ESCANABA - Menominee High School graduate Mandi Zemba has some lofty goals in mind for the next three years.
The former Mandi Long also walked away from the third annual Salvation Army Home Run $500 richer Saturday as she topped the women in the five-kilometer event in course-record 17 minutes, two seconds.
"My training intensity has really gone up since high school," said Zemba, a Grand Valley State graduate who's sponsored by New Balance and shooting for the 2012 Olympic Trials in the five or 10-K run. "Our coach at Grand Valley was very knowledgeable and I've gotten a little stronger each year."
Zemba, who now lives in downstate Allendale (near Grand Rapids), was followed by Nicole Ambrose of Plymouth, Mich. (19:32) and Sam Kallman of Gladstone (21:27).
Tracy Lokken of Marquette set the men's course record (15:31), followed by Jamieson Cihak of Marquette (15:34) and Matt Fecht (15:38) and defending champ Mo Love of Saginaw (17:45).
"I didn't really know what the competition was going to like until the starting gun went off," said Lokken, who also earned $500 and placed 27th overall in the Boston Marathon last month. "I just got done doing Boston, so I've been taking easy on mileage to get my legs back. The whole race here was great. Only, I wish they would have had mile markers so we would have had a better idea what pace we're at."
Nick Allen of Northville, Mich. took home $500 by winning the 10-K (31:49), followed by defending champ Adam Roach (32:26) and John Stycker (32:46), both of Saginaw.
"Adam and I ran together for 3 miles, then I kept pressing to the finish," said Allen. "I figured Adam would be pretty tough. There was little bit of a headwind at first, otherwise it was a pretty nice day for a race."
Amy Hauswirth of Hancock was women's champion in a personal best 37:07, also good for a $500 prize. She was followed by Elizabeth Whiting of Marquette (38:29) and Michelle Paul of Gladstone (40:39).
"This was one of my first flat 10-Ks," said Hauswirth. "The courses tend to be more hilly in the Copper Country. I think training on hills definitely helps you. This is a real nice course, though. The weather was great, and I'm glad I came. I'll be back."
The event, which drew 335 runners and walkers, was run under most sunny conditions with temperatures in the high 50s.
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Salvation Army Home Run
5-K
Male
Top six - 1, Tracy Lokken, Marquette, 15:31 ($500); 2, Jamieson Cihak, Marquette, 15:34 ($250); 3, Matt Fecht, Warren, Mich. 15:38 ($100); 4, Mo Love, Saginaw, 17:45 ($100); 5, Austen Rose, Marquette, 18:23 ($50); 6, Rob Fox, Negaunee, 18:32 ($25).
5 & under - Zac Zemba, Allendale, Mich., 34:19; 6-8 - Ben Kelly, Escanaba, 32:24; 9-11 - Dan Stacey, Escanaba, 23:49; 12-14 - Andrew Stenberg, Escanaba, 20:42; 15-17 - Caleb Whitmer, Gladstone, 19:07; 18-20 - Austen Rose, Marquette, 18:23; 21-24 - Justin Ogren, Escanaba, 19:44; 25-29 - Jamieson Cihak, Marquette, 15:34; 30-34 - Mike Poe, Waterford, Mich., 19:19; 35-39 - Trevor Gearhart, Dunbar, Wis., 23:33; 40-44 - Tracy Lokken, Marquette, 15:31; 45-49 - Rob Fox, Negaunee, 18:32; 50-54 - John Stacey, Escanaba, 19:05; 65-69 - Doug Gavriloff, Rock, 30:22; 70 & over - Jim Henderson, Gladstone, 34:45.
Female
Top six - 1, Mandi Zemba, Allendale, Mich, 17:02 ($500); 2, Nicole Ambrose, Plymouth, Mich, 19:32 ($250); 3, Sam Kallman, Gladstone, 21:27 (declined); 4, Aubree Peterson, Esanaba, 22:33 (declined); 5, Stephanie Priehs, Sterling Heights, Mich, 22:54 ($50); 6, Jeanee Bennetts, Escanaba, 23:09 ($25).
6-8 - Natalie Hansen, Gladstone, 41:16; 9-11 - Sophie Pohlman, Menominee, 29:49; 12-14 - Aubree Peterson, Escanaba, 22:33; 15-17 - Sam Kallman, Gladstone, 21:27; 21-24 - Stephanie Priehs, Sterling Heights, Mich, 22:54; 25-29 - Mandi Zemba, Allendale, Mich., 17:02; 30-34 - Tonya Roberts, Bark River, 27:51; 35-39 - Becky Jacobson, Escanaba, 25:38; 40-44 - Kristen DeVet, Gladstone, 26:48; 45-49 - Vicki Long, Menominee, 26:21; 50-54 - Ramona Brandt, Bark River, 34:47; 55-59 - Ruth Botbyl, Gladstone, 32:45; 65-69 - Judy Balanda, Rapid River, 32:14.
10-K
Male
Top six - 1, Nick Allen, Northville, Mich., 31:49 ($500); 2, Adam Roach, Saginaw, 32:26 ($250); 3, John Strycker, Saginaw, 32:46 ($100); 4, Dan DeLong, Wilson, 36:50 ($75); 5, Drew Richmond, Iron Mountain, 36:59 ($50); 6, Chase Taylor, Wallace, 37:28 ($25).
15-17 - Sean Hallfrisch, Menominee, 47:37; 18-20 - Chase Taylor, Wallace, 37:28; 21-24 - Jacob Richmond, Marquette, 40:46; 25-29 - Nick Allen, Northville, Mich, 31:49; 30-34 - Will Spurgeon, Milford, Mich, 49:31; 35-39 - Dan DeLong, Wilson, 36:50; 40-44 - John Strycker, Saginaw, 32:46; 45-49 - Phillip Ogren, Escanaba, 48:07; 50-54 - Mark Hawkins, Tecumseh, Mich, 42:24; 55-59 - Dan Paul, Gladstone, 60:05; 60-64 - David Hunter, Escanaba, 57:26.
Female
1, Amy Hauswirth, Hancock, 37:07 ($500); 2, Elizabeth Whiting, Marquette, 38:29 ($250); 3, Michelle Paul, Gladstone, 40:39 ($100); 4, Katie Singer, Detroit, 41:46 ($75); 5, Jessica Kelly, Gladstone, 44:09 ($50); 6, Mary Whiting, Marquette, 44:30 ($25).
21-24 - Mary Whiting, Marquette, 44:30; 25-29 - Elizabeth Whiting, Marquette, 38:29; 30-34 - Kristi Olson, Norway, 46:29; 35-39 - Amy Hauswirth, Hancock, 37:07; 40-44 - Denise DeHaan, Escanaba, 46:52; 45-49 - Miriam White, Escanaba, 61:00; 50-54 - Vera Hawkins, Tecumseh, Mich., 50:04; 55-59 - Margaret Noreus, Gladstone, (time wasn't available).