Race coordinators Barbarba Bennage, Ed Kozloff and the Motor City Striders were still major influences on the Detroit Free Press Marathons of the early 90's. Mazda came on board to share the title sponsorship during this time period.  The event continued to be an international run starting in Windsor's Jackson Park and racing through the Detroit/Windsor Tunnel across the border.

1990: Participation was up 17 percent to a total of 2,804. Mazda invited employee Wataru Adachi from Japan to compete as a gesture of goodwill.  At the turnaround on Wyoming and Michigan Avenue I made a move on Adachi, mainly to show my mother (who was with the Kurtis family at the 17 mile mark) that I was likely to win. It turned out to be a decisive move. Adachi never recovered and I went on to win by almost 8 minutes with a 2:19:36 finish time.  Barbara Remmers of Brookline, Massachusetts came to qualify for the Women's Olympic Trials.  Her 2:44:56 made it by just 4 seconds. Wheeler Jimmy Green of Loganville, Ga. matched Luke Gingrass rim for rim until the final straightaway.  They smashed the course record set by Gingrass, both finishing in 1:47:07. It was Green's first marathon victory.  Former publisher Neil Shine was seen on the course giving on-the-air updates from the WWJ radio pace car.

1991: Ella Willis was back in form and she outclassed her competitors with a 2:42:49. 3:50 minutes faster than Meg Schneider of Plymouth, Ind.  The cold 31 degrees at the start did stop me from getting my fifth straight Detroit victory and another sub 2:20. John Steinberg gamely hung on until late in the race. Wheelchair competition for both men and women was a rim to rim fight to the finish and a huge breakthrough in course record times.  Daniella Jutzeler of Switzerland becoming the first women's wheeler to break 3 hours. Her 1:59:45 was just 4 seconds ahead of Ann Walters. Kenny Carnes and Phillippe Couprie went across the Wright and Filippis sponsored tape in 1:38:38 with Carnes getting the edge.

1992: The course got a new face-lift. Suggestions from runners and knowledgeable experts encouraged Bennage to remove the long stretch down Michigan Avenue. She also switched the finish to Hart Plaza to make the event more accessible to spectators. Bob Stolz was over 300 yards ahead of me at the Redford Roadrunner's 22 mile morale station. My club's look of disappointment turned to awe when I passed them again at mile 24 some 200 yards in the lead. Another master's runner, Karen Hubbard proved to be the class of the field as she easily outpaced Kim Bruce, completing the race in 2:45:21. It turned out to be the last Freep Marathon victory for both of us. Of interest was appropriately named Hope Murphy of Holly who finished the marathon dressed in a bridal outfit in her quest to find a husband.

1993: No route changes but new faces in the winner's circle. Peter Maher from Toronto overcame a sore foot to outpace Don Johns and myself. Running conservatively, his 2:19:53 was the only time under 2:20. Amy Legaki of Ann Arbor coasted to a 2:43:07 win after surmounting a sizable lead over second place finisher Kim Goff of Greenville, Rhode Island. Scott Hollonbeck and Debbie Lapante won the wheelers divisions.