(Grand Rapids, Mich.)  In the week leading up to the Q Elite Spring Half Marathon, race director, Nate Van Holten rerouted the course four times to avoid the rising Grand River. Race morning he was at it again, only do find the water was covering the road almost behind him.

The only alternative was to move the race to the Forest Hills Northern High School track and run 52 ¾ laps.

Juniors, Ben Foreman and Erin Laplander entered the race looking for national qualifying times. Travis Mabe, who qualified in December ran with Ben the entire way keeping the laps between 1:20 and 1:23.  The pair finished together in 1:11:52, well under the automatic qualifying standard of 1:13:00.

Laplander enjoyed a larger pace group that got bigger as the race went on. Needing to average 7:05 per mile, Erin stayed on pace through ten miles then picked it up over the last 5 kilometers. Running the final mile in 6:48, brought the group of five across the line in a blanket finish in 1:32:19, forty-one seconds under the NAIA provisional standard.

Q Elite Spring 2013 Half Marathon Results

4/15/13

1. Ben Foreman                     Cornerstone                      1:11:52
2. Travis Mabe                       Cornerstone                      1:11:52
3. Erin Laplander                   Cornerstone                      1:32:19
4. CallyAnne Wyma               Cornerstone                      1:32:19
5. Louis Falland                     Cornerstone                      1:32:19
6. Jared Courtright                 Unattached                        1:32:19
7. Cody Risch                        Cornerstone                      1:32:19
8. Mindy Lewis                       Unattached                        DNF
9. Leah Shepard                    Cornerstone                      DNF