all these years later made it special to be in northern Michigan again. I went to the awards ceremony a couple hours later and it was fun catching up with friends who are still skiing. It was like I hadn't been away all these years. Milan Biac won the 40k. This was his 12th victory here. He's Michigan's greatest cross country skier and he's 51 years old. He's been winning cross country ski races for over 30 years-- a real testament to his training and way of life. The awards ceremony was at Shanty Creek Lodge, which is a nice place to stay for a weekend ski getaway. For all you runners out there, if you want to do something different that's a full workout try some cross country skiing. After staying in Grand Rapids for the evening. I got up early again and drove to Novi, Michigan and ran the Running Fit Super 5K. As I pulled into the Novi town center parking lot, I could see it was going to be a packed house. Runners were everywhere. Good day for running by Michigan winter standards. Lot's of Steelers and Packers jerseys were being worn by the runners. Saw Randy Step just before the race and he was all smiles as he told me he had been in Phoenix the same time I was last month. The Super 5K was a simple 5k course around the shopping center, out and back on 11 Mile Road, then finished in front of the Running fit store. Every finisher got a glass to put their favorite beverage in for the big game. There was lots of food so nobody left hungry from this race. All 1800 runners were now ready to celebrate Super Bowl Sunday, an American Tradition. I celebrated at a party thrown by a couple of Michigan favorites, Gerry and Jeannie Bocci, former National class race walkers and race directors of the Fifth Third Bank New Years Eve race on Belle Isle. They got me into race walking in the early 1980's and helped me become an Olympian. Another way to show how everyone is conected somehow: Gerry and Jeannie skied in the first White Pine Stampede race in 1976. Jeannie won it on the womens side and Gerry finished 12th. I showed them the medal and it brought back some memories of when they did that race. The party was awesome, it was great game, and the Vince Lombardi Trophy goes back to Green Bay where the Super Bowl started. Trying to stay warm, Gary Morgan
============================================== U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Marathon - Michigan Qualifiers ============================================== Men's Qualifying Times: 2:19 marathon 1:05 half 28:30 10,000 2:10:00 2:12:09 2:13:46 2:15:27 2:16:36 2:17:41 2:17:58 2:18:48 2:20:47 1:02:26 1:04:14 P. 4
Dathan Ritzenhein (OR), London Jason Hartmann (CO), Twin Cities Nick Arciniaga (MI), New York (11/1/09) Mike Morgan (MI), Sacramento Drew Polley, BOSTON Chad Johnson, Boston Mike Morgan, Twin Cities 2008 Lucas Humphrey (MI), Boston Chad Johnson (MI), Twin Cities 2008 Stephan Shay (AZ), Houston Zachery Hine, NYC Half, 2010 MICHIGAN RUNNING
NEWS -
FEBRUARY 9, 2011