Crystal Lake Team Marathon race director Paul Szymanski (right) giving start-line instructions.
BEULAH (8/13/05) - The silver-anniversary Crystal Lake Team Marathon was a mirror experience.

Water reflected runners circling clockwise, consulting watches. You saw the same people at the start, four exchange zones and finish, where you started.

You could look in them, and yourself, and see fun and energy of an odyssey shared with competitors and friends in the great outdoors.

Michigan has untold eccentric races that have their own logic and, through time, become don't-miss classics. The Crystal Team Marathon is one.

The 25th installment drew 115 five-member teams to tackle a course of four five-mile legs and a closing 10K.

One year I lined up for Leg One against Michigan legends Dathan Ritzenhein, Tim Moore, Tim Ross, Team Hansons members, girls from Rockford's distance dynasty, other NCAA All-Americans ... and these were only the leadoff runners.

The 2003 race - which drew 93 teams to tiny-but-lovely Beulah - was second-best in quality on the planet, according to "Relay Fred" Vanhala. The world championship team marathon edged it out.

Val Kunde and her dog Bailey run for Team Alewife.
Yet slowpokes like me run it. Young and old, fast and slow, men and women compete with no prize money, chip times, bibs to pin on or batons to pass (teammates simply slap teammates' hands).

Cleanse your lungs with Crystal air and your soul with sunsets, enjoy camaraderie in a sport based on sweat and solitude, splash off after in celebration ... and you'll know why.

In this year's Washboard Young Abs Division, Aquinas College-based AQ's Hawks of a Feather (2:16:38) was first of six teams to finish within two minutes. Others represented Notre Dame, Grand Valley State and Central Michigan universities, and Division 3 power Calvin College.

Coed winner was Team Ramrod (2:35:07). The top all-women entry was Blazin' Blondes (2:52:48).

Other teams boasted humbler/more-realistic names such as slugs, Chelsea Pain Lovers, Snail's Pace Trotters, We'd Rather Be Knitting and Let's Blame Canada. I'm not sure what the latter's grudge was, but they were good.

Picture post-race awards at Beulah's beautiful lakefront park, laughter, cheesecake, pizza and a sense you have passed through the looking glass, come full circle, and you'll know why this race just gets better.

Here's to 25 years more. MR