This year, October 20, 2002, is the 25^th Anniversary of the Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Bank International Marathon. Today will be the first in a series of articles over the next eight months that will bring back some of the history of the event.

A precursor to the Free Press Marathon was the Motor City Marathon, which began on Thanksgiving Day in 1963. Put on by the Michigan Road Runners, which later became the Motor City Striders, the race ran 4 ¾ loops around Belle Isle until the Free Press took over in 1978. Inspiration for the Free Press sponsorship came from then publisher Neil Shine.  Neil had just witnessed the Woods Hole to Falmouth road race in Massachusetts. Neil got a big thrill out of watching his nephew's high school teammate finish second, He turned out to be future marathon world record holder Alberto Salazar. Neil wanted to see the enthusiasm he saw from both the runners and spectators recreated here in Detroit. With his efforts participation in Detroit and Windsor jumped from 428 to 1942.

A major change in the course may have also had a lot to do with the increase in participation. It was sports writer Ladd Newman who suggested that the race cross the borders of Canada and the USA. In 1978, runners began the race on Riverside Drive in Windsor and ran to Detroit by completing the first underwater mile, which was the Detroit/Windsor Tunnel.  According Neil Shine, "the original idea was to use the Ambassador Bridge and the Tunnel. When the Bridge Company turned us down we went to the Tunnel Company and didn't leave their office until we got the OK." Thus was born the International Marathon.

Some runners were concerned about the air quality in the tunnel. But Tunnel authorities assured the Free Press that they would pump a million and a half cubic feet of air from its ventilating systems to reach carbon monoxide levels far lower than required for someone working an eight-hour shift.

Neil's vision was carried out with the help of the Motor City Striders and the direction of club president Ed Kozloff and Free Press coordinator Molly Anderson In addition to the Tunnel, the race course looped through the picturesque homes of the Grosse Points where the spectators came out in droves.

Probably the only glitch remembered from the run was coming onto Belle Isle and running past the finish line for another mile before coming back to complete the race at the Belle Isle Casino. On the bright side, there was plenty of room for family and friends to layout on the park grass in front of the fountain while listening to the 250 member U of M marching band perform.

Bob McOmber a teacher from Bowling Green, Ohio and Erma Tranter a former Detroiter, Ohio became the first Winners of the International Marathon. Other notables that competed the race were Fun Run race directors Emily Gale and Herb "Pooh" Squires who held hands at some point during each mile. The oldest finisher and former Michigan Runner of the Year was Ed Wiberg at 71 years old.

Upcoming event: March 10, 2002, Shamrocks and Shenanigans 5km, Ann Arbor, 10:30 am CONTACT: Larry Bostwick (734) 623-9640 or email: [email protected]