Great Train Race, Ypsilanti

Sister Act Steals Show in Great Train Race

By Charles Douglas McEwen

YPSILANTI (8/17/08) -- The Great Train Race 10K featured a couple fast-moving sisters.

Neither Teresa Semaan, 21, nor her big sister Andrea, 22, had competed in a 10K before. “We both worked last night and only got a few hours sleep, but we were ready to go this morning,” said Teresa, a University of Michigan student who works part-time. Andrea is a nurse.

Teresa won nonetheless in 44:24, followed by Andrea in 45:00. The next closest woman was masters queen Betty Mioduszewski, 45, of Dexter, in 46:56.

Teresa led from start to finish. “She’s always been way faster than me,” said Andrea. “But I kept sight of her the whole way.”

The Semaan sisters, who live Ann Arbor, enjoyed the hilly course, which starts and finishes in Ypsilanti’s Depot Town.

“In Ann Arbor, we always run on hills,” said Andrea. “That’s our advantage.”

Chris Samborn, 28, also of Ann Arbor, took full advantage of the Train terrain. The Eastern Michigan University graduate won the men’s 10K in 33:33, besting Matt Hammersmith, 21 (35:50) and Matthew Shock, 26, of Ypsilanti (36:42).

“You get to see some of Depot Town’s historic buildings, then go to the heritage festival afterward,” Samborn said.

John Tarkowski, 55, of Northville, led the masters in 38:59.

“It was rough race for me,” said Tarkowski. “It had a lot of hills but I loved the finish, which was all downhill.”

Jeremy Doody, 24, of Laingsburg, and Robert Duerksen, 47, of Ann Arbor, ran side-by-side during the finishing 5K downhill.

“I decided if I was going to beat him, I’d really have to kick,” said Doody, who pulled ahead with a few hundred yards to go. “I wasn’t sure I’d be able to hang on.”

Doody did, crossing in 17:14. Duerksen, the top master, finished in 17:21. Kenny Cooper, 16, of Clinton, was third (18:26).

Sarah Smith, 26, of Ypsilanti, was the women’s 5K winner in 20:18. Next came Melany Mioduszewski, 18, of Dexter (20:44) and Jennifer Thompson, 34, of Ypsilanti (22:41). Dawn Massie was the first master (22:46).

The Great Train Race was coordinated by the Ypsilanti Jaycees. “We had around 250 entrants this year,” director Carrie Crabtree said. “That was way up from last year’s 160.”

For complete results, go to www.everalracemgt.com. MR