MILFORD (9/18/04) - Marybeth Reader credited the late John Rogucki for the cool, spectacular weather that helped her win the 15K at 21st annual John Rogucki Memorial Kensington Challenge.

"I didn't know John," said Reader, 35, of West Bloomfield. "But I'm a member of his Road Kill team at the Great Lakes Relay, so I know of his legend. I think he provided us with this beautiful day for running."

Reader also received inspiration from marathon great Doug Kurtis.

"I recognized him ahead of me," she said. "I thought if I could catch him, I'd have really accomplished something. But a runner of Doug's caliber - I think he knows how to finish.'

Reader finished six seconds in back of Kurtis, but had a healthy lead on the rest of the women's field. Reader won in 1:02:11. Masters champ Ann Remmers, 42, of Ann Arbor, was the second woman overall in 1:05:26.

"There was a 49-year-old woman right behind me," Remmers said. "I was worried about her catching me at the end."

Jackie Blair, 49, of Detroit, finished third in 1:06:02. Ellen Nitz, 64, of Milford, was the grand masters champ in 1:18:44.

Central Michigan University graduate Rick Bane, 24, of Howell, won the men's 15K in his first attempt at the Challenge, coming home in 51:47.

"The course is challenging," Bane said. "But for every uphill, there's a downhill. So it's not really a slow course."

Eric Seifert, 31, of Royal Oak, came in second (54:16) and Jonathan Miller, 28, of Whitmore Lake, third (55:39).

Bent Andersen, 41, of Ann Arbor, was the masters champ in 57:26. James Carlton, 61, of White Lake, snatched the grand masters title (58:43).

Dave Furey, 45, of Ann Arbor, finished men's 5K champion in 16:26. "I've run the 5K about five times, and this is the second time I've won it," Furey said.

Michigan State University sophomore Rachel Wodyka, 19, grabbed the women title in 19:54.

Masters champs in the shorter race were David Verbrugge, 43, of Milford (18:05) and Michelle Fields, 45, of South Lyon (20:20). Gerard Malaczynski, 62, of Bloomfield Hills (18:12) and Sharon Rhine, 55, of Fowlerville (29:04) earned grand masters titles.

The Ann Arbor Track Club-coordinated Challenge had 731 runners and walkers this year. For complete results, go to michiganrunner.net. MR