w

vw

V

V

0

w

U'

SA junior Taylor Manett isn't 300
pounds of muscle or covered in
tattoos. She doesn't talk trash or
throw punches on the field. She doesn't
have 25,000 Twitter followers like former
Michigan offensive tackle Taylor Lewan.
But she has one thing that all big-time ath-
letes need: the drive to succeed. Motivated
athletically, academically and mentally, she
competes on the national scale with the
Michigan women's cross country team.
Between traveling each weekend to dif-
ferent meets - this season, they competed
in Boston, Indiana and Iowa, among other
places - she majors in Neuroscience and
hopes to go to medical school. But accord-
ing to Manett, her ability to balance a rig-
orous academic schedule with running
competitively is natural for most runners.
"It's definitely hard," she said "Youhave
to manage your time very well."
Before racing during championship
season in November, Manett had goals of
earning All Big Ten, All-Regionals and All
American titles - that's top 14, 25 and 40
in each race, respectively. Though Manett
did not achieve this feat, it's hard to believe
running is a mechanism for maintaining

were exhausted, the feeling of accomplish-
ment only amplified their runner's high.
Just after crossing the marathon finish line,
Detroit resident Randall Brown immedi-
ately melted into tears. Catching hisbreath,
Brown said he chose to run the marathon in
honor of his close friend who passed away
earlier this year.
While Brown didn't consider himself a
competitive runner before training for the
Detroit Marathon, his finish time rang in
at 3:27:29 - significantly lower than the
4:16:00 average finish time for men across
all 2013 marathons.
But for Brown, the marathon was not
about the finishing time; it was about hon-
oring his friend.
"It's worth it," he said as his friends and
family surrounded him minutes after he
finished. Though his hands were pressed
against his knees leaning forward and tears
were flowing down his cheeks, his smile
overcame any other emotion he felt. The
runner's highhad enveloped him.
At 66, Brighton, Mich.resident TomClaf-
lin began running marathons eight years
ago to challenge his sons who consistently
compete in the Boston Marathon each year.
After running 20 marathons, Claflin is
drawn to Detroit each year by the race's
unique course. Each year, thousands of

Rosen L
job he sa
story he
thon wir
thing he
"I can
With
impressi
is, of cou
despite I
ning is a
At th
racers ru
Detroit ]
the kind
whole ye

tor sever
ut last ye
>runnins

ent to
more

:o iada,: through the ig pa my liit i is," he sid."It gets rid
Tunnel, through Mexi- of my stress. No matter how late it is, I can't
wn, Greektown, Indian skip my run. It's the one thing I do com-
Isle. With this tour of a pletely by choice."

TI
On a brisk
of exhausted
line of the 201
Bank Marath
the recovery,
Street in dow
had the same,
simultaneous
piness. Cryin
of loved ones
those cheering
runner's high.
Runner's h
peace and re
running or w
high is no m)
the Universit
sured endorpl
runners' brain
before and af
The research

e back to my teammates and city under such intense criticism through-
how I think about it." out the U.S., Claflin noticed its beauty.-
More specifically, Claflin pointed to the
he runner's high beginning of the race. With a 7 a.m. start
time, runners approach mile three and
October morning, thousands glide across the Ambassador Bridge as the
runners crossed the finish sun rises.
14 Detroit Free Press/Talmer "It's terrific," he said at the finish line.
on. As they limped through "Over the bridge with the sunrise and back
area spanning West Fort through the tunnel, it's much better than
ntown Detroit, each entrant anybody who would go through with a car
expression that encapsulated would know."
elation, exhaustion and hap- It's simple. Runners go places. Both
g and falling into the arms physically and mentally, runners attain
,the runners felt something new heights, and for University-alum Zach
g on the sidelines did not: the Ornelas, who ran on the men's cross coun-
try team as a student, running certainly has
igh is a sense of euphoria, taken him far.
elaxation experienced after Beyond traveling with the varsity team
orking out. And the runner's in college, he competed for the United
yth. Dr. Henning Boecker of States in the Mountain Running World
y of Bonn in Germany mea- Championships in Poland, finished several
hin levels in 10 long distance ultra marathons - ranging from 50 to 100
s to see if they were different mile courses - and won the 2013 Detroit
ter they completed long runs. Free Press/Talmer Bank Marathon (He
found there was a noticeable was edged out to finish second this year by

High stakes, low stress
When Ornelas was on the University of
Michigan's cross country team, the amount
of time or distance he would run each day
was certainly not an individual choice.
With training schedules issued to the team
each week, each member works in a coor-
dinated, focused'and driven fashion, with
respect for the team dynamic of the sport.
At the Big Ten Championships in Iowa
City on Nov. 2, the women's cross country
team did not do as well as they anticipated.
Ranked as the first place team nationally
early in the season, the team was expected
to finish either first or second, with their
biggest rival being Michigan State. Due
to an injury keeping their LSA sophomore
Erin Finn, their top runner, out of the race
and sub-par performances from the rest of
the runners, the team placed third - which,
to them, wasn't quite satisfactory.
The disannnintment continuedas .the