Notable Quotes

In the nylon-short running era, races were the final exams. Each participant toed the line with one thought in mind: How do I get this race over as quickly as possible? These days, races are the commencement ceremony that makes all of the training worth it. The races are celebrations shared by athletes of all abilities. More than any other event, the Crim provides the opportunity for celebration and the joy of accomplishment for every participant in every race. Whether you are just entering the running community or are a seasoned veteran, you’ll find that you can succeed and have your success embraced at the Crim.
-- John “the Penguin” Bingham, Runner’s World columnist, and best-selling author

Since the summer of 1977, The Crim has become a much loved treasure of the Flint Community - truly the biggest event in town. However, the real essence of this race goes beyond the fanfare and hoopla of a world-class running event. At the heart of The Crim are thousands of individual success stories and personal triumphs. Many stories are truly inspirational. This race has taken on legendary status for those men and women who have taken part over the past twenty eight years. All it takes is one race, one year, and the Crim experience will hook you for life!
-- Deb Kiertzner, Crim Race Director 2005

Table of Contents
*Note: You will need Acrobat Reader to view this file.
Table of Contents - PDF File (40kb)

Introduction

This book is not about how to cut five minutes off your personal best. You won’t find a chapter on how to run the Crim like a Kenyan champion. I have many running books that tell me how to run fast. You probably do, too. This book is about ordinary runners, regular folk. We asked Crim runners to write down and send in their personal reflections on the Crim experience and how it changed them.

The stories contained in this book tell of people setting goals, overcoming fears, and changing their lives. These personal accounts explain why the Crim isn’t just another race. These stories of transformation prove that running isn’t about pain, self-torture, fatigue, and injuries. It’s about joy, laughter, fun, and new friends. Something is addictive about the Crim, an addiction that brings out the best in the people who discover the race.

This book is about why we run and how running changes us for the better. It’s about the best road race in Michigan and the effect of the Crim Festival of Races on the people and the runners who participate. Here are the ninety percent of runners who run for fun and fitness. They run because they enjoy the events and hanging around other runners. Many of our best friends are runners just like us. We run because we love it or because we want to know what all the fuss is about. Some of us run for peace of mind or because running is a part of us. Others run to cope with loss or pain. We all have our reasons. The Crim is there for everyone and so are the roads, trails, and races all over the United States and the world.

The editing and compilation of these stories was a labor of love for a race that turned me into one of these ordinary runners. The overall effects of beginning to run have been anything but ordinary. Before I joined the Crim training program I was overweight and out of shape. Now I’m in the best shape of my life, I feel great, and I have more to give to my patients, family, and friends. I look forward to running each week with our training group because of the friendships and running camaraderie. My wife and I now choose vacation spots by the quality and availability of running roads and trails at the destination. That’s quite a change from being a potato-chip-eating couch potato who always took the elevator.

I hope you enjoy this book, and I would be happy to hear from you. I hope this book inspires you to become a runner. If the spirit moves you, don’t miss the Coolest Race In Michigan or the equivalent in your neck of the woods. Sign up and run or walk with a friend. If you have a running story or a Crim story and want to share it with others, send them to me. I’m always looking for a good story. There may be a sequel to this book.

Anthony R. Ellis, M.D.
Editor/contributor
c/o Running Brain
P.O. Box 320074
Flint Township, MI 48532
E-mail your stories to me at: TheTaoRunner@yahoo.com