchups to look forward to over the weekend, but also try to cover others that have opened up their hearts to the internet.

If you’d like this sent to your inbox every Wednesday morning, subscribe here: https://michiganrunning.substack.com/

MITS Indoor State Meet

Benny Diaz vs. Tamaal Myers. East Side vs. West Side, I like this. But is Detroit really “East Side”? Detroit is just Detroit. This past weekend, Diaz went down to Kentucky and laid down a 7.86, good for #4 in the nation. Myers hasn’t lost a hurdle final since August, where he was able to receive AAU All-American honors. One of those wins was at the LAB Midwest meet, but I believe that was a re-run of a race where the results mysteriously vanished.

Track Life vs. the world. Anyone who follows any twitter drama knows of the tense relationship between Track Life and the LAB. Those Outer Drive girls are good enough without a chip on their shoulder. But with one? Expect to see Jackson, Burr, and the rest of their crew flying around that Ypsi track.

In part two of reaching out to athletes telling THEIR stories in THEIR words, Madison Osterberg of Jackson Lumen Christi was kind enough to let me ask her a few questions regarding her plans for the MITS Indoor State Meet and also her journey through the past year.

Last track season, you had a bout with covid, then came back stronger, finishing 3rd in the 1600. How were you able to experience so much growth in such a short time?

My indoor season last year had so much growth. My speed, mental strength, and love for the sport increased so much. Even though it didn’t show up as much in my indoor races, I believed that it was there and that I was capable of so much more. The most difficult thing about having covid was the mental side of it. It left me with an anxiety that isn’t constant anymore but almost always shows up pre-race. This always affected the event that I focused on the most. Last year going into the state meet, I believed that I had a shot at the individual title in the 800 and a team title in the 4×4.

There wasn’t much pressure on the 1600 because I didn’t even know if I’d be all state. I never would have guessed that I would run a 6 second personal best and place 3rd in that field with the hot conditions. I think overall I always have more than I know physically, but I’m still figuring out how to navigate the mental side of things. Last track season I had a lot of moments where I was just so grateful and happy to be running, which led to large personal bests and higher places than I thought possible.

In the elite mile at GVSU, you were able to set a mile PR. What have you been working on this winter?

Once I got into the elite mile, I wanted to start training like I belonged. During winter break, I was doing some of the hardest workouts I ever have. I’d finish them in disbelief that I was able to hit the right paces. After it was postponed a few weeks, I was definitely disappointed because I believed that I was in great shape. The disappointment was short lived as we soon ran a time trial and I, with the help of my teammates, ran a personal best of 5:06. This was a much-needed confidence booster. Both the time trial and the elite mile were pretty consistent, so I know I’ve improved a lot at pacing, which is something that I struggled with even in my best races last year. I think the improvements this indoor season primarily come from the consistency in workouts and the focusing on the small details while making sure to not overtrain. No matter how I’m feeling at a given moment, I’ve been really trying to trust God’s plan and trust the process.

Which events are you running at indoor state, and do you have any goals or expectations?

I’m planning on racing the 1600 at indoor state. I considered racing the 800, but a back injury caused me to sit out my last couple of opportunities to qualify. The goal is definitely to go sub-5 in the 1600. I believe that I am capable of it and I know it depends on how I go into it mentally. No matter the outcome, I’m thanking God for the opportunity to compete and for quick healing from my injury. I was able to compete at indoor state last year and had such a blast, so I am just excited to be competing.

If it appears that I favor those Lumen Christi girls, it’s true, I do. The back and forth, they support what I do, I can’t help but support what they do. Thank you, Faith and Madi.

Big Ten

Michigan’s mid-D crew vs. Iowa. Checking the meet schedule, it seems impossible that any combo of the 400/600/800 double can be performed.  The Hawkeyes currently own three of the top five times in both the 400m and 600m, Michigan has a range of performers from 400m specialists (Dubem Amene), 800m specialists (Cole Johnson), and Miles Brown, exceptional at both the 600m and 800m.  How the Wolverines split up their trio could help out teams such as MSU and Nebraska in an upset over the #9 ranked Hawkeyes.

