Smeltzer Smokes 'Em Again
PLYMOUTH (6/19/05) - Oops, she did it again.

Calling them "just training runs," Rebekah Smeltzer, 16, racked up three more victories at the 26th annual Plymouth Family YMCA Father's Day Run.

The Monroe Jefferson High School junior-to-be won the women's mile, 5K and 10K for the second year in a row. The last time Smeltzer failed to win at Plymouth was in 2003, when she came in second in the mile, then swept the two longer competitions. She has won her last eight- straight races here.

"I just kind of went out and ran," Smeltzer said and shrugged.

Another 16-year-old, Kayla Duke of Linden, took second in the women's mile. Marybeth Reader, 36, of Orchard Lake, was runner-up in the 5K and 10K.

"She (Smeltzer) was talking with a guy the whole way, so I don't think she put forth as much effort as she could have," said Reader after the 10K.

"She's amazing," Reader said.

With times of 5:43 in the mile, 18:24 for the 5K and 39:36 in the 10K, Smeltzer was the obvious winner of the MDG Triple Race. Second was Reader with 5:52 for the mile, 19:08 for 5K and 40:00 for 10K.

The men's Triple Race champion was Greg Thomas, with wins in the mile (4:59) and 10K (36:16). Thomas, 36, of Clio, added fourth in the 5K (17:37). Chris Machniak, 30, of Flint, was second in the triple with a 5:00 mile, 17:48 5K and 38:09 10K.

"I've never won the Triple before," said Thomas, "but I've always placed in the top three when I've run it. So this is nice.

"I just went out with the group," he said of his 10K win. "I took off at about three miles and no one went with me. I held my pace, then picked it up the last quarter-mile."

Tim Emmett, 49, of Royal Oak, finished second in the 10K in 36:42.

Chris Pankow, 17, won the 5K in 16:43, beating his brother, B.J. Pankow, 21 (16:52), who took second.

"We decided that this would be our first official showdown," Chris Pankow said.

The Williamston siblings were thrilled to both finish under 17 minutes. "I'm just coming off my high school track season, so I'm in pretty good shape," Chris said. "He (B.J.) did the Bayshore Marathon May 28, so he's still a bit fried from that."

"I ran 17:52 here last year when I was hung over. This was a much better experience," B.J. said.

The Pankows' father, Ken, also competed. "This could be our new Father's Day tradition," Chris said.

Reader, like the Pankows, brought her whole family to the run. Her husband, Bill, ran all three races. Daughters Olivia, 11, and Charlotte, 7, ran the mile.

"This is a lot of fun," Marybeth said. "It's worth getting up early on Father's Day morning to do this. But no breakfast in bed for dad. Just a PowerBar, glass of water and off we go!"

Complete race results can be found at www.gaultr cemanagement.com. MR