SAUGATUCK (4/17/04) -- Hear ye! Hear ye! A new race comes to idyllic Saugatuck in the spring to complement the Mt. Baldhead Challenge in the fall. Hear ye! Hear ye!

The Saugatuck town crier, dressed in knickerbockers, vest and a Yankee Doodle hat, rings a bell to start the Saugatuck Town Crier 5K. Hear ye! Hear ye!

A trio of biker mama and papas, dressed in leather and nursing the throttles of Harley Davidsons, lead the lead runners through the curves and turns and ups and downs of a course on city streets. Hear ye! Hear ye!

Ribbons are given to the swiftest by category.

Pre-race flyers suggested results of the first Town Crier would not be categorized and awards would go only to overall men's and women's winners. But race organizers, hearing from runners about the plan's shortcomings, realized the wisdom of spending a little money to make a little more money. They had ribbons ready to hand out after the race. During the week leading up to the event, Jose Santos, Town Crier co- founder with wife Sherrie, described his virgin entry into race organization as a learning experience.

"We're planning to do the Town Crier every year," Santos said. "The first time is hard. The next times are easy." Sherrie waxed poetical on the race's setting: "When Saugatuck's own town crier sounds the bell, it's off on a tour of the historic city. The course takes a windy route all through Saugatuck, giving meaning to the name, 'Town Crier.'"

Indeed, the adult 5K run and walk, starting a half hour after a kids' race, covered a twisting and roller-coaster route over lakeside topography. The field of runners, short by about 50 of a hoped-for 200 entrants, faced enough climbing to discourage a yield of PRs.

But competitors familiar with the 15K Mt. Baldhead Challenge, featuring a 282-stair climb up a sand dune, then wooded trails, could console themselves by thumbing their noses at the fall race's eponymous dune rising across the harbor.

The spring race, too short to send runners around the harbor to Mr. Baldhead, was not that big a crier.

Saugatuck High School's Tricia Rozeboom, 16, and Saugatuck's Jim Springer, 38, won overall championships on the women's and men's sides in times of 22:59 and 18:11, respectively.

The event culminated with a spirit of camaraderie, runner awards, refreshments, massages, a raffle drawing and opportunities for downtown shopping in a resort Mecca.

Organizers posted results from a hand-held timer on www.classicrace.com. Proceeds from entry fees went to Saugatuck Public Schools, Tri-Community Recreation and the Saugatuck Area Business Association.

Santos said his pre-race mailing list came from Baldhead organizers.

"We have a lot of information from them," he said. "We need an event in the spring. We need something to bring people in."

The city's town crier might have something to say about that.

Hear ye! Hear ye!

Now Saugatuck has a bookend set of annual races.

Hear ye! Hear ye!

Heed the call of the Mt. Baldhead Challenge.

Hear ye! Hear ye!

Heed the call of the Town Crier too . MR