INDEPENDENCE TOWNSHIP (10/9/05) - It's not the stairway to heaven, but that last big hill near the end of the Hidden Forest 8.5-Mile Trail Run sure can take your breath away.

"It goes up, then turns," said Greg Thomas, 36, of Clio. "Then it goes up more and turns again. Then it goes straight up. You don't know if it's ever going to end."

"It keeps going and going," added Ryan Piippo, 27, of Royal Oak. "But it's where I won the race."

Piippo passed Thomas, who had led during much of the race through Independence Oaks County Park, trekking up that hill.

"He got me near the top," Thomas said. "I was dead at that point. Then he took off on the downhill.

"By the time I got my breath back, he was 30 yards ahead. Then he had a real impressive last mile. I think I broke 5:40, but I couldn't keep up with him."

Piippo won in 49:23, while Thomas took second in 50:20. Masters champ Rich Power, 41, of Rochester, finished in 54:13.

"I'm a cross country coach (at Royal Oak Kimball High School) and we've been doing lots of hills," Piippo said. "So I was ready for them today."

Women's winner Malissa Lauderbaugh, 36, of Flint, was ready for the hills as well.

"My previous trail runs were 50-mile ultras and marathons," said Lauderbaugh, who finished in 58:35. "This is the shortest trail race I've done."

Next came Gianna Lete, 36, of Ann Arbor (1:02:12) and Molly Brinker, 29, of Clarkston (1:01:26). Liz Hendershott, 40, of Ortonville, was the top women's master in 1:02:34.

Brinker's husband, Richie Brinker, 29, of Clark-ston, claimed the men's 5.5-mile race in 26:05, seven seconds slower than his winning time here last year.

Roxanne Carr, 28, of Troy, took the women's 5.5-mile title in 40:25.

"I ran cross country races here (for Brandon High School) years ago," said Carr. "I always love coming back to Independence Oaks."

Tops in the 2.5-mile race were Ron Marvin, 44, of Farmington Hills (14:35) and Tina Gazda, 41, of Marysville (17:37). Winning 2.5-mile walkers were David Diem, 62, of Fenton (27:54) and Lori Lindquist, 39, of Montrose (24:04).

The Riverbend Striders coordinate this trail run, which drew 468 participants. For complete results, go to www.gaultracemanagement.com. MR