TRAVERSE CITY (1/24/04) -- Fifty-six entrants from several states vied in this year's Bigfoot Boogie 10K regional snowshoe-running championship. Another 106 ran the 5K. Both races took place at Timber Ridge Resort.

At the start command, the field sprinted down a packed ski trail for about 200 yards. Then the flagged route turned and headed cross country through two feet of powdery snow.

Here's where the going got rough, as runners labored to keep their balance while trying to maintain speed. Now and then the route swung back onto the packed trail, allowing stronger runners to pass others who were faltering. But most of the race was done single file through the untracked snow.

Herb Lindsay, America's top road runner during the early 1980s, won the 5K, finishing in 28:22. Kevin Deyo (28:53) and 56-year-old Dave Foley (32:31) rounded out the top three.

Leah Zimmer (36:19) was women's 5K champion. Next came Kerry Miller (38:25) and Sue Burns (39:03). Mike Decker from Traverse City blasted through the two-loop 10K course in 52:58, more than a minute ahead of Marshall Randall (54:02) and Robert Havemen (55:06).

Top 10K women were Sara Williams (1:13:20), Tere Stouffer-Drenth (1:14:01) and Kelly Fidler (1:14:56).

The top 10 finishers in the 10K open and masters age groups qualifed for the U.S. Snowshoe Association National Championships March 7 at Lake Tahoe, Calif. MR