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.

We’re past another big weekend in college racing. Jets Pizza, Bill Clinger, and Jack Skoog were held in state, while some of the bigger schools traveled down to Bloomington.

Somehow, I deleted the large lists of times. I’m so sorry. You’ll just have to trust me on these.

To recap the scoring method: “The scoring method follows the MITCA Power Rankings with a bit of my own twist. Four individual indoor distance events (800, Mile, 3k, 5k). The top 3 runners from each team score, with three events maximum for an individual. The scoring will go 90 places deep, with 90 points for the fastest mark, 1 point for the 90th fastest mark. Results come from TFRRS and are the fastest mark by an individual during this season.”

Some of the team’s scores are limited by their entries. A few schools haven’t had anyone run a 5k yet, but it’s still included here because there have been plenty of opportunities to race one. Anyhow:

WOMEN

MEN

OVERALL