Safari Stars shine bright as the marathon results continue to roll in with the latest Safari news coming from last Sunday’s Detroit Free Press Marathon. Beautiful weather ushered in the day as runners crossed international borders twice via the Ambassador Bridge and Detroit Windsor tunnel. Gracee Biskie completed her very first 26.2, managed to take 65 pictures along the way, and wrapped it up with a 5:45 finish! “I decided to take my time, take in the sights & really enjoy with an end goal of just finishing. I finished in 5:45, other than stopping to take 65 pictures along the way, I ran the whole time. Even though I was slow, I kept running & in the last 5-6 miles I think I passed about 800 people! I was proud of myself for pushing through the horrible miles, but I didn’t really start feeling bad until mile 23. Overall, it was a great experience. I really enjoyed it.”
Encouraged by the Safari’s Carole Stevens and also making his marathon debut in Detroit was Mike Willy. Mike completed the Detroit Half Marathon last year and returned this year to complete his very first full marathon in 4:16:16. “I did enjoy my first marathon, however, I really faded after the 20 mile mark. It was nice I was able to see Carole cheer me on in a couple places, which really picked up my spirits. Detroit does a really nice job and it would be nice to see the Group focus of Detroit next year. I want to try and hit 4 hours or better next year.”
Was it a repeat of the Chicago Marathon photo finish? Joy Bailey and Erika Carr couldn’t have crossed the finish line any closer with a 4:29:02 and 4:29:03 respectively. Congratulations to Katie Nelson, who finished in 4:56:10, and Joshua Yoder who ran 4:12:08. Christine Wight finished in 4:17:37. In the Half Marathon, Jennifer Opel, was a Safari shining star, finishing in 2:47:33. As always, please do let us know if we missed you in the results, and feel free to share a little extra while you are at it!
Who are YOU running with? Here is a fun story we are passing along from Mark Sigfrids.....
Encouraged by the Safari’s Carole Stevens and also making his marathon debut in Detroit was Mike Willy. Mike completed the Detroit Half Marathon last year and returned this year to complete his very first full marathon in 4:16:16. “I did enjoy my first marathon, however, I really faded after the 20 mile mark. It was nice I was able to see Carole cheer me on in a couple places, which really picked up my spirits. Detroit does a really nice job and it would be nice to see the Group focus of Detroit next year. I want to try and hit 4 hours or better next year.”
Was it a repeat of the Chicago Marathon photo finish? Joy Bailey and Erika Carr couldn’t have crossed the finish line any closer with a 4:29:02 and 4:29:03 respectively. Congratulations to Katie Nelson, who finished in 4:56:10, and Joshua Yoder who ran 4:12:08. Christine Wight finished in 4:17:37. In the Half Marathon, Jennifer Opel, was a Safari shining star, finishing in 2:47:33. As always, please do let us know if we missed you in the results, and feel free to share a little extra while you are at it!
Who are YOU running with? Here is a fun story we are passing along from Mark Sigfrids.....
"At 5:45 a.m. I set off around the WMU track with Pat Johnson. We did a warm up mile together. Then I started to do my 4 x 800 m. I ran by a man several times while he was jogging on one of the outside lanes. After finishing my speed work I started a cool down and just as I started to do the mile cool down this same man joined me. He mentioned that I had been running pretty fast and was I training for Saturday's race at WMU. I said no but was training for the Grand Rapids Marathon in a little less than 2 weeks. He asked me what time I was planning on running the GR marathon in. So I said anything less than 3:26 would be good. We continued to chat and after about 4 laps he said he had to stop but I continued to run for about 20 feet. But then I stopped and turned around and asked him what his name was since he mentioned he would be out on the track again soon. He said his name was John Dunn. The name seemed familiar at first, only because while I worked in Southern Africa I had visited a place called Mtunzini. The place was established by a man whose name was also John Dunn (1800's). I had taken a group of Fulbright scholars to this place in 2003. Then about 100 m later it dawned on me that this John Dunn was the President of WMU. I sensed I was having a "Road to Emasus" experience. You get up in the morning and you go out for an early run and you just never know who is going to be your running partner."
