Jazwinski Makes It Three in a Row in Hell
HELL (8/12/06) - An angel (not a fallen one) must have blessed this year's Run thru Hell. Known for its heat, humidity and hills, the Pinckney Running Club- sponsored event enjoyed a heavenly 60-degree morning.

The 2,069 entrants still had to deal with the hills. (The first-mile monsters could make a Himalayan Sherpa wince.) But many, like Katie Jazwinski, 27, of Dexter, thrived on the humidity-free weather.

Jazwinski won her third-straight Run thru Hell 10-mile, whittling her time from 1:02:52 last year to 1:01:54 after surviving a challenge from Sarah Hinkley, 24, of Reading.

"She was right on my tail the whole way," said Jazwinski. "She had me running scared."

Hinkley, a recent Western Michigan University graduate, finished 33 seconds behind Jazwinski in 1:02:27. "For about four miles, we were together," said Hinkley. "Then she started to pull away. My hamstrings were screaming on those hills."

Marybeth Reader, 37, of West Bloomfield, took third in 1:04:32. Krys Brish, 42, of Milford, was women's champ (1:05:04). Jackie Blair, 51, of Detroit, was the top grand master (1:15:32) and Nina Bovio, 60, of Ann Arbor, the senior master queen (1:28:12).

Last year Hansons-Brooks Distance Project runner Marty Rosendahl won the men's 10-mile. This year another Hansons star, Bob Busquaert, 31, of Rochester, triumphed in 53:39. Next came Andy Hass, 28, of Royal Oak (54:50) and Wade Wines, 20, Pinkney (55:03).

"I wanted to get under 54 minutes," Busquaert said. "So my time was great. I like hilly courses because they make you work hard. I'm training for a marathon, so I look for this."

Other winners included master Eric Stuber, 43, of Lansing (57:52), grand master John Tarkowski, 53, of Northville (1:03:34) and senior master Gerard Malaczynski, 64, of Bloomfield Hills (1:04:37).

James Gale, 21, of Allendale, and Andrea Osika, 40, of Waterford, took home victories in the 4.8-mile race.

Gale, a Grand Valley State University runner, battled Mike Hanlon, 21, of Ann Arbor, for almost four miles before winning in 24:36.

"There were tough hills that almost broke me," Gale said. "Having someone with me helped a lot. After three miles I put in a couple surges, but he stuck with me. Eventually I got a little room, but he ran tough and did not give up."

Hanlon finished 10 seconds back in 24:46. Timothy Howse, 19, of Livonia, claimed third in 25:13.

Osika's 31:57 in the women's race was almost a minute better than Amanda McKenzie, 17, of Dexter, second in 32:44. Karen Miller, 21, of Montpelier, Ohio, bagged third (32:55).

Osika, who came with her 15-year-old daughter, Alyssa (36:12), had modest goals entering the race.

"I was just going for the masters win," she said. "When they told me I was the first woman overall, I was shocked."

Masters champs in the 4.8-mile were Jeff Kavalunas, 41, of Big Rapids (29:25) and Julianne Budd, 44, of Hillsdale (36:00). John Newton, 57, of Curtice, Ohio (29:54) and Nancy Munson, 53, of Dexter (36:03) captured grand masters titles. Jim Carlton, 63, of Union Lake (31:27), and Kathleen Morse, 60, of Linden (41:06) grabbed the senior masters.

Harrison Hensley is the longtime Run thru Hell race director. Complete results can be found at www.michiganrunner.net/results/ searchable.html. MR