Jenna Magness vs. the Hasz sisters. Neither of the three have raced much or matched up this indoor season, but Bethany had the upper hand in NCAA Cross, and Megan in Big Ten Cross. Magness comes in with the fastest 5k time and is seeded 3rd in the 3k (though her 9:05 was run on a 200m track).

Of course there’s also Aurora Rynda and a possible matchup with Alison Johnson and the same for Beadlescomb vs. Hacker. We’re really well covered with our Big Ten schools in both genders/all aspects of the distance events.

GLIAC

Grand Valley’s 800m men vs. NCAA qualifying. Grand Valley harbors hopes of an indoor crown, a necessary addition to their score will be some points in the 800. As of now, John Groendyk is a lock, but they may need a few more qualifiers. Scott Spaanstra and Dennis Mbuta have both run sub-1:50 in the past, they’ll need to be in that range to compete in two weeks.

Makayla Sumrall vs. Alona Olshevska. Last week, both had a knock down, drag out battle in the 60m, Sumrall prevailing in a time of 7.48. The Roseville grad has turnt it up this winter, with victories at the SVSU Classic, Mike Lints, and the GVSU tune up. Olshevska was recently named GLIAC Athlete of the Week for her all-around prowess. She holds the top marks in both the 200m and 400m, along with her #2 spot in the 60m.

MAC

How many events can Baldvin Magnusson win? He holds the top times in the MAC in the mile through 5k, with quite considerable margins in each event.

Can Western or Central pick up a victory? Hayley Manners, Mohogany Wells, and Grace Johnson are all ranked in the top 5 in their respective events.

MIAA

Will Adrian’s Derek Plitt pull off victories in the 60/200 double?  He was able to capture the 200 crown last February and was All-American in that same event in both indoor and outdoor.

Does the title stay in Holland? Hope College is buoyed by the efforts of Grace Behrends and Ana Tucker, two racking up points that set up the Flying Dutch as prohibitive favorites.

WHAC

The WHAC Championships were held this past weekend at Aquinas. Unfortunately, the evil Indiana Tech took home the trophy on both the men’s and women’s sides. Michigan executed a fairly clean sweep of the distance events, but that’s often not enough on the track, Ind Tech’s clear domination of the jumps and sprints were the deciding factors. I have to call out the distance event winners – Cornerstone’s Colten Covington, Cammie McConnell, Anna Martin, and Luke Pohl. While Cornerstone took home their share of the longer events, Aquinas did their part in the mid-distance area, with Clayton Jones, Grace Sweet, and Caleb Hodgkinson. I was also impressed with Lawrence Tech’s Jackie Albo finishing 3rd in the 800. It seems as if Coach Tate is building a winning program. People might scoff at the thought of Lawrence Tech at the front, but the guy has won at every stop he’s coached.

I love that this is a regularly occurring feature, College Choices

I’m not sure if it was the mid-winter break or a conscious decision for everyone to announce during early February, but I saw less commitments compared to previous weeks. Paying more attention to the intersection of art and sport, I did take notice of Ian Thompson’s pledge to MSU, very well done.  Other ones that caught my eye were:

Lauren Sancrant (Temperance Bedford > Western Michigan)
Aubrey Migoski (Wyandotte Roosevelt > Wayne State)
Jimmy Peabody (Ionia > Aquinas)

Spreading Their Message

• Over the past few months, Maggie Farrell (Battle Creek Lakeview, Michigan State) has been guest blogging for Running in Silence. For those unaware, Running In Silence is a non-profit, founded by Rachael Steil, focused on raising awareness towards disordered eating. Rachael has written for various running magazines, authored her own book, and speaks to many local athletes about her story. I can’t help but think that one person sharing their struggles empowered others to share theirs.In three blog posts, Maggie has shared her own experiences with eating disorders, going back as far as elementary school, extending into her collegiate running. She embarked on a mission to run the Austin Marathon and in the process, raise money for Running In Silence. According to her latest Instagram post, $3600 has been raised, which will pay for 4 eating disorder awareness and prevention presentations. But the gofundme is still up, so I’m sure they won’t turn away your donation! You can read Maggie’s posts on the Running In Silence website and donate here.

