We choose Runners of the Year based on points awarded for performances in the Michigan Runner Race Series. During his tenure as editor, Dave Foley developed the point system we have continued for Open and Masters divisions.

Performances in the Fifth Third River Bank Run 25K, Crim Festival of Races 10 Mile and Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Bank Marathon earn double points.

For the Senior Division, we used age-graded scoring last year for the first time. We also used only the top 10 scores for each contender in the 11 races.

In choosing series races, we look for events which award prize money and strike a balance with state geography and the calendar. After each race through September, we reported standings in our weekly email newsletter, Michigan Running News. Table 1 shows races in the series and points awarded for each.

Mike Scannell's 245 points for seven races put him clearly on top in both Open and Masters divisions. Chris Glowacki chased Scannell in five of the eight races he ran to place second in both divisions with 155 points.

Ryan Shay, Boaz Cheboiywo and Esteban Vanegas placed third in the Open Division with top state finishes in double-point races, but did not enter other series races. David Watkins finished third among men's Masters with 65 points in six races.

Jim Carlton, who ran in all 11 events, topped fellow Senior Gerard Malaczynski in age-graded standings at each of the five events they both entered. Scott LIversedge had a terrific year, placing third in the Senior standings despite running only three series races.

Among the women, Laurie Decker -- overall Runner of the Year in 2002 --missed several of this year's MR races in order to run in the Standard Federal Bank 10K series. She did enter six of our races to win the Masters crown with an overwhelming 115 points. She scored 75 Open points as well.

Nancy Schubring's 50 points and Monica Joyce's 35, both for two events, placed them second and third among women Masters.

Laura Ankrum scored 110 in five races to capture the Open tile, despite getting no points for her very close fourth-place finish at the Crim. Janet Becker was second Open finisher, scoring 85 in three races.

Liz Lancaster's 15 points, tallied in five events, earned her our Senior Divison title. Karen Benardino scored 10 in two races; Diane Arbanas and Ellen Nitz amassed nine points each.

We'll honor Michigan's top performers in events nationwide with the Best of Times feature in our March/April 2004 issue. MR