O-E's Darling breaks 9 minutes in 3200
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View Mason State Bank 5K photos
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Race for the Cure 5K photos available
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Son raises money for Race for the Cure
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View MSUFCU Race for Place 5K photos
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46 in area finish Boston Marathon
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View 245 Food and Fitness 5K photos
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View photos, adjusted times from the recent MSU Tower Guard Shamrock 5K A total of 460 runners and walkers and one |
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Record numbers for Turkeyman Trot 5K
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Running columns return to State Journal
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Think a 5K would be a great fundraiser? Starting a 5K run/walk is not easy. The following is some information that might make you decide to try a chicken dinner or a bake sale instead. This information can also be helpful for someone looking to improve a race or for someone who has been selected as a new race director for an event. |
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Final 2007 track honor rolls, more Check out the final expanded high school track and field honor rolls featuring regional, league, honor roll and state meet performances as well as the Lansing State Journal dream teams. More high school honor roll meet action photos have also been added to the 242 junior honor roll meet action photos, all taken by Ike Lea. |
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View 298 MSU/Playmakers True Team Invitational photos |
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2008 outdoor track and field |
Ovid-Elsie High School senior Maverick Darling broke 9 minutes with an 8:59 and edged Dexter's Bobby Aprill (9:03) to win the 3200 meter run at the Williamston Invitational on Saturday. The two ran together and crossed the mile in 4:31 before Darling took the lead for good. Click on the link below to see Michigan Track and Cross Country's splits and photos. 
Grant Robison of East Lansing (15:04) was first of 659 runners and walkers, and Missy Darling of Holt (18:50) edged Shannon Audretsch of Okemos (18:59) for top female at Friday's Mason State Bank 5K. The third Playmakers Greater Lansing Race Series event over a 13-day period started and finished near the Ingham County Courthouse in downtown Mason.
One of the links below enables you to view 479 photos taken by Playmakers' Jeff Crowe at last week Sunday's Komen Greater Lansing Race for the Cure 5K. There are also links to a Lansing State Journal story and photos and pictures by Time Frame Photography and by Ike Lea. Nearly 6,700 registered and a link to see times for more than 1,200 runners and walkers who wore a computer chip on their shoe is available below. Jerome Recker (15:42) and Laura Saxton (19:10) of Lansing were the male and female winners over the 3.1-mile course that started and finished in front of the State Capitol in downtown Lansing.
Nine-year-old Cornell Elementary student David Cooper has been raising money in his mom's honor for Sunday's Komen Greater Lansing Race for the Cure 5K. David's mom, Bonnie Thornton, has breast cancer (photo by the Lansing State Journal's Rod Sanford). The Komen Greater Lanisng Race for the Cure 5K is an annual fundraiser to help fund breast cancer prevention research is again the second event in the Playmakers Greater Lansing Race Series. 
Click on the first link below to view 268 photos taken by Playmakers' Jeff Crowe at the MSUFCU Race for the Place 5K on Sunday, April 20. An additional link to pictures taken by Time Frame Photography is listed just below that. B.J. Pankow (16:31) came in ahead of fellow former Williamston star Eric Stuber (17:03) to win his first Playmakers Greater Lansing Race Series event. The top female finishers were Shannon Audretsch of Okemos (18:57) and Lisa Bignall of Haslett (20:22), who edged Maryellen Stornant of Portland (20:25) for top female masters (over age 40) runner.
A total of 46 mid-Michigan runners finished Monday's 112th Boston Marathon. Click on the first link to see the times. Click on the second link for a Lansing State Journal running column written by Dick Miles looking ahead to the marathon and on the link below for Amanda Renkas' look at some of the mid-Michigan Boston Marathon participants. The last link celebrates Miles' 50th marathon and 15th Boston Marathon.
Jerome Recker of Lansing finished first of 549 runners and walkers in the 27th annual Food and Fitness 5K on Saturday, March 29, at Lansing's Hawk Island County Park. He completed a new double-loop 3.1-mile course in 15 minutes, 42 seconds. Jane Enos of Mason (20:08) edged Sharon Becker of Fowler (20:17) and masters (over age 40) champion Christine Vincent of Jackson (20:22) for the female overall title. The course had to be altered due to recent snowy weather that made the Scott Woods trail too wet and slippery for the event.
View 99 photos from Heart Throb 5K
Nick Ballou of Grand Ledge (photo by Ike Lea) was one of the record 828 runners and walkers who completed the Turkeyman Trot 5K on Thanksgiving. Villanova University star Ben Guest of Australia overtook two-time defending champion Nathan Usher of Lansing when he slipped and fell on the riverwalk to win. Ex-Williamston standout Leah Nilsson again came up from Indianapolis to earn her third straight female overall title.