• In a blog post for The Trek (basically the hiking equivalent to MIXCSR… I kid) Chris Taylor (Bloomingdale) announced their intentions to hike the Appalachian Trail. As someone who adores hiking, paths, maps, the woods and mountains, I’m extremely jealous. Embarking on such an endeavor comes from a different place for everyone, for some wanderlust, for others searching for a deeper meaning. Chris writes a deep dive into the why and I look forward to future writings.

• Through Sara Kroll’s twitter responses and his own astounding results, Morgan Beadlescomb appeared on last week’s Citius Mag podcast. I appreciated how candid he was. I think many people go on these podcasts and are shy about details – rightfully so, it’s a huge stage and opening up to the nation is daunting. But Morgan was open with what he’s expecting from NCAA’s and his strategy going into the final lap in Chicago. Also, one must have appreciation for him wanting to bring a title home with his teammates as well.

Anything Else?

• Quite incredible the depth of distance running in this state, Gazelle’s Elite 3200 another point of evidence. Rachel Forsyth, Riley Hough, and Arianne Olson all raced to the top-10 all-time. What sticks out to me are those that will be in All-State contention, but aren’t yet national class. Frens 10:32, Williams 9:08, Sarah Forsyth 10:27, Venhuizen 9:12. All of which are faster than they were during outdoor 2021, with three months less of training effect.Indoors, from 2015-2019, there were on average 9 boys sub-9:30 and 12 girls sub-11:00. This year, before we’ve even had all parties meet at State, we’re at 14 boys and 17 girls under those marks. I know super shoes exist, but we’re already so far ahead of schedule.

• Anavia Battle (Wayne Memorial) was named National Athlete of the Week by the USTFCCCA. Battle has been steadily decreasing time in her 200m performances, running 22.49 this past week. If you recall, she competed for the US in last year’s Olympics. At this point last season, her season best was 22.88, so look for her to battle with Abby Steiner in the coming weeks and also be a factor come US Championships.

• It was cited in the podcast that Michigan State would travel down to Notre Dame to get a qualifier for NCAA. At the Alex Wilson Invite this past weekend, the Spartan squad ran 9:26, which currently places them 13th, likely on the outside looking in. But we did have a Michigan squad stand out with their performance. Nick Foster, Dubem Amene, Miles Brown, and Cole Johnson will be representing the state in the DMR come nationals.

• I’ve gotta give a shoutout to Amber Gall. The Shepherd grad has had a few setbacks since stepping foot in Ann Arbor, among which, a hip fracture that occurred at this point last year. Her 2:10 from the Alex Wilson Invite isn’t close to her personal best, but I imagine it was one of her more satisfying performances.

I’m putting this out today, because I can! Perks of being your own boss.

You never know what someone is going through. Heck, I’m writing this to you from the hospital. As a few of you are aware, my mother has been experiencing a multitude of hardships. Stage 4 cancer, a rare case of vasculitis, culminating Monday with a fall in the house. Luckily, nothing was broken, her symptoms seem to be getting back under control, but it’s still traumatizing. But anyhow, you don’t know what someone’s going through. Writing, calculating the ratings and rankings, following the sport, running, all are forms of therapy for myself. I can understand criticism if I ever hurt or offend someone. I don’t understand criticism that I’m not providing enough free coverage. If you’d like for me to tell someone’s story, contact me throughout the week so I can write about it in the following newsletter.

