The Kal-Haven Trail Run takes place on the 33.5 mile trail between Kalamazoo and South Haven. The Trail Run is actually three events; solo runners, two person teams and three to six person teams.

The Kal-Haven Trail Run is a fund raiser for the Girls on Track program (part of the Girls on the Run). The event would not have been possible without our sponsors and close to 30 volunteers who worked registration, manned the 11 aide stations, followed the runners on bike, provided medical coverage, and/or assisted at the finish line! Our sponsors also provided in-kind and/or other financial support which contributed toward t-shirts for participants, food or other supplies for the aide stations and finish line, and allowed us for the first time to have the race professionally timed. Our sponsors were Gatorade, Fuel Belt, Gazelle Sports, Agility Physical Therapy, Pride Care EMS, Hardings (Portage on Centre St.), Big Apple Bagels (in Portage on Centre St.), and Sam’s Club. Thanks to the many volunteers and sponsors the event will donate more than $3,500 to the Girls on Track program this year.

This year’s event had 31 men and women starting and finishing the solo run. The solo event had the added prestige of being designated as the RRCA Regional Ultra Championship. To put this event into perspective for those of you have run a marathon, remember how you felt when you finished and then think of running another 7.3 miles. Christopher Gregory was the overall men’s winner with a time of 3:55:12. Erin Lumbard won the women’s division in a time of 4:40:33 (Erin holds the women’s course record of 4:24:01 set in 2008). Another repeat winner was Kevin Rabineau, winning the master’s in 4:14:18, just missing by 20 seconds his grand master record of 4:13:58 set in 2009. Complete Results

The two person team format has the first runner running from Kalamazoo to Bloomingdale (17.6 miles), the second runner covers the 16.0 miles from Bloomingdale to South Haven. This year we had 14 two person teams competing in the woman’s, co-ed and men’s division. Complete Results

The co-ed team of Jeff Layne, Ryan Geers, Brandon Wise, Ken Brooks, Peggy Zeeb and Megan Osterling set a new course record of 3:32:01, breaking the old record by 6:06 held since 2006 by Bonnie Sexton, Gale Fischer, Dave Walsh, Jon Willard, Jeff Domenico and Serene Goodpaster.

The women’s division had three women, Kristi Brunner, Brianna Roy and Jill Putt miss setting a new women’s course record by 15 seconds.
Complete Results

See the following link for pictures from the event: www.karphotogallery.blogspot.com

There are a small number of t-shirts left and available for sale for $10 (proceeds again benefiting Girls on Track). Anyone interested in a t-shirt can contact Terry Hutchins (kalhavenrun@gmail.com) or Julie Wojtaszek (jjwojtaszek@yahoo.com)

Mark your calendars for March 26, 2011 (tentative date) for 20th anniversary of the Kal-Haven Trail Run.