Darling, Armstrong, Jackson claimed MITS state indoor track titles at CMU
Photos by Ike Lea have been added from the MSU/ Playmakers True Team Invitational indoor track and field meet for larger high schools, which was won by the Lansing Eastern boys and Okemos girls. Williamston captured both boys and girls titles in the meet for smaller high schools the following night at Michigan State University's Jenison Fieldhouse. There are also links to a Lansing State Journal story and photos, including the one shown above that features boys 60-meter hurdles 8th-place finisher Clarence Rucker of Okemos.
Click on the links below to see the high school boys and girls track previews that appeared in the Lansing State Journal as well as links to team rankings and some of the fastest times posted throughout the state this spring. (Photo of Sexton's Matt Armstrong courtesy of the Lansing State Journal.)
Track and field honor rolls
For more on high school track and field, see the bottom of the left column.
Mid-Michigan high school honor roll as of 5/9
Junior/middle school track honor roll as of 5/9
Race series photos:
Race for the Place
Race for the Cure
Race for the Cure-Lea
Race for the Cure-teams
Mason State Bank 5K
Team Playmakers |
Team Playmakers 5/5-5/11
| Tuesday, 6 p.m., Michigan Athletic Club lobby- informal walk/run outside.
Tuesday, 6:15 p.m., Mid-Michigan Track Club- at Mt. Hope Cemetery: 3 x 1-mile 2-person relay. Get partners there. Partners run clockwise, then jog back counter-clockwise 1/2-mile to meet partner finishing their 1-mile repeat. Total per person is 3 run miles plus 1 1/2 jog miles. Total for team is 6 miles of running, which is 4 laps around the cemetery.
Tuesday, 6 p.m., Williamston St. Mary's Church- informal walk/run loop of 4 miles. Bathrooms will be available if needed. If you have any questions, e-mail Cheryl at Chansenrun@gmail.com.
Wednesday, 6 p.m., Court One Athletic Club-East- informal walk/run outside
Wednesday, 6 p.m., Injury Clinic- MSU Sports Medicine professionals and physical therapists are on hand at Playmakers to answer your questions on injuries, training, stretching and strengthening. Thursday, 6 p.m., Michigan Athletic Club lobby- informal walk/run outside Thursday, 6 p.m., DeWitt YMCA- informal walk/run loop of 4 miles. If you have any questions, e-mail Mary Pat at walk4sons@aol.com.Saturday, 8:30 a.m., Hawk Island County Park- formal group training session with aid provided. Coaches Steve, Cheryl and Mary Pat will be present. Any distance! Any pace! Sunday, 8:30 a.m., Michigan Athletic Club lobby- informal walk/run outside |
View 204 photos from MORE in NYC
A total of 75 ladies from Team Playmakers competed in the MORE Marathon/Half-Marathon on Sunday, April 6, in New York City. Click below to view results and more than 200 photos taken by Team Playmakers coach Mary Pat Sullivan.
Photos taken by Mary Pat Sullivan | Results
You can still join Team Playmakers
Even though the Team Playmakers has held its kick-off events, anyone can still join at a cost of $80 for new members or $45 for returning members online or during store hours at Playmakers. Runners and walkers receive coaching, team comaraderie and training runs as they prepare for events such as the Fifth Third Bank Riverbank 25K/5K in Grand Rapids on May 10 or Traverse City State Bank Bayshore Marathon/Half-Marathon on May 24.
Early 2008 team flyer | Team page
E-mail Team Playmakers coaches
Contact the coaches (such as Lindsey Drake, who is pictured on the right) with questions regarding Team Playmakers, which is available for walkers and runners of all abilities. Sign up any time at Playmakers to receive coaching, team comaraderie and training runs as preparation for events such as the Fifth Third Bank Riverbank 25K/5K in Grand Rapids on May 10 or Traverse City State Bank Bayshore Marathon/Half-Marathon on May 24.
E-mail Lindsey |E-mail Steve
E-mail Mary Pat | E-mail Cheryl
Lindsey Drake writes in Healthy&Fit
Team Playmakers coach Lindsey Drake contributes stories nearly every month for Healthy & Fit Magazine. Click on the archive page below and then on different articles next to each month's issue to read what she wrote.
Healthy & Fit magazine archive
Other clubs, groups |
MMTC meets on Tuesday nights 
The Mid-Michigan Track Club has switched back to Tuesday night meetings for the warmer months after meeting on Saturdays during the colder months. You can view their schedule by clicking on the link below. There are additional links to other clubs and racing teams.
