Striders Dance with Dirt

The Mt. Pleasant Striders running club sent a team to Hell, Michigan to participate in the 100k (62 miles) Dances with Dirt relay. The five person team of Steve Smith, Stan Curtiss, Byron Doty, Harry Plouff and Tim Bechtel finished 9^th out of 340 teams. Finishing the off road course in 9 hours and 15 minutes, the striders crossed numerous rivers, swamps, and ran up and down continuous hills through the Pinckney Recreation area.

Dances with Dirt was conceived 11 years ago and each year new difficulties are added. Each leg is rated by the amount of hills, water, grunge, and poison ivy. This was the Striders first year in the event and are already planning for next year.

Pictured L-R, Harry Plouff, Byron Doty, Driver Mike Georgia, Steve Smith,Tim Bechtel, and Stan Curtiss.