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34 October 27 - 2011
eginner's luck had noth-
ing to do with Abby
Maroko's accomplish-
ments at the 34th annual Detroit
Free Press Marathon.
In her first marathon — in
fact, her first distance run-
ning race — the 20-year-old
University of Michigan junior
finished the demanding 26.2-
mile course in three hours, 14
minutes and 43 seconds.
The time placed her fifth in the Abby Maroko, center, flanked by her
women ages 20-24 division, 25th parents, Beth and Eli Maroko, and uncle
and aunt Yakov and Armonite Rozenberg.
among all females, and 161st
overall. There were 3,454 finish-
Scholarship Winner Likes U-M
ers, including 1,334 females, on a day
Ari Cicurel hoped to play lacrosse at
runners battled rain, wind and cold.
"The weather didn't matter. Nothing Swarthmore College, near Philadelphia.
But he didn't get accepted despite
was going to stop me," she said.
great grades at Bloomfield Hills Andover
Maroko was a four-year basket-
High School, so he turned to his second
ball player at West Bloomfield High
choice, the University of Michigan.
School. After her dream of playing
Not going to Swarthmore has turned
basketball for U-M was squashed last
out to be a blessing in disguise.
year when she didn't make the team
Cicurel is very happy at U-M, even
as a walk-on, she decided to channel
though playing lacrosse is out of the ques-
her competitive fire into running.
tion because the university has elevated
Her training transitioned from a
the program from a club to varsity status
hobby to a passion this summer, and
and is recruiting higher-level athletes.
she decided to run in the Detroit
He's on an academic path to law
marathon.
school, he's closer to his family and
Not even an injury could stop her
friends, and it took only a short drive to
from competing. Two days before the
come home for the High Holidays.
Oct. 16 race, her right foot was in a
"I didn't have to get on a plane in
boot because of an Achilles tendon
Philadelphia': he said.
problem. The boot came off the day
Another benefit of attending U-M is
of the marathon, and the injury didn't
he'll be at the Michigan Jewish Sports
bother her when she was running.
Hall of Fame induction dinner Monday,
Her goal was to run the marathon
Nov. 7, at Congregation Shaarey Zedek in
in three hours and 30 minutes. If all
Southfield, his home synagogue.
went well, she hoped to finish in 3:20.
Cicurel will be hon-
As she began to run, she said, she
ored at the dinner as the
realized she'd underestimated how
winner of the $1,500
much she'd trained and she pushed
Bill Hertz Memorial
herself in the final three miles to
Scholarship presented
reach the finish line in 3:15.
by the Michigan Jewish
The race took a lot out of her. She
Sports Foundation,
was sore several days afterward, and
which sponsors the Hall
she was suffering from plantar face-
of Fame.
tious in her right foot.
Ari Cicurel
A West Bloomfield
But she plans to continue running
resident, Cicurel gradu-
marathons and hopefully compete
ated from Andover with a 3.8 grade point
in the 2013 Boston Marathon. She's
average.
qualified thanks to her time in the
He was a four-year goalie for Andover
Detroit Marathon.
lacrosse, earning All-State Honorable
Maroko said her family has been
Mention and team defensive MVP awards
very supportive of her running. Her
when he was a junior and senior. He also
parents Eli and Beth cheered her on
was a team co-captain both years.
in person at the Detroit Marathon.
For tickets to the Hall of Fame dinner,
And through the marathon app on
contact David Blatt at (248) 592-9323 or
their iPhones, brothers Jordan, 25,
dlbatt@michiganjewishsports.org.
and Alex, 23, kept track of her prog-
ress in California, where they live.
Send news to sports@thejewishnews.com .