Mid-Michigan Track Club web site
Portland Running Club web site
Mt. Pleasant Striders Running Club site
MSU Running Club web site
MSU Triathlon Club web site
Lightning Lynx Track Club web site
Frontline Racing Team web site
Healthwise University |
Healthwise University
Playmakers is proud to support the Ingham Regional Medical Centers and Healthwise University.
More information on Healthwise University
Girls on the Run |
Girls on the Run holds finale
The finale for Girls on the Run took place on Nov. 10 at Lansing's Hawk Island County Park. Playmakers is proud to sponsor Girls on the Run, a non-profit prevention program that encourages preteen girls to develop self-respect and healthy lifestyles through running. The curriculum addresses all aspects of girls' development, including their physical, emotional, mental, social and spiritual well-being.
Lansing State Journal story | LSJ photos
More info on Girls on the Run program
How the Girls on the Run program works
More on Greater Lansing Girls on the Run
Cross country |
Playmakers Racing Team 17th of 50 squads at USATF meet in Ohio
The Playmakers Racing team finished 17th of 50 teams in the muddy USATF National Club Cross Country Championships open men's 10K race on Dec. 8, at West 
Chester, Ohio. Grant Robison of East Lansing placed 13th in 32:46 to lead Playmakers. Chuck Block of Lansing took 47th among 50-54 year-olds in the men's masters race for the 10th-place Frontline Racing 50-59 team. (Eric Stuber of Lansing did not compete for the defending champion Frontline 40-49 team, which finished third.)
Photos of Playmakers Racing Team in Ohio
USATF National Club CC Championships
MSU women, Bush 5th in nationals
Senior Nicole Bush of Wyoming, Mich., and the seventh-ranked Big Ten runner-up Michigan State University women's cross country team both finished fifth in the NCAA Division I national meet on Nov. 19 in Terre Haute, Ind. Emily Langenberg of Grand Ledge ran among MSU's top seven in multiple meets this fall. But the freshman finished as the Spartans' ninth runner (and 83rd) in the Big Ten meet and did not compete in the regional or national meet. Taking fifth place among NCAA men's teams was Big Ten champion Wisconsin, where Ovid-Elsie's Maverick Darling is headed next fall.
NCAA Div. I cross country nationals results
More on MSU women's cross country
LCC men win 1st NJCAA Div. I title
The Lansing Community College 
men's cross country team captured its first ever National Junior College Athletic Association Division I title on Nov. 10 in Ina, Ind. The Stars won six NJCAA Division II titles in the 1990s under previous coach Denny Myers. LCC's Chuck Block (far left), who is assisted by James Robinson (far right), was also honored as the NJCAA Division I coach of the year. Key runners for LCC this fall included former Ovid-Elsie star Adam Smith, former Lansing Catholic standout Ian McDowell, David Weeks of Eaton Rapids, former Waverly standout Shae Kermiet and Drew Wilson of Holt.
LCC cross country results page
State Journal story on LCC national title
State Journal story on Coach Chuck Block
LSJ high school dream teams set
The girls and boys cross country dream teams and all-area selections were recently revealed in the Lansing State Journal. A story about the improvement of girls cross country times over the past five years also appeared.
LSJ girls, boys cross country dream teams
LSJ story on girls cross country improvement
Fastest 2007 Mid-Mich cross country times
Fastest 2006 Mid-Mich. cross country times
Fastest 2005 Mid-Mich. cross country times
Fastest 2004 Mid-Mich. cross country times
Fastest 2003 Mid-Mich. cross country times
See 2007 high school cross country page
Ionia teams dedicate Junior Greater Lansing meet to teammate
Wearing a black ribbon in memory of teammate Timothy Baker, Nick Wharry ran the fastest time (10:57) while winning the seventh and eighth grade top seven race at the Junior Greater Lansing Cross Country Championships on Oct. 15 at DeWitt. Baker died the previous Friday while staying home from school ill. The team met that Monday morning and decided to compete in the meet in his memory. Hannah Grischke (12:22) and her Williamston teammates (photo below by Dan Carey of Photo Runner) won the seventh and eighth grade girls top seven race.
Junior Greater Lansing meet results
Junior Greater Lansing award photos
Junior GL early 6th grade race video
Junior GL middle 6th grade video
Junior GL early 7th-8th girls video
Playmakers is now selling MBTs. It a shoe for walking and standing that can help with core strengthening. See the stories and sites below for more information.
