The Crim . . .
The Crim 10-Mile Road Race is recognized by Runner's World as one of the top 100 U.S. road races and by RRCA's Footnotes Magazine as one of the "20 Great Races Across the Nation" in 2002. As a member of USATF and Running USA, the Crim is a professionally organized and sanctioned race that is celebrating its 26th run. Second only to the Race for the Cure, the Crim is the largest road race in Michigan, with running and walking events in 4 distances: 10-Mile, 8K, 5K, and 1 Mile. The Teddy Bear Trot for children attracts over 1,000 kids each year.

In USA Track & Field record book, the Crim 10-Mile is noted for its 23 single-age records (14 women's and nine men's), four age group records: Cathy O'Brien (51:47, open), Laurie Binder (56:05, 40-44). Barbara Filutze (59:14, 45-49) and S. Rae Baymiller (1:02:01, 50-54) and a Masters All-Comers (John Campbell, 47:55).

The name of this event changed from the Crim Road Race to the Crim Festival of Races in 1992.

Looking Back . . .
The Crim was started by and named for the former state House Speaker Bobby Crim in 1977. It began as a find-raising event for Michigan Special Olympics; today there are six charities involved with Crim; Area XIII Special Olympics, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of greater Flint, Fair Winds Girl Scout Council, Shelter of Flint, Genesee County Literacy Coalition, and the Crim Youth Development Program.

The coolest starting temperature on race day was 52 degrees in 1997, nine degrees cooler than the 1996 record low of 61 degrees. The warmest temperature was 90 degrees in 1977, when the race began at noon. The 90 percent humidity of 1999 sent a record number of patients to the Crim medical tent. The average Crim race temperature is 67 degrees.

The fastest men's time in the Crim Road Race is 45:43. The record was set by Kenya's Joseph Kamau in 1996.

The fastest women's running time is 51:47, set by Cathy O'Brien in 1989.

Herb Lindsay and Lisa Rainsberger (ne Weidenbach), Catherine Ndereba and Tetyana Pozdynakova are the Crim's 'winningest' winners. Lindsay won the men's division in 1979, 1980 and 1981, Rainsberger won the women's division in 1986, 1987 and 1988, Ndereba won the women's open division in 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002 and Pozdynakova won the women's masters division in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2002.

Wheelers
In 1979, Bill Sills wheeled the Crim in 1:53:54 and became the first wheel chair athlete in a major racing event. In 1991, the elite University of Illinois wheeling team participated in the Crim for the first time, enhancing the competitive field and nationally known wheel chair athletes.

Today's racers use 3-wheeled, state of the art chairs, which weigh 12-15 pounds, are equipped with hand brakes and cyclocomputers and cost about $2,000 new.

The Crim Course and world record for the wheeler 10-mile division was set in 2001 by Krige Schabort with a time of 35:18. The women's Crim wheeling record is held by Jean Driscoll, who wheeled the course in 43:20 in 1994.

In 2002
Total participation in the 2002 Crim was 14,227.

The 25th running of the Crim 10-Mile Race produced a record number in that race at 6,789.

The top counties in terms of resident participation in the Crim were Genesee, Oakland, Wayne, Macomb, Livingston, Bay and Washtenaw.

Crim participants in 2002 represented 48 states and 11 countries.

2002 Winners
Simon Rono Male Kenya 47:13

Catherine Ndereba Female Kenya 52:09

Andrew Masai Masters Male Kenya 49:33

Tatyana Pozdynyakova Masters Female Ukraine 58:10

Krige Schabort Wheelers Men (Para) U.S. 39:05

Tricia Downing Wheelers Female (Para) U.S. 1:04:49

Bert Burns Wheelers Men (Quad) U.S. 1:09:33

Crim 2003
This is 27th running of the Crim!

The Crim Race will be scored, once again, by Gault Race Management with the ChampionChip Timing System. Runners will secure the "chip" with their shoelace. This mini transponder allows the Crim to provide state of the art accuracy in timing and quick results.

The Flint Journal Post Race Party will once again have free concerts during Crim Weekend and will featuring One Pump Daisy at 8:00 p.m. on Friday night. Saturday morning will hop with the return of the One Pump Daisy at 9:30 a.m. succeeded by Rev. Right Time and the First Cousins of Funk at 1:00 p.m. DJ/ Black Tie Productions will spin favorites throughout the day. The Crim will continue its annual Food Fest on Saturday from 9a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Crim Sports & Fitness Expo will have more than 50 local and national vendors providing information, samples and the sale of nutritional supplements, cutting edge running gear, shoes and of course, Crim souvenir merchandise. Everything for your health and fitness needs!

Crim Course entertainment sponsored by Bank One will feature several volunteer entertainers and groups along the 10-Mile, 8K, 5K, and Teddy Bear Trot routes.

NEW THIS YEAR! On Saturday afternoon, the "Keep On Keepin' On" Black American Festival, featuring authentic arts, crafts and food for the whole family. Join us at 6:00 p.m.

2003 Sponsors
10-Mile: ACDelco

10-Mile Wheelers McLaren Health Care

8K Run: HealthPlus of Michigan

5K Run: The Home Depot

8K Walk & Racewalk:

5K Walk: Genesys Health System

1-Mile Run: Citizens Bank Charitable Foundation

1-Mile Fun Walk UAW Local 598

Teddy Bear Trot

Festival Sponsors: The Flint Journal

Health & Fitness Expo

Finish Line Sponsor State Farm Insurance

Course Entertainment Bank One

Pasta Party and Pep Rally

Youth Development Program Coca-Cola

Training Program Media Sponsor WJRT-ABC12

Crim Training Center Hurley Health & Fitness Center

Official Race Communications Nextel

Children's Activity Tent McDonalds

Official Timing Sponsor Koegel's

Special Thanks To:
University of Michigan-Flint

Consumers Energy

Riverbend Striders

Olmsted Associates

City of Flint

Who's Counting?
The Pasta Party will include masses of food catered by Italia Gardens: - 500 pounds of pasta - 60 gallons of sauce - 5,000 pounds of lettuce

In order to ensure the Crim's success, the following will be on-hand race day: - 140,000 cups - 350 banquet table - 8,000 feet of rope - 6,500 feet of fencing - 60,000 safety pins - 8 ambulances - 200 medical personnel - 11 aid stations with 50 volunteers at each. - 178 closed intersections - 512 traffic control volunteers

The Crim Festival of Races is located at 110 Mott Foundation Building, Flint, MI 48502, and our phone number is (810) 235-3396. We can be reached via e-mail at crim@flint.org or for more information you can check out our website at www.crim.org.