'Pat
Fizell, 66, volunteers five days a week from June
through August for the Crim Festival of Races.
She checks and processes each of the thousands of
mailed-in race entries.
Fizell also has been a group leader since the inception of the Crim training program 10 years ago, helping people prepare for the signature 10-mile race. Sheís continued a combination of running and walking through cancer diagnoses and surgery three times. Her latest checkup found her cancer-free. Fizell said she's had no time to train of late and isn't planning on running the Crim this year. She added that she may change her mind, though, and walk the 10-mile event instead. She and husband of 46 years, Ron, live in Mundy Township and have three children and five grandchildren.
"I started running in 1983. My son was getting married in June and I bought my dress in February, and I still wanted to be able to fit in it in June. After the kids were in bed, I'd go out after dark - I didn't want anybody to see me.
"Then I started liking it. It kind of grows on you. I think its just being out there, being outside. We've met so many friends through the running.
Fizell also has been a group leader since the inception of the Crim training program 10 years ago, helping people prepare for the signature 10-mile race. Sheís continued a combination of running and walking through cancer diagnoses and surgery three times. Her latest checkup found her cancer-free. Fizell said she's had no time to train of late and isn't planning on running the Crim this year. She added that she may change her mind, though, and walk the 10-mile event instead. She and husband of 46 years, Ron, live in Mundy Township and have three children and five grandchildren.
"I started running in 1983. My son was getting married in June and I bought my dress in February, and I still wanted to be able to fit in it in June. After the kids were in bed, I'd go out after dark - I didn't want anybody to see me.
"Then I started liking it. It kind of grows on you. I think its just being out there, being outside. We've met so many friends through the running.
Besides
compiling all entry forms for the Crim Festival
of Races, Pat Fizell of Mundy Township has been a
Crim training group leader for 10 years. She
bakes a homemade "reward" for the end of each
session.
Point of action
Want to volunteer for next yearís Crim Festival of Races? Call (810) 235-3396 or e-mail tbmartin@flint.org.
2006 update: Pat was inducted in the Crim Hall of Fame in 2005. she was a finalist for the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness, Health and Sports, women's award in 2001.
Want to volunteer for next yearís Crim Festival of Races? Call (810) 235-3396 or e-mail tbmartin@flint.org.
2006 update: Pat was inducted in the Crim Hall of Fame in 2005. she was a finalist for the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness, Health and Sports, women's award in 2001.
"They're
my support group, too. They help keep me
together. I do more walking than running now. You
see more when you're walking. It's more fun to
walk with somebody.
"I get a sense of doing something for a good purpose. It's a good thing that's happening with the Crim - for Flint, for Special Olympics (a traditional Crim beneficiary), for Crim running kids, for everything. The Crim's a good thing. It's something that's good for the city."
"I don't think anyone's had a bad experience coming to Flint for the Crim. Some of my neighbors say 'I'm not going downtown.' That's terrible. They don't understand there's nothing down here that's going to hurt you."
"I get a sense of doing something for a good purpose. It's a good thing that's happening with the Crim - for Flint, for Special Olympics (a traditional Crim beneficiary), for Crim running kids, for everything. The Crim's a good thing. It's something that's good for the city."
"I don't think anyone's had a bad experience coming to Flint for the Crim. Some of my neighbors say 'I'm not going downtown.' That's terrible. They don't understand there's nothing down here that's going to hurt you."