Leigh Daniel won the Solstice Run
In 1999, as a redshirt junior at Texas Tech University, Leigh Daniel captured NCAA track titles at 10,000 meters outdoors and 5,000 meters indoors. During her senior year she set track PRs of 32:46 and 15:59 at those distances.

In recent years Daniel, an eight-time All-American in track and cross country, has focused on longer distances.

"I think the marathon is my best distance," said the 27-year-old, one of Michigan Runner's three 2005 Female Runners of the Year.

"It's genetics. I think my particular set of fast-twitch muscles is more suited for the marathon than shorter races," she explained.

Daniel has her eye on the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing. "I want to qualify for Olympic Team in the marathon," she said.

Daniel ran her best marathon to date when she finished third overall and first among Americans at the 2004 Detroit Free Press Marathon, clocking a 2:46:47.

She hurt a hamstring and failed to finish the Twin Cities Marathon in September, but did well in just about every other race she ran in 2005.

On Jan. 31 she finished fourth overall at the 3M Half Marathon in Austin, Texas in a PR 1:16:15. On Sept. 5 she was eighth in the New Alliance 20K Road Race in New Haven, Conn. in 1:13:29.

"Both races were U.S. championships and super-competitive," Daniel said. "I was thrilled with the way I ran."

Dot McMahan finished two seconds behind Daniel at New Haven and has trained with her in the past.

"We were going back and forth the last few miles and Leigh outkicked me," McMahan remembered. "She finished eighth and I finished ninth. Leigh has very quick legs, but has the endurance to be a great marathoner as well."

Daniel had what she considers her best race of 2005 at the Fifth Third River Bank Run 25K May 8 in Grand Rapids, where she finished first among Michigan women in 1:32:31.

"It was one of those magical races where everything came together," she said. "I felt good from the very beginning to the very end." Daniel also ran well in shorter races such as the Solstice Run 10K in Northville, which she won in 37:46, and the Johnny Cake 5 Mile in Ohio, where she was fifth (29:30).

Daniel, who grew up in Lubbock, Texas, came to Michigan in 2003 to compete for the Hansons-Brooks Distance Project.

Jennifer DeRego, another Hansons-Brooks star, trained with her and occasionally picked her brain. "Leigh taught me how to run in the snow," said DeRego, who grew up in California.

Late last summer Daniel and her boyfriend, Nick Cordes, moved to Ohio to coach cross country and track at Ashland University.

"I knew coaching was what I wanted to do long-term," Daniel said. "Now I'm getting a chance to do that."

Though she moved to Ohio, Michigan hasn't seen the last of her. "The Michigan racing scene is great. I'll definitely come back to race," she said.

"Leigh has a great personality," said McMahan. "She's fun to run with and very upbeat. She's an excellent Female Runner of the Year." MR