2005 Crim Festival of Races
- By Doug Kurtis
Free Press Columnist

This Saturday morning, Flint will host the 2005 Crim Festival of Races. Nine races are the focus of runners from throughout Michigan, the Midwest and points around the country.

The Crim has grown to three days of activities with plenty of firepower. There is a little of something for everyone to encourage runners and their families to make this worth a sleepover.

Events will kick off this Thursday in the lobby of the Citizen's Bank. A press conference will be held to unveil the Crim Hall of Fame and Museum exhibit. It will be open throughout the weekend and should provide many nostalgic memories for runners who have been competing at the Crim as far back as 1977.

There will be speaker's forums, running and race walking clinics throughout the weekend at the Character Inn and U of M Pavilion Rink. Olympian and noted author Jeff Galloway will be one of the headliners.

The Character Inn continues to host the three day expo. It will be the site of this year's Michigan Runner of the Year awards. The Crim Food Fest, Pep Rally and live entertainment will be held near the start/finish area on Saginaw Street.

The Crim slogan has been "The Coolest Race in Michigan" and it still is. Just ask one of more than thousand Flint locals that signed up for the sold out, fifteen week training program that began last May. Benefits have included pre and post race health screenings provided by Hurley Health & Fitness Center and group training sessions every Tuesday evening. For those not able to stay in a hotel and don't want to rush back home, the YMCA and U of M Flint recreation centers are providing post race showers free of charge.

Over the past twenty-nine years, the original visions of the Crim have not been lost.   The Crim Festival of Races is ranked as one of the top world-class road races in its league while also raising money for local charities.   From volunteers to participants to spectators, The Crim has developed an incredible amount of community support.   The main goal of helping Michigan Special Olympics has expanded into assisting Big Brother/Big Sisters of Greater Flint, Fair Winds Girl Scouts, Shelter of Flint, Genesee County Literacy Coalition and the Crim Youth Development Program.

A total prize purse of more than $42,000 ensures Crim's prestige as a world class ten mile run. This captures Michigan's best as well as local and nationally known masters runners and wheelers

Age group awards go three deep in fifteen age groups that are now mailed directly to the winners though sponsor UPS. All finishers will receive a medal and will be sent a commemorative souvenir book.

Some notables at this year's race include: On the women's side: Leghzaoni Asmae, Morocco, former 8km world record holder. Lyuubova Denisova and Tatyana Pozdnyakova both Russian and past LA Marathon champions. On the men's side: Linus Maiyo, Kenya, former Crim winner and another Kenyan, Luke Kiplosgei has the fastest 10km runner in the field with 27:12 PR. Two local favorites, Boaz Cheboiywo and Paul Aufdemberg will be competing.

There's still time to register and volunteers are needed as well. Go to www.crim.org or call 810-235-3396 (the volunteer hotline is 810-235-7461).

Contact Doug Kurtis at Detroit Free Press, 600 W. Fort St. Detroit, 48226