Other people might be going through difficulties as well. They could be your competitors, they could be meet managers, coaches, you name it. I know this was a tough weekend for many at the LAB, but let’s practice some empathy (this goes for me as well). There’s no need for yelling at kids, coaches, or meet officials. At their heart, everyone in this sport is a good person. The LAB is providing ample opportunities for athletes, coaches are kickstarting a love for the sport, and you know how I feel about the athletes.

Charlie Newburry (Mendon, Spring Arbor) asked me to share his story. He penned an Instagram post detailing his and his loved ones struggles with mental health. If you need to reach out, he’s a helpful ear.

For some good personal news, I bought a new car. This should allow me to travel to more meets, as no one wants car trouble 2 hours away from home. Come spring, if you have a meet on a Tuesday or Saturday, I’d love to come spectate, and if you need help, volunteer. Note to the high schoolers reading this, take care of your engines! If you don’t, you won’t have confidence to drive far away. And you won’t have confidence to push your body engine when you’re redlining it with a few laps left. I’ve also been playing around in Adobe Illustrator. The purpose is to use Adobe Maps to create some graphics for our store group runs and also produce a few logos for the site. If I’m satisfied with my work, I might move into creating similar maps for cross country courses.

Records and Marks, Far and Wide

Many of the collegiate runners I’ve mentioned have been those competing at Michigan schools. This week, I thought I’d give mention to a few that are from Michigan, but competing elsewhere:

With her 9:21 in the 3000m at the Iowa State Classic, Lindsey Peters (Caledonia, Air Force) hit the #4 mark all-time for the Falcons.  For those unaware, Lindsey had to sit out her senior year of cross, recovering from hip surgery. Her 2021 track season made up for that lost time, as she was able to finish 3rd in the D1 1600m and 2nd in the D1 800m. That improvement looks to have continued, converted to 3200m this is 10:03. Her previous best, 10:37. Is it the altitude in Colorado Springs or the altitude flying high in the air? Either way, it’s working.

West siders must like that track in Ames, as Colorado State’s Anna Petr (East Grand Rapids) sped to a 4:42.56 mile. The time is ranked #2 in Colorado State history, and once again is a significant drop from her high school days. Anna missed out on her 2020 outdoor season and didn’t compete much for Wisconsin last year. Still, her outdoor personal best in the 1600m was 4:56 and this is a considerable descent.

Gabby Hentemann has continually impressed, year after year. Post-HS, I thought she’d be in the mix in college mid-distance races. After all, she ran 2:08 for Grand Haven, quick enough to capture the 2019 D1 state title. As a Poke, she’s moved up to the 5k and this weekend, shattered both the 16:00 mark and their school record. Her 15:45 is ranked 20th in Division 1 this season.

Dakota Ames (Mendon) and Alex Darnell (Napoleon) were two contributors of the winning 4×800 team at NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) Indoor Nationals. Alex split 2:04, handing off to Dakota, who laid down a 2:03 anchor in the Lancers victory.

I screenshotted every record/result that caught my eye over the weekend and I’ll try to give a quick rundown of the more Michigan-based ones I saw. There’s a 100% chance I’ll miss/forget someone, but that’s a result of the many outstanding performances. I’d much rather have that than the opposite.

Again, Northwood showed out in the face of adversity. Instead of being re-routed on the way to Grand Valley, their bus broke down on the trip. Their kids weren’t much affected, in the 5k Zane Aldrich, Brandon Boyd, Carson Laney, and Andrew Wendler all hit top-10 marks in school history, Josh Jones continued to drop time in the 800m, and Dillan Haviland picked up GLIAC Athlete of the Week.

At the Big Meet, Klaudia O’Malley ripped a 4:44.97 mile, grabbing the 2nd fastest time in D2. She was also a part of their nation-leading DMR, which ran a 11:31, good enough for the D2 lead.

