FRANKENMUTH (7/4/03 -- Participants in the 28th-annual Volkslaufe 20K had one thing on their minds as they awaited the race start.

It wasn't the previous night's festivities -- which included fireworks, spaghetti dinner and runners' flea market. It wasn't the opportunity to line up at the keg for post-race "carbo-loading," nor the abundance of lederhosen worn by everyone from the polka band to the mayor.

Runners' more-immediate concern was the race-time temperature of 83 degrees, coupled with 89-percent humidity. Those conditions, plus the absence of traditional Volkslaufe favorites Keith Stopen and Kyle Baker, made results difficult to predict.

Hansons Olympic-development team members Michael Fox and Trent Briney, both 24, led a large front pack from the gun. The pair ran together through 10K as others fell back, victims to the heat.

Soon conditions took their toll on Briney too. Fox, holding pace, pulled away to win this year's Michigan Runner 20K championship in 1:07:03. Next came Briney in 1:09:57.

"I didn't 'make a move' so much as I simply stayed relaxed," Fox said. "Trent and I were together till about halfway, then he fell off. Our original plan was to run about 5:10 a mile. It ended up more like 5:20 in the heat."

Jacob Brundage, 26, of Mount Pleasant, placed third in 1:11:04.

Laura Ankrum of Grand Blanc was equally dominant in the women's race, running with a men's pack, then outkicking them at the end. Ankrum, 30, crossed in 1:19:42, far ahead of the 1:22:30 posted by runnerup Sarah Plaxton, 34, of Highland.

Chris Glowacki, 48, of Freeland, continued amassing MR Runner of the Year points, placing first among masters, seventh overall, in 1:13:06.

Nancy Schubring, 42, of Novi, led the over-40 women in 1:25:08.

Complete results available online at
http://www.gaultracemangement.com. MR