Jan Myrda of Oak Lawn and Ann Schaefers-Coles of Algonquin took
 the men's and women's championships Sunday, April 2 in the picturesque
 rebirth of the Lakefront 10.  The 10-mile event was the brainchild of
 Mark Cihlar and Paul Peters, owner of  the race's title sponsor,
 Universal Sole. The race had a "new" feel for runners as it brought
 back one of the great traditions in Chicago running.
       Myrda won a hard-fought race against up-and-coming coming
 Chicago runner Erik Frank,  winning in 52:42.  Frank was a close
 second in 52:51.  Both runners ran hard, competing stride for stride
 almost the entire race.  That was not too surprising, since Myrda and
 Frank finished one second apart, 23st and 24nd  respectively, one week
 earlier at the LaSalle Bank Shamrock Shuffle 8K.  Third place went
 to Abebe Gemeda of Elgin after running a 53:28.
    Myrda, a native of Poland, has been a strong performer on the
 Chicago running circuit and in area cross-country ski races.  He
 placed 28th overall in the 1999 Boston Marathon in a net time of
 2:25:16.
    Shaefers-Coles of Algonquin won the women's race with a time of
 1:01:34.  Impressive considering Ann finished sixth in the Olympic
 Trials Marathon in Columbia,  S.C., only five weeks earlier.  Second
 went to Louise Shaheen-Seliger of Cary with a time 1:02:36 and third
 to Candy Wilson from Chicago who ran a 1:03:45.  Complete race results
 can be found on this Web site.  Just click on "Results."
     More than  500 finishers enjoyed a breathtaking, paved course
 along Lake Michigan and through Montrose, Belmont and Diversey Harbors.
 The race started at the beginning of Montrose Hook, so for the first
 1/3 mile, runners ran east looking out onto Lake Michigan, with Montrose
 Harbor on the left and the Chicago city-scape as a backdrop.  The course
 followed the lakefront north up to Foster Beach and then looped back
 south down to and around Diversey Harbor.  Following the Diversey
 Harbor entrance back to the lakefront, runners ran the last 5K of
 the 10-mile race back north to Montrose Harbor.  The finish proved
 even more dramatic.  Runners finished at the shore of Lake Michigan
 on the tip of Montrose Point overlooking the Lake.  Runners then caught
 their breath while looking out over Lake Michigan.  Through almost every
 stride of the course, the event lived up to its name, the Lakefront 10!
    Runners from just about every area running club participated in the
 premier running of the Lakefront 10.   A few of the local clubs with
 representation included: Frontrunners, Universal Sole, Oak Park Runners,
 Elmhurst Running Club, Niles West/Oakton, Run Chicago, Illinois Valley
 Striders, Cary Grove Hillstriders, Lincoln Park Pacers and the Arlington
 Trotters.
     Universal Sole owner Peters  teamed up with race director Cihlar
 to create a 10-mile lakefront race for Chicago runners to enjoy.  Both
 worked tirelessly to make race happen.  They agreed to create the
 10-mile race while cooling down after running the Turkey Trot on
 Thanksgiving Day.  In just four months, the course was designed,
 permits were obtained, and the event was promoted to attract about
 600 registered participant.
    Cihlar and Peters are already working to make the Lakefront 10
 an annual event.  In addition, Cihlar and Peters are also actively
 working on creating additional running events.  Next up is the
 ACES 5K, May 7 and Her Race, a women's only 10K June 25.  July
 follows with the third annual Rock `N Sole Trail Challenge, July 25
 and August begins the Cross Country Race Series.  
   Cihlar and Peters sincerely thank all who participated in running
 the premier running of the Lakefront 10 and to all whose efforts helped
 to make the event happen.
    "We will continue to do our best to bring great running events to
 the runners,"  Peters said.
     The new Lakefront 10 traces its roots to the old Ravenswood 10,
 which later was also called the Lakefront 10.