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|  Detroit Free Press / Flagstar Bank Marathon Fast Times, Record Field on Perfect Day in Detroit By Tom Henderson January 2006 Michigan Runner
Gordeev, 32, a native of Minsk in the former Soviet Republic of Minsk,
ran by himself for most of the way, taking off at the two-mile mark and
demolishing the field. He finished in 2:14:59 and won $7,000 - $5,000
for finishing first and a $2,000 bonus for breaking 2:17.
Jim Jurcevich, a former member of the Hansons' running team now
living in Ohio and a self-described amateur runner who works full-time
managing a valet parking company, ran an admirable second in
2:17:44, finishing 64 seconds ahead of Charles Karmindo of Kenya.
"He was just too fast," said Jurcevich, adding when Gordeev threw in a
withering surge just 10 minutes into the race, "we had to let him go.
Obviously he was feeling good. I wasn't ready to run a 2:15. All you can
do is hope that he'll go out too hard and you can get him later."
The only "later" was Gordeev, who finished second last year, saying
"Later, dudes," as he rocketed off.
In the women's race, Wioletta Kryza thought she was about to suffer
through deja vu. Three weeks earlier, as she was running the Akron
Marathon, cramping pain in her left thigh knocked her from first to
second. When it began acting up again, at the 15-mile mark in Detroit,
she feared the worst.
But the 37-year-old Pole ran through the pain, it didn't get worse, and
she crossed the finish line wearing a huge smile, her time of 2:40:46
good for a nearly two-minute margin over Elena Orlova of Russia
(2:42:33).
Had the leg pain not kicked in, Kryza might have threatened the 2:34:16
course record set by Orlova last year, which she was on pace to break
midway.
Her slowdown caused long minutes of concern for her coach, Leen van
den Ende, who kept eyeing his watch and expressing concern to media
members. "I hope she isn't cramping, again," he said. She was, but no
matter.
It was Kryza's 24th marathon win, one made more memorable by the
course. "I like this race," she said. "It was very fun to run in two countries.
Races in America are different, because the land usually is very rolly. In
Europe, marathon courses are normally flat."
Sarah Plaxton of Highland was the first American, finishing fourth in
2:51:25.
The top masters marathoners were Julie Harding, of Lindsborg, Kan.,
fifth overall in 2:55:03, and Peter Power of Paradise, Newfoundland, in
2:36:18.
Seventeen wheelchair racers and 19 handcyclists entered the
marathon. John Enrietto, 43, of Ft. Wayne, Ind., led the handcyclists in
1:41:03, just four seconds ahead of Alain Bampel, a Cameroon native
now living in Los Angeles. There were no women handcyclists entered.
Josh Cassidy, 20, of Pt. Elgin, Ontario, led the para wheelers in 1:44:33,
less than a minute ahead of Tyler Byers, 23, of Tucson. Ian Rice, 31, of
Pittsburgh, led the quads in 2:20:32, with Bryan Kirkland, 34, of Leeds,
Ala., second in 2:24:14. The legendary Jimbo Boyd, back in his
hometown from Georgia as always for this event, was third in 3:56:01.
Melanie Hawtin, 17, of Oakville, Ontario, was the first of two women in
her first marathon, in 2:28:18, with Christy Campbell, 22, of Kitchener,
Ontario, next in 3:27:51.
About 4,000 ran the marathon, with another 9,000-plus running the half-
marathon, 5K or marathon relay.
Ryan Desgrange of Belleville topped the men in the half, in 1:12:09,
with Kimberly Peterson of Farmington beating the women in 1:26:50.
Richie Brinker of Clarkston won the 5K in 14:55, with Denisa Costescu
of Wixom topping the women in 18:49.
For complete results, Internet TV shows and more about this year's
Freep marathon, visit http://michiganrunner.tv/2005detroit/ MR 50 Before 50:
Motown Latest on Marathon All-States Quest Article
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