State Journal story on MBTs
MBT web site| New York Post story
Houston Chronicle story on MBTs
Good Form level 2 May 12
The next Good Form Running Level 2 clinic is scheduled for Monday, May 12. The session will take place from 6:30-7:45 p.m. at Michigan State's Jenison Fieldhouse. The cost for the Level 2 sessions is $20. As always, the weekly Thursday Level 1 sessions (from 6-7:30 p.m.) are free of charge. Please call (517) 349-3803 or e-mail goodform@playmakers.com to sign up for any session. An additional Level 2 session is scheduled for Monday, May 26. Good Form Running is a Playmakers version of using "proper form" to prevent injuries and run effectively.
Good Form Level 2 brochure
Good Form Level 1 brochure
State Journal on Good Form
Running form techniques
E-mail to sign up for either level
Brooks Addiction 6--$90
Our customers' favorite is available exclusively at Playmakers in men's sizes 7-15 and women's sizes 5-12. Call (517) 349-3803 for more details. The Brooks Addiction has been Playmakers' No. 1 running shoe for the past few years.
Merino wool doesn't itch or absorb odors, keeps you cool in heat, warm in cold
Playmakers employees and customers have been amazed by and strongly recommend garments, apparel and socks made of Merino wool. Unlike your grandmother's wool, it doesn't itch. But it also doesn't absorb odors (so you won't have to wash nearly as often) and it keeps you warm in cold weather and cool in warm weather.
Merino wool article
Brands, products at Playmakers
2008 calendar available
Card stock copies of the 2008 events calendar are available to pick up at Playmakers. You can also download your own copy by clicking on the link below. The back side of the calendar features a spot to enter your mileage each day throughout the year.
2008 Playmakers Event Calendar
2008 Playmakers Training Calendar
2007 road race winners
Fastest 5K, 8K, 10K times of 2007
Fastest times of other years
We can ship products too!
If you are unable to come into our store, please call us at 1-877-467-6537 (1-877-INSOLES) and we would be happy to ship footwear, apparel, accessories or insoles to you.
2008 Playmakers Greater Lansing Race Series
(Click on race series logo for 2008 schedule and information)
2008 series dates:
4/20-MSUFCU Safe Place 5K
4/27-Lansing Race for Cure 5K
5/2-Mason State Bank 5K
5/18-Capitol Bancorp 5K for JA
6/6-Cooley 5K for Education
6/28-Max's Race 5K
7/27-Ele's Race 5K
8/10-Leg it for Life 5K
9/14-DeWitt Trail 5K
9/21-Autumn Classic 8K
9/28-Capital City Half-Marathon
10/5-MSUFCU Dinosaur Dash 5K
2008 standings
after 3 events:
Men's overall
Women's overall
Men's age group
Women's age group
Final 2007 standings:
Men's overall
Women's overall
Men's age group
Women's age group
2003-06 Playmakers Greater Lansing Race Series final standings
2007 race series awards presented, stats
2007 race series page
2003-06 Playmakers Greater Lansing Race Series final standings
Playmakers again among
top 50 running stores
Playmakers again this year, as in 2006, has been recognized as one of the 50 Best Running Stores in America by two leading trade and consumer publications.
Top 50 list and selection criteria
Playmakers featured on cover of April PMA Magazine
Playmakers was featured not only on the cover but also inside with a four-page story and photos in the April issue of PMA magazine. Photo Marketing Association has its headquarters in Jackson, Mich.
Story on Playmakers| PMA site
Playmakers in State Journal after receiving Michigan Retailers Association award
The Lansing State Journal featured Playmakers on the cover of one of its November issues of Business Weekly. In October, Playmakers' owners Judy and Curt Munson were presented with the 2007 Michigan Retailer of the Year award in the medium-sized retailer category by the Michigan Retailers Association.
State Journal business story
Michigan Retailers news release
Playmakers Kids store open
Playmakers Kids opened for the first time on Aug. 31 at the 2297 W. Grand River Avenue site most recently occupied by a couple of coffee shops. Located just east and connected to Playmakers, Playmakers Kids features apparel and footwear for children.
Wednesdays from 6-8 p.m.
If you have sore feet, heels, knees or back or some other injury, come to Playmakers from 6-8 p.m. every Wednesday and talk things over with a sports medicine professional.
Articles on common run injuries
Playmakers receives Runner's World award again
Playmakers has been selected again as a recipent of an annual Runner's World magazine Runner's Choice Award for best in general excellence in its Northeast Central region.
Runner's World article
Playmakers, WLNS-TV honor a team of the week
Each week, WLNS-TV and Playmakers recognize a high school sports team which has accomplished something special.
WLNS team of the week archive
Cycling |
Tri-County Bicycle Assoc.
Whether you enjoy just cycling, want to bike in the DALMAC around Labor Day or want to get into shape for a triathlon, the Tri-County Bicycle Association web site is a good source for information.
Tri-County Bicycle Association
