Wheelers take to the road first on 10-mile route
They're the first impression most people get on Crim morning.At 7:30 a.m., before the runners in the 10-mile race get to do their thing, the wheelchair racers break from the starting line, their arms pumping furiously to get early position. Many of those runners pause from their warm-up routines to cheer on these extraordinary athletes.
The size of the wheelchair field has been as high as 38 in 1994. It was consistent the late 1990s at about 28.
But despite the low numbers, there has been high quality.
Krige Schabort set the world 10-mile record of 35:18 in 2001 and Jean Driscoll set the women's world mark of 43:20 in 1994. Thomas Ottenwess set the men's quad record in 1991 with a time of 50:51.
The Crim has had a wheelchair participant since 1979, the third year of the race, when William Sill of Lansing entered and completed the course in 1:53:54 using a common wheelchair.
The 2006 race begins at 7:30 a.m.
Click here for 10-mile race route.
Men
wheelchairs winners
Women's wheelchair winners
Men quads winners
Men para winners
Women para winners
| 1979 | William Sill | 1:53:54 |
| 1984 | Kris Lenzo | 49:32 |
| 1985 | Robert Fitch | 53:29 |
| 1986 | Robert Fitch | 53:56 |
Women's wheelchair winners
| 1984 | Patricia Ford | N/A |
| 1985 | Patricia Ford | 1:19:26 |
| 1986 | Andra Carter | 1:01:52 |
Men quads winners
| 1987 | Russell Monroe | 58:30 |
| 1988 | No entrants | |
| 1989 | Scott H. McDonough | 1:02:26 |
| 1990 | Thomas Ottenwess | 1:02:55 |
| 1991 | Thomas Ottenwess | 50:51 |
| 1992 | Patrick W. Cottini | 55:33 |
| 1993 | Patrick W. Cottini | 54:34 |
| 1994 | Shawn Meredith | 54:24 |
| 1995 | Shawn Meredith | 50:57 |
| 1996 | John Brewer | 52:21 |
| 1997 | Patrick W. Cottini | 52:18 |
| 1998 | Ian Rice | 54:38 |
| 1999 | Scott H. McDonough | 1:04:56 |
| 2000 | Wiley Clark | 51:00 |
| 2001 | Paul Nitz | 54:55 |
| 2002 | Bert Burns | 1:09:33 |
| 2003 | John Brewer | 1:02:01 |
| 2004 | John Brewer | 1:10:06 |
| 2005 | John Brewer | 1:01:48 |
Men para winners
| 1987 | Jim Mortinson | 49:14 |
| 1988 | Butch Martin | 44:50 |
| 1989 | Arthur Hope | 1:00:51 |
| 1990 | Scot Hollenbeck | 41:56 |
| 1991 | Scot Hollonbeck | 39:56 |
| 1992 | Scot Hollonbeck | 37:10 |
| 1993 | Tony Iniquez | 37:52 |
| 1994 | Scot Hollonbeck | 36:07 |
| 1995 | James Briggs | 35:56 |
| 1996 | Gavin Foulsham | 36:57 |
| 1997 | John S. Gilger | 38:51 |
| 1998 | Scot Hollonbeck | 38:27 |
| 1999 | Krige Schabort | 36:44 |
| 2000 | Adam Bleakney | 41:35 |
| 2001 | Krige Schabort | 35:18 |
| 2002 | Krige Schabort | 39:05 |
| 2003 | Krige Schabort | 36:36 |
| 2004 | Tony Iniquez | 40:06 |
| 2005 | Tony Iniquez | 40:00 |
Women para winners
| 1989 | Patricia Ford | 1:07:59 |
| 1990 | Candace Cable | 46:35 |
| 1991 | Candace Cable | 45:19 |
| 1992 | Debbie LaPlante | 58:10 |
| 1993 | Ann Walters | 49:52 |
| 1994 | Jean Driscoll | 43:20 |
| 1995 | Ann Walters | 47:43 |
| 1996 | Darlene Hunter | 52:27 |
| 1997 | Jean Driscoll | 48:30 |
| 1998 | No entrants | |
| 1999 | Jean Driscoll | 44:46 |
| 2000 | Miriam Nibley | 46:37 |
| 2001 | Christina Ripp | 46:23 |
| 2002 | Tricia Downing | 1:04:49 |
| 2003 | Miriam Nibley | 48:02 |
| 2004 | Miriam Nibley | 51:13 |
| 2005 | Christy Campbell | 1:16:33 |