If thrust into the D2 meet, Ann Arbor Pioneer would be a contender for that DMR title. Over in the Saginaw Valley, their squad of Sarah and Rachel Forsyth, Cookie Baugh, and Emily Cooper destroyed the previous state record, with a time of 11:21.95. Hell, they even destroyed the previous national record.

It’s another difference in levels, but Morgan Beadlescomb showed he belongs with the big name pros. In anticipation of Valentine’s Day, his penultimate lap surge nearly broke the hearts of all those rooting for Hocker and Teare. It wasn’t meant to be, though his 3:52.03 shocked everyone and sets up for a highly anticipated matchup with the Goose in a few weeks.

The Gately Park track was the host of a few other outstanding marks. I’d prefer to spread my coverage to everyone and not repeat myself, but Aurora Rynda keeps deserving mention. Her 1:27.05 600m set a Canadian Record, Big Ten Record, and is now the World Lead. In the 800m Miles Brown and Cole Johnson etched their names in Michigan history. Brown set the indoor school record with a 1:47.37, Johnson worked his way into the 3rd spot with a 1:47.51. Nick Foster and Oli Raimond broke the vaunted 4:00 mile.

We had a few pros race in Chicago. Natosha Rogers led from the gun on the way to a 15:20. Zach Panning took over with 3k to go, split 32 after 32 on way to a 13:36 PB. The goal was to work around 10k pace then drop it down during the final few laps, and it seems that was accomplished.

Grant Fisher shares traits with so many here. His initial sub-4 foray was indoors, like Foster and Raimond. When at Stanford, he raced and hung with the pros at 2019 Millrose, similar to Beadlescomb. And like Hentemann, realized he didn’t have world-class mid-distance speed, moving up in distance to the 5k/10k. Grant set the American Indoor 5k record with a 12:53.73.

The Beat Goes On…

Those signings just don’t stop.

Noah Morrow (Manton > MSU). He’s a serious candidate to get added to the sub-9 club this spring.
Gabrielle Jones (Macomb Dakota > Northwood)
Molly Kline (Almont > Lawrence Tech)
Beth Baldwin (Croswell-Lexington > Saint Clair CC)
Matt Hoop (Jackson Lumen Christi > Trine)
Samari Finney (Warren Mott > Oakland)
Connor Kreger and Cam Land (St. Clair HS/St. Clair CC > Rochester University)
Ava Arnes (Davison > Adrian)
Ally Hawk (Davison > Indiana Wesleyan)
Madison Clark (Davison > Detroit Mercy)
Kylie Brown (Kent City > Spring Arbor)
Vivian Williams (Detroit Country Day > Northwood)
Allison Stowe (Salem > Madonna)
Jennie Line (Northville > Michigan). What a crew they’ve assembled thus far.
Clara Losey (Royal Oak Shrine > Siena Heights). Good to know the Royal Oak and Siena connection lives on.
Jason Grose (West Bloomfield > UM-Dearborn). Many of you might know Jason’s grandfather, Glenn Craze. Glenn’s coverage of Macomb County cross country and involvement with the sport is an inspiration.

MITS Announcements

There’s been a slew of positive announcements from the crew at MITS. In coordination with the LAB, they were able to secure a mini Middle School Indoor Championship. Events included are the 100m, 400m, and 1600m. In honor of Charles Janke, they’ve also created $500 scholarships, awarded to one senior girl and one senior boy. As we come to the conclusion of another indoor season, it’s worth mentioning that MITS volunteers their services for free. It’s rough being a middleman, but Gene Lebron and the Juraseks keep coming back, year after year. If you’d like to apply for the scholarship they’ve created, click HERE.

Anything Else?

Apparently Mike Andersen was not satisfied with being inducted into the Milford Sports Hall of Fame, he had to go out and win the Super Bowl 5k.

Byron Center coach Colin Hunter previewed the OK White distance scene in a blog post here.

Jacob Tanner listed a number of breakout stars during this indoor season.

