Cass-Benton Four Mile Map

5k Map

DETROIT – The Detroit Titan men's and women's cross country teams will be in action this weekend by participating in the 25th Annual Running Fit Detroit Titan Invitational. The race will be held at Cass-Benton Park located in Northville, Michigan.

Multiple events will take place at the Detroit Titan Invite as the day begins with a men's and women's 5,000-meter open run. The kids will be next to get involved as there is a middle school race, and a 200-meter children's race on the schedule. Collegiate competition will get underway at 11:15 a.m. with the women's 5,000-meter run, and the men will end the day with a four mile race which begins at 11:45.

10 teams will compete in on the men's side, and 12 will be in action for the women's race. The Bowling Green track club, Concordia, Glen Oak CC, Macomb CC, Madonna, Marygrove, Oakland CC, Schoolcraft, and Wayne State will be featured in both the men's and women's race. The extra two teams competing on the women's side includes Cleveland State and Spring Arbor. Cleveland State returns to the Detroit Titan Invite for the 25th Anniversary. The Vikings were part of the inaugural race back on September 12, 1987.

Wayne State and Detroit should battle for top honors on Saturday in the men's race as these two teams were evenly matched a year ago. Wayne State finished second last year, and they have the top returning individual in Kevin DeBear. DeBear finished third overall last year with a time of 20:38. “Wayne State has a veteran group with some depth,” Head Coach Guy Murray said. “They always run well here.”

Edwin Gay will try to pace the men's team for the second straight week. Gay was honored as the Horizon League Runner of the Week after opening weekend with his performance at the Golden Grizzly Invite. The junior set his four mile PR at Cass-Benton Park a year ago. Gay crossed the finish line at 21:18 which landed him in 19th place overall.

Derek Hoerman also set his four mile PR at the Titan Invite in 2010. Hoerman placed 41st overall with a time of 22:26. “We had a good opener (Golden Grizzly Open), and you never know what can happen this early in the year,” Murray added. “We should give Wayne State a challenge.”

A side note for the men's race will be for fans to keep an eye on Matt Fecht. Fecht is a 2012 Olympic Marathon Trial Qualifier and he will be competing in both the 5,000-meter open as well as the four mile collegiate race. Fecht won the 5k Open in 2010 with a time of 15:54. The Wayne State Alum placed sixth overall running unattached in the collegiate meet with a time of 20:55.

The women's race looks to be wide open as most of the top ten individual runners from last year will not be returning. Wayne State took first place in 2010 as five of their runners placed in the top ten. “Coach Cummins always has Wayne State ready,” Murray said. Jen Rock was the runner-up for Wayne State last year. Her status for this weekend's race is still undetermined.

Front Line Racing finished in second last year with Macomb, Detroit, and Madonna rounding out the top five. “Macomb ran well last week, and Madonna had a good recruiting class,” Murray said. “We won't be at full strength, but I hope we can build off a good start from last week.”

Kirstin Mooney was the top Titan at the Golden Grizzly Open last week. Mooney finished fourth overall and set a new personal-best at the 4k course finishing in 15:04. She placed 20th in the Detroit Titan Invite a year ago with a time of 15:59. Katrina Oberski is the top returner for the Titans. Oberski placed 14th a year ago with a time of 19:57.

Schedule of Events
9:30 a.m. – Women's 5,000 Meter Open Race
10:10 a.m. – Men's 5,000 Meter Open Race
10:45 a.m. – Middle School 1.5 Mile Race (Boys and Girls / 8th Grade and Under)
11:05 a.m. – Tommy Titan Future Legends Kid's Race (Kids 9 Years Old and Under / 200m)
11:15 a.m. – 5,000 Meter Women's Collegiate Invitational
11:45 a.m. – 4 Mile Men's Collegiate Invitational

* Twitter users can follow the Titans cross country teams @DetroitTitanTnF
Use the hashtag #tommytitanxc when you tweet about the meet