Doug Smith: The Brooksie Way Half Marathon

More than 7,000 runners cast a colorful backdrop to an overcast Saturday morning. The runners, jam-packed shoulder-to-shoulder on the bricks that line Saginaw Street - the main artery through downtown Flint - eagerly awaited the start of the Crim 10-mile road race.

Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson was among the throng watching from the sidelines for the race to begin. He has long championed expanding fitness activities for Oakland County residents. And it won't be long until a similar scene (although somewhat smaller in scope) is played out in Oakland County. Brooks' latest vision calls for a half marathon to be held in Oakland County next year.

A local group of avid runners had been encouraging him to do this for the last couple of years and so, in his February State of the County address, he put forward the challenge to conduct such a road race in 2008. Just to the north of Oakland County, Genesee County hosts the internationally acclaimed Crim Festival of Races and its signature event, a 10-mile road race. Fortunately for Oakland this event, which began 31 years ago, has evolved into a group of professionally created and managed fitness programs directed by the full-time staff of the Crim Fitness Foundation (CFF).  It didn't take long for Bobby Crim (a former speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives) and Brooks to get together to explore a partnership where Oakland could take advantage of the years of experience and get a real jump start for Oakland County's race.

A committee was formed with Paul Coughlin, a local long distance runner, as chair and Greg Guidice, a local marathon runner, as vice-chair. The committee will work closely under the direction and guidance of the CFF to hold a run in Oakland County on Oct. 5, 2008.  The date complements the training schedule for the Detroit Free Press Marathon and is well past the Crim race itself, held in late August. The committee recommended the race be called "The Brooksie Way," which refers in part to a eulogy given for Brooks' son who died after a snowmobile accident in February.  The eulogy spoke of the way Brooksie always did everything "all the way and all in" - a reflection of how runners approach these distance races. It's also an appropriate activity to honor his memory.

The new relationship with CFF reflects Oakland County's desire to always seek the best partners and is another example of how regional cooperation can benefit all parties. We look forward to this event, another major stride in helping our residents stay fit that will spur yet more fitness activities.