This is a Former Falcon update on former cross country and track and field athletes and how they are doing out there in the world.

Abigail Nelkie is now graduated from North Carolina State and she wrote the following: "I finished my collegiate career this past May and since then have competed in various road races as a professional athlete. My first professional race was June 24, the Reeds Lake run, a
10k in which I finished 5th in 37:04. My second professional race was August 26, the Crim. For this 10 mile race I finished 15th female and 5th Michigan female in a time of 62:27. To finish off my 2006 road race season I ran the Detroit Free Press International Marathon. I finished
in 3:02:51 and 9th female overall. As for my next race...I just want to recover from the marathon and then I'll determine if I want to run the Boston Marathon next April since I qualified."

Mike McGregor is on the track and field team at Central Michigan University and competing in the pole vault. This fall he has been in training and should open up his red shirt freshman season sometime late this month for the Chips. His coaches are very pleased with his progress and he is to the point where the university is supplying all his training and competition shoes. He had a little knee injury in the fall but that is all healed up and he should be ready to compete well.

Lisa Brindley is competing for Alma College. This fall she ran cross country for the first time. In the winter and spring she competes on the track team where she pole vaults and sprints. She recently had the following to say, "I just finished out my FIRST cross season EVER. It
was tough on me seeing how I was definitely not used to the mileage. I competed in the conference meet Saturday October 28th. I also am already starting some intensive weight training for pole vault this season looking to really improve from last season. My best time this
season for a 5K was 25:59--finally breaking 26. Not too impressive, but I finished every race I started and that was an accomplishment enough for me. I am really focusing now on a good track season in the pole vault and hoping to start a couple new events (javelin and 400
hurdles)."

Steve Manz competed at Michigan State University and is still very actively competing in the shot put. He had the following to say, "I am training for the 2008 Olympics, traveling in Europe while throwing and making money, coaching former Falcons (Jessica Rutherford) at McNeese State University in Louisiana, and ready to head to the top! I am currently ranked 10th in the USA and 34th in the World according to the IAAF World Rankings at www.iaaf.org. The goal for the upcoming season is to break into the top 20 in the world which leads to better funding for me. I would also like to throw 21 meters (69') and be consistent over 20 meters (66'). I will be heading out to Europe again this summer after my sister's wedding on July 7th. I will be there for about three months. It is definitely a great way to work - traveling to some new
country every weekend to throw at a meet for a couple thousand dollars. I truly enjoy it and have committed myself to this job of throwing until 2012. I know that I have bigger marks and better days ahead. But I need to stop writing so I can go put in that much needed work in the
weight room!" Coach Grezeszak is looking forward to traveling to Eugene, Oregon in June of 2008 to watch the Olympic trials and see Steve compete at the level in person. I traveled to Indianapolis last June to watch Steve compete in the US National Championships and it was great.

Matt Sicilia competed at the college level at Calvin College. His note came to me in late October so it is a bit dated. Here is what he had to say about what he is doing, "I just finished up my training cycle with the Detroit Marathon on Sunday. It was quite an experience. I ran it
much differently than I had previous marathons, focusing only on staying relaxed and my effort level instead of splits. I was 1:16 through half way feeling like I was crawling. I'm not sure what the splits were b/c I bet only 5 of them were exactly accurate. My miles from 14 through 21 were my fastest of the race, ranging from the low 5:30's to the low 5:40's. The last 5 miles were into a steady 20mph headwind, where I think I ran hardest, hitting between just under 6:00 to 6:20 to finish in 2:34:02, which turned out to be good enough for 11th place overall.
I am not really that sore, as I probably could continue training, albeit in recovery mode, but I am so ready for time off, as my last time off was in Sept. of last year. I will certainly enjoy my month of not running and spending more time with my wife and dogs." Matt is current employed as a PE teacher and athletic director in the Grand Rapids area. In college he was part of a national championship cross country team. He current races for the Run Gazelle Elite Racing Team and personal bests of 4:20 in the mile, 52:42 for the ten mile, and 2:31:39 in the marathon.

