The 39th edition of the Dexter-Ann Arbor Run, Sunday June 3, downtown Ann Arbor, was nothing short of teamwork at its finest.

Lead by Gary Morgan and Terry Reilly, the Ann Arbor Track Club put on their ‘crown jewel’ event as a collaborative unit.

“We had an excellent turnout for this year’s race,” glowed AATC President, Mitch Garner, regarding the attendance of more than 5,000 runners, as well as countless volunteers and spectators, who took part in Dexter-Ann Arbor 2012, under partly cloudy skies, temperatures in the 60s.  

“We could not have achieved this result without the hard work of our volunteers and everyone on the Committee.”

“This is a race run by runners for runners, and run by masters runners for masters runners”, commended 2011 USA Track & Field Masters Age Division Champion, Terry McCluskey, his third consecutive year participating in the Dexter-Ann Arbor Masters 10K National Championship, headed up by Doug Goodhue, also a National Masters Champion.

“The organization is exceptional,” McCluskey continued.  “Everything is thought of from a runner’s perspective.”

Ruth Thelen, Playmakers’ Women’s Racing Team Captain, echoed McCluskey’s comments.

“Our team members, myself included, were so impressed as to how well organized everything was and how accommodating everyone was to us!”

“The course was perfect, the competition challenging and humbling.”

In addition to the talented field of runners who traveled to Ann Arbor specifically to compete, ‘running legend,’ Bill Rodgers, this year’s celebrity runner, also took part.

“Bill was such a kind and loving person!” glowed Thelen.  “His winning smile is contagious, and he even took the time to autograph our shirts!”

“We all had a lot of fun and will certainly be back next year!”

Rave reviews were the norm for the day.

Clint Verran, overall winner, of the half marathon, 1:07:19, effused, “I love this race, love the course!”

No matter that the half marathon, as do all the Dexter-AA races, finishes on an uphill climb along Main Street.

“I lost it a bit up the hill,” Verran conceded.

And was not alone in his struggle.

Danielle Salisbury, women’s half marathon champion, 1:18:39, for the second consecutive year, agreed, “It’s a great course, but that last hill is tough!”

Garner commented on the ‘uphill finish that everyone talks about’ -

“Each race, the 5K, 10K, USATF Masters 10K and half marathon, has its own attraction, but all the races have that famous uphill finish on Main Street.”

“My perception is that each race, with the required effort to finish, is a metaphor for life.  Our Dexter-Ann Arbor Run competitors seek together, ‘competere’ in Latin, to climb that final hill and give their best effort in running the race.”

Inspired watching her father climb that final hill last year, ten year old, Sarah Chittle beamed after finishing her very first Dexter-Ann Arbor 5K.

“It’s really fun knowing that my dad ran it last year and knowing now, that I can do it too.”

And you know that you have a winning event when even a ‘Sparty’, aka ‘Marathon Champ’, Doug Kurtis, notes - 

“Ann Arbor is a great town, running along Huron River Drive is really nice and everything is very well organized.”

“With the AATC behind it, you know things will go well.”

For complete results and information on the 40th anniversary of the Dexter-Ann Arbor Run, please visit, https://dxa2.com/