Let’s just get right into it.

Cultivating a Community

Asics recently released a new initiative, Live Uplifted. The initiative aims to tell stories of runners who’ve found a way to impact their communities beyond their own running. The first feature highlights Lance Woods, who along with Joe Robinson, founded WeRun313. The club began hosting group runs in May 2019 and has quickly developed into quite a community. Their runs commonly see crowds of 100+ people, even in the cold winter months and the group has a traveling presence too, sending 30+ runners to New Orleans for the Rock n’ Roll Half Marathon this past weekend.

Think of many running hot beds in the United States and you’ll find a common theme. Here in Michigan: Ann Arbor, Oakland/Livingston County, Traverse City, Grand Rapids. Across the country: Boulder, Eugene, Flagstaff, NYC, Boston. Communities that tend to engage in running tend to be upper-class and white. Why is that the case? There seems to be very few barriers to entry, as a beginner doesn’t need an expensive bike, an ice rink, or access to a pool. Is it the lack of high school programs in urban environments? Does it come from brands not building the pipeline towards minorities? These are existential questions that we face as we aim to make running a more inclusive space.

Leaders in Detroit have reached out and brought the sport to many that might not otherwise be a part of our great activity. Motor City Track Club, PAL/Track Life, the Dukes twins, and now WeRun313. I hope their examples continue to spread awareness for this wonderful exercise.

Lance’s Video

More info on WeRun313

College Commitments Keep Comin’

I’m surprised at the consistency of the rate of these commitments. Initially, I was under the impression that many would occur during the latter parts of the fall, but perhaps that’s a football and basketball influence. Anyhow, here were some of the major ones that I came across:

Haley Deighan (Birmingham Seaholm > Michigan
Faith Smith (Jackson Lumen Christi > Michigan)
Tinsae Nelson (Grand Rapids Christian > Grand Valley State)
Annika Peterson (Schoolcraft > Western Michigan)
Taylor Myers (Frankfort > Detroit Mercy)
Katelynn Dix (Grand Traverse Academy > Cornerstone)
Carson Brunk (Potterville > Grand Valley State)

In what I hope to be a recurring feature, I reached out to Faith Smith with a few questions about her fall, school search, and goals for the coming season:

Last year, you missed much of track and had a late start to cross country. What enabled you to work through injury and eventually finish 5th at State?

I always had a goal in mind and that kept me going. During the winter and spring, I envisioned myself competing in races while I swam and told myself it would be worth it. I hated swimming, but remembering that feeling of racing was enough to motivate me. After the single race I had before surgery, I got a brief taste again of doing what I loved most, and I saw that I hadn’t lost everything.  That kept me going and helped me immensely in my recovery. As cross country season progressed, seeing my times go back down to where they used to be furthered my determination. When the State Meet finally came, I channeled all the energy I had from months of missing my chances again and again to prove myself. Everyone underestimated me, especially one person who had me ranked 13th heading into the State Meet! [that guy must have been clueless] I was more than ready to prove everyone wrong.

What made you set your heart on Michigan?

I felt that Michigan was the best all around fit for me. Some schools were a good fit from a running perspective, but didn’t have the academic piece. I want to go into the medical field and Michigan has such an amazing program with the hospital right on campus. Plus, I really connected with the other recruits and I could see us being teammates in the future.

Any goals for the rest of indoor and then into outdoor?

Honestly, I’m just excited to see what I can do! I haven’t had a track season since freshman year and a lot has changed since then. In the immediate future, I have my eyes set on the school record, which I’m only off by 2 sec. in the 3200.  I would also like to get into the 10’s and make top-5 at the State Finals.

If you’d like to share your story, reach out! I’d love to feature YOUR words and YOUR voice.