Cari (Blind) Setzler ran her college years at Aquinas College and here is what she has to say about her running after college, "As I look at what I have done since high school I know that it was made possible by the foundation that I received in High School. Not only did I learn
basic training principles that I have continued to use with my own training and that of my athletes, but I also learned the importance of self motivation, sticking to what you know is right in the face of adversity, and having faith that if you pre-pare well, you will be ready
when it is time to get the job done. Needless to say this is true for many aspects of life. I work each day to provide others with the same opportunity to discover these same truths in a society today that promotes something for nothing. Thank you coach Grezeszak and coach Frank for providing me with that, for continuing to be a mentor, and a voice of reason. You have helped to shape me into the athlete/person I have become (like it or not). I speak of you routinely as I coach teach others. Cari Blind/Setzler 28. USATF certified. Spent 2 yrs coaching community college. Currently assistant Cross Country and Track and Field coach at Johnsburg High School in IL with my husband Chris Setzler. During track I primarily work with the sprint/hurdles, mid distance, and pole vault. As a Veterinarian at the Animal Hospital of
McHenry I have created a total fitness program for pets that encourages both people and pets to be active together. Current running/training: Just finished a very successful season with The Health Bridge Road Racing team where we won our club team division in the area. I ran a
5:11 mile and an 18:30 5K for PR's. Current plans are to train for a fall marathon next fall and see how fast I can go. Know I can go sub 3 hrs training to go under 2:50. After a very good season this year where I focused and shorter races and faster work I hope to carry that into
some longer training for next season. Collegiate PR's 400 58.8, 800 2:12.8, 1500 4:52, indoor mile 5:03. Currently still hold collegiate records in the indoor 800, 1000, mile, Distant medley, 2 mile relay, outdoor 800, 1500, 2 mile relay. 8 time all-American. 2nd in the nation
indoor 1000, and outdoor 2 mile relay. Road PR's 5K 18:01, 10 mile 62:26, half Marathon 1:26.30, Marathon 3:10.42.

Jerry Howard did his college running at Alma college and is continuing his running. He recently ran the Boston Marathon in 3 hours and six minutes.

Alanah Pietryga is currently on the women's basketball team at Lansing Community College and is hoping to participate in some college track meets in sprinting events and jumping events in the late winter and spring.

Jody Thompson ran for Taylor University and is continuing to run. Here is what she had to say, "Since graduating for OHHS in 1996, I ran 4 years of both cross country and track at Taylor University, where I ran at the NAIA national meet 2 years in cross country and 3 years in track
and was a scholar-athlete both my junior and senior years. After graduating from Taylor University in 2000, I have been teaching mathematics at Traverse City West Junior High School. Currently, I am in my 7th year of teaching. During that time, I have coached junior
high girls' track for 5 years, junior high cross country for 3 years, and varsity girls' cross country for 3 years. Personally, I have run 3 marathons: the Detroit Marathon (2002), the Bayshore Marathon (2003) with a personal best of 3:17, and the Boston Marathon (2004). I still
love running and run 5-6 days a week throughout the year (mostly at 5am in the morning before school).

Joe O'Connor was an all American at Hillsdale and is currently an officer in the marines. He has done two tours of duty in Iraq and is currently working on a masters degree in electrical engineering and chasing 3 wonderful daughters around the house. He was in a serious car
crash in 2003 and is having trouble getting back to running since a lot of scar tissue formed after the crash while he was in Iraq. He did recently run a 3 mile time trial in 19:00 though.

Tom Jacobs ran for Detroit Mercy University and is currently (4 years) Head Girls Cross Country Coach Ferndale High School...(3 years) Assistant Coach Guys Track Ferndale High School (distance) and ran 18:45 at the Tommy Titan Invitational in September for 3.1 miles.

Emory Nelkie is currently running at Lake Superior State University and after getting off to a slow start this fall because of a ankle injury, had a successful cross country season. He is now training for indoor and outdoor track seasons.

Jessica Thompson ran after high school for Taylor University. She wrote, "I am the asst. coach with both the cross country and track teams at Leslie Middle School (where I am the counselor). Our building is a 5-8 building, so we have a 5th and 6th grade club cross country
team in addition to the 7th and 8th grade school team. This season we had record numbers with 57 kids finishing the season (and we brought home 8 trophies... not bad). Our track team is just the 7th and 8th graders, but we always get a good crowd out and we're looking forward to spring. I haven't been doing much running myself... because I don't consider herding 50+ middle schoolers around during practice a real run (though I am running much of the time some days!!). However, Jody and I did do the 8 mile road race around Mackinac Island at the beginning of September

I have not heard from Matt Edwards who is at Alma College lately but my understanding is he has finished a successful football season and is now gearing up for indoor and outdoor track.

Jessica Rutherford has made the big adjustment of moving all the way to the gulf coast in Louisiana for college at McNeese State University. Her coach is former falcon Steve Manz. All the coaching staff has contacted me and said she is a great worker. At first she was very upset that the throws were not going as well as in high school but that was because they were working her so hard to improve her strength and speed. She has commented on practices last 5 to 6 hours regularly. Recently she threw 41' 7" in the shot. Her high school best was 37' something so now she says things are going much better.