Congratulations to the Columbus Running Company's Eric Fruth and Jim Jurcevich for all of their work in making the USATF National Club Cross Country Championships a success. They both served as race directors and spent many hours making the event a success. Feel free to email them and thank them - http://www.columbusrunning.com/contactus.htm

A number of local runners raced and results can be found at: http://www.us atf.org/events/2007/USATFClubXCChampionships/schedule.asp

Special congratulations go out to the RUNOHIO/Second Sole Racing Team, which won the USATF Women's National Club Cross Country Championships

Story and pictures are up on www.runohio.com - look under Regional News - hopefully more pictures later. Plus, check out the pictures at the Columbus Running Company site: - www.columbusrunning.com

Mark your calendar for the 2008 USA Junior Outdoor Track & Field Championships to be held at the Ohio State University Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium on June 20-22, 2008. More information on this Championships will be posted later on the RUNOHIO web site - www.runohio.com

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Local athletes and team win USATF Women's National Club Cross Country Championships

The RUNOHIO/Second Sole Racing Team win the USATF Women's National Club Cross Country Championships held at the Voice of America Park in West Chester, Ohio on December 8th.

The RUNOHIO Racing Team scored 157 points to edge the New Balance Boston team (159) and Boulder Running Company (160) points.

The RUNOHIO team was lead by Ashland University's women's cross-country coach, Leigh Daniel who placed 4th in the team competition covering the muddy/snowy 6km course in 20:58, Beavercreek's Tara Storage placed 23rd in 21:39, University of Dayton's Women's cross-country coach Ann Alyanak was 40th in 21:56, Kara Storage was 43rd in 22:00, Blacklick's Melissa Converse placed 47th in 22:07 and Hilliard's Nicole Gliem placed 66th in 22:26.

Other members of the National Championship RUNOHIO team who were unable to compete are; New Albany's Lyndsi Benedict's and Upper Arlington's Elaine Binkley

The USATF National Club Cross Country Championships featured the elite clubs from across the United States vying for top honors and bragging rights as the nation's best cross country teams. Over 110 clubs and 1130 competitors took part in the event. The Championships were hosted by the Columbus Running Company.

For complete results go to: http://www.usatf.org /events/2007/USATFClubXCChampionships/schedule.asp

The RUNOHIO/Second Sole team is coordinated by RUNOHIO's editor and Bishop Watterson H.S. cross country coach, Matt McGowan and Gahanna's Second Sole owner Randy Benedict.

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RUNOHIO/Second Sole team bio's

Ann Alyanak was a standout runner at Bluffton High School and Purdue University where she won the Big Ten 10,000 meters her senior year. In 2007 Ann was the top American at the IAAF World Marathon Championships and placed 8th overall and was the 2nd American in the Boston Marathon (2:38:55). Ann is the University of Dayton women's cross country coach.

Lyndsi Benedict as a senior at Reynoldsburg High School won the 1998 OHSAA Cross Country Championships and went on to run collegiately at Ohio State University. Lyndsi was the 2006 and 2007 Ohio USATF 5km and 10km road champion.

Elaine Binkley ran a Bishop Watterson High School and was a two time cross country All American at Denison University. Last spring Elaine was named the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America of the Year for the College Division in Cross Country and Track and Field.

Melissa Converse, who was a 200 and 400 meters specialist at Minerva High School, was recruited to run the sprints at Ohio University. Melissa first ran cross-country her junior year and went on to be a two time National cross- country qualifier.

Leigh Daniel ran collegiately at Texas Tech University where she won the NCAA 1999 indoor 5,000-meter title and the outdoor 10,000-meter crown. Leigh was also the World University Games 10,000 meter champ and placed 6th in the 2000 NCAA Cross Country Championships. Leigh is the Ashland University women's cross country coach.

Nicole Gliem ran at Bishop Watterson High School and Ohio State University where she placed 4th in the 2005 Big Ten 5,000 meters and was the runner up in the All Ohio Collegiate Cross Country Championships.

Kara Storage ran at Beavercreek High School and the University of Dayton where she excelled in track and cross- country. Kara ran her lifetime best in the 10,000 meters this year with her 33:55.2 clocking.

Tara Storage ran at Beavercreek High School and the University of Dayton. Tara won the Atlantic-10 Conference Outdoor Track champion twice in the 5,000 meters and once in the 10,000 meters. At the 2007 USA Half Marathon Championships Tara finished 5th in 1:13:14 and posted a personal best of 1:12:47 at the World Road Running Half Marathon Championship in Italy where she was the 3rd American.