Nation Leaders and Best

Aurora Rynda has had a superb career for the Maize and Blue, winning Big Ten titles both indoors and outdoors, nabbing All-American honors in the outdoor 800m as well. This winter, she appears to have ascended to even greater heights. In South Bend at this past weekend’s Meyo Invitational, she captured the NCAA’s best time in the 800m, a 2:02.89. Meyo always draws a competitive crowd, and Rynda let the pace flow through others in the first 500m before taking over on the final lap. She gritted, grimaced, and finally grinned as she obtained a second lead over anyone else at the collegiate level. Championship season is approaching soon indoors and we should see her at the front at both the conference and national lev

Northwood had a tumultuous day on this past Friday. On the drive south to race at Ashland, they found out that meet had been canceled, so Coach Jeremy Wilk had to think quick. Drive home, sulk, feel sorry for yourself about your misfortune? Or take a detour to Allendale where Stephen Barker and Josh Jones can hit NCAA qualifiers. To have a team that rolls with the punches and pounces on opportunities must be a special feeling as a coach.

Speaking of opportunities, Central Michigan cut men’s track, cutting opportunities for many. Those cuts have inflicted damage, but haven’t destroyed collegiate men’s distance running in Mt. Pleasant. Again at Meyo, Adam Rzentkowski ran a 4:05 mile. Technically, this is a school record, but I’m not sure if it’s an official school record, since the administration has put quite an effort into canceling men’s track.

Features in Running Media

Samantha Hanson was featured on Dana Giordano’s More Than Running podcast. A few weeks ago, Sam announced that she was joining HAWI Management as a running agent. This is a field woefully represented by women, and Samantha goes into detail about her upbringing, goals, and how she hopes to impact the sport.

Rolando Eccleston was interviewed by Michigan Milesplit in anticipation of the LAB’s Midwest Invitational. I liked hearing his fervor for innovation and creative thinking with regard to the building and hosting meets. As the host pointed out, it’s rare to see hurdle races beyond 60m indoors, yet the 300h is a part of Saturday’s program. Kudos to Rolando for being the point man behind a massive undertaking.

Owen Howard (Shepherd, SVSU, Central Michigan) wrote an essay for IRunFar, documenting his love for struggle, love for himself, and love for the sport.

Parker LaGro detailed his goals and recruiting process in a piece for the Battle Creek Enquirer.

Anything Else?

Mike Andersen and Dana Pitcock were inducted into the Milford Sports Hall of Fame.

The Hansons ODP crew cleaned up at the Rock n’ Roll Half Marathon in New Orleans. The course, typically a fast one, seemed to run slower as runners had to deal with a multitude of hairpin turns and dodging lapped 10k runners. Regardless, Jack Mastandrea and Anne-Marie Blaney captured victories in times of 1:04:31 and 1:14:48, respectively. Ben Kendell finished 3rd in 1:05:37 and Megan O’Neil 2nd in 1:16:33. This upcoming weekend, their track crew is traveling to Chicago for the Windy City Classic.

Grand Rapids Distance Elite’s Alyssa McElheny finished 2nd in the Miami Half Marathon with a time of 1:22:12.

MHSAA Track Regional assignments, State Meet locations, and additional qualifying times were posted, with the exception of the Division 4 Finals. I hope those small schools are not forgotten.

With a 3:57.1, Hobbs Kessler set a personal best in the mile on Sunday’s New Balance Grand Prix. He’s slightly ahead of the progression that he was on last year, where he ended up running the equivalent of a 3:51 by season’s end. The times may not be flashy now, but he’s in a good spot for a June/July peak.

Distance runners dominated Mancelona’s White Pine Stampede this past weekend. Arianne Olson, Olin Kasperowicz, and Arianne Olson all won their respective 10k races. Runners who haven’t heard of this event, you’re correct. This was cross country skiing, a great way to get the endurance benefit with less risk of overuse injuries.

My known friend and trusted agent, Aaron Greb, announced that he’s making custom schedules for schools for this upcoming track season.  Click here for samples and contact me for his contact info.