Speaking of the Campus Classic, Safari runners were caught live in action last Saturday on the grounds of WMU homecoming weekend, which produced a record number of participants. Everything went off without a hitch for the 2007 event which featured the hilly 5k run, lots of cheering, great prizes and a fabulous post run breakfast spread. Here are our Campus Classic participants and age group winners (where applicable)
Kelly Armstrong
Francine Bangs (1st)
Jeff Cavanaugh
Lisa Cavanaugh (3rd)
Cristi DeDoes
Elizabeth Evans
Michele Fabi
Shari Glaser
Michael Hoonhorst
Joe Hulsebus (3rd)
Jennifer Kitchen
Kayla Kling
Tim Kling
Patricia Montilla
Julie Pomeroy
Megan Roschek
Bonnie Sexton (1st)
Julie Steeby
Nancy Sundberg (3rd)
Tim Walton
Jungle Stray Michelle Neel ran an amazing 19:29 to finish second overall female. Stray Andy Boris joined Safari Track Coach Joe Hulsebus, Training Director Bonnie Sexton, Peggy Zeeb and young Michael Sexton to lead the Galloping Graduates and the Kid to an open team championship victory for the 4th year in a row. We also spotted David Thierjung, Joy Bailey and Mark Sigfrids in the crowd cheering friends on. Hey, wait a minute, wasn’t Joy Bailey in Detroit this weekend running a marathon? This running stuff ....you just can’t stay away from it.
Oh yeah, just in case we forgot earlier, we do have to mention our HUGE Paw Prints, Hoof Tracks and Tales disclaimer! The author of the tabloid tales once read somewhere that “creativity is the willingness to risk making mistakes.” Sometimes I look back in retrospect, reread my work and think to myself, “what was I thinking...was I temporarily insane!” It is quite possible that some may have taken offense past, present or future to Paw Prints, Hoof Tracks and Tales tabloid stories, so please accept our sincere apologizes for errors, omissions or failed attempts at humor over the course of the Safari program. Our jungle herd is a very beautiful and diverse group of runners, and we try hard to recognize everyone and at the same time make the experience fun and memorable!!! Fast or slow, young or experienced, each of us is special and unique. Creativity will always have its critics, but after all, the world would indeed be a dull place without a dash of creative flavor and spice of life every now and then.
Jungle Stray Michelle Neel ran an amazing 19:29 to finish second overall female. Stray Andy Boris joined Safari Track Coach Joe Hulsebus, Training Director Bonnie Sexton, Peggy Zeeb and young Michael Sexton to lead the Galloping Graduates and the Kid to an open team championship victory for the 4th year in a row. We also spotted David Thierjung, Joy Bailey and Mark Sigfrids in the crowd cheering friends on. Hey, wait a minute, wasn’t Joy Bailey in Detroit this weekend running a marathon? This running stuff ....you just can’t stay away from it.
Oh yeah, just in case we forgot earlier, we do have to mention our HUGE Paw Prints, Hoof Tracks and Tales disclaimer! The author of the tabloid tales once read somewhere that “creativity is the willingness to risk making mistakes.” Sometimes I look back in retrospect, reread my work and think to myself, “what was I thinking...was I temporarily insane!” It is quite possible that some may have taken offense past, present or future to Paw Prints, Hoof Tracks and Tales tabloid stories, so please accept our sincere apologizes for errors, omissions or failed attempts at humor over the course of the Safari program. Our jungle herd is a very beautiful and diverse group of runners, and we try hard to recognize everyone and at the same time make the experience fun and memorable!!! Fast or slow, young or experienced, each of us is special and unique. Creativity will always have its critics, but after all, the world would indeed be a dull place without a dash of creative flavor and spice of life every now and then.
