Field of competitors looks solid for 2023 Cherry Mile as event returns to downtown Traverse City

Jul. 5—TRAVERSE CITY — It's been a few years, but the Cherry Mile is back in downtown Traverse City.

The last time runners from northern Michigan and around the country took over the picturesque streets lined with quaint shops and idyllic houses for the Cherry Mile was in 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the races in 2020, and organizers moved the event to Traverse City Central High School upon its return.

But now, the Cherry Mile is back and better than ever, serving as a more-than-satisfying appetizer ahead of Saturday's Festival of Races that will include a half-marathon starting at Old Mission Peninsula School as well as 5K, 10K and 15K races.

The Cherry Mile is actually five races, beginning with the men's and women's open race at 4:45 p.m. followed by the high school girls race at 5 o'clock, the boys high school race 15 minutes later and then ending with the elite women's event at 5:30 p.m. and the elite men's race following that at 5:45.

The races start on Oak Street between 12th and 13th Streets with the gathering spot for competitors at Trinity Lutheran School. The finish line is at Front Street and Union Street.

"We have a high-quality field this year," race organizer Bryan Burns said of the elite races. "The races are going to be really, really competitive with high-level, high-caliber runners out there."

Competitors in the women's elite race include Anna Juul, Alsu Lenneman, Aurora Rynda and Kaylin Russeau.

Juul is from West Chester, Pennsylvania, and is a Harvard University alum currently working on her graduate degree at the University of Michigan. She qualified for the 1500 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Championships and for the mile at the NCAA Indoor Championships. She was the Ivy League champion in the 1500m while at Harvard and competed for Denmark in the 2019 U23 European Athletics Championships.

Lenneman is from Novi and a graduate of Eastern Michigan University. The four-time All-American now competes for the Very Nice Track Club and was runner-up at the 2017 NCAA Division 1 Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the 5000-meter run. Russeau is from Dundee and also competes for the Very Nice Track Club with Lenneman.

Rynda is from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. During her time competing for the University of Michigan, Rynda was an eight-time All-American, 11-time All-Big Ten and three-time Big Ten champion runner. She also holds the Canadian record in the 600-meter run and has U-M school records in the 600m, 800m, 4x400 relay and DMR relay.

Some of those competing in the elite men's race are James Geddris, Donis Harris, Jeremy Kloss, John Petruno, Alex Russeau and Traverse City natives Drew Seabase and Luke Venhuizen.

Geddris is from Grosse Ile and competes for the University of Michigan. Harris is a recent graduate of Ferris State University where he earned several All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors. Kloss, who is from Harbor Springs, now runs for Michigan State University and is a former winner of the high school Cherry Mile. Petruno is a recent grad of MSU, where he was a multi-time Big Ten and All-American honoree. Russeau is also an MSU graduate and previously ran a 3:57 in the 1500 meters.

Seabase was a multi-time All-State athlete in cross country and track while at TC Central. He also earned All-American honors as a Trojan. Seabase now competes for Michigan State University and was All-Big Ten this spring after finishing eighth in the 10K at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships. His best time in the 1500-meter run is 3:52.

Venhuizen was an elite runner for the Trojans as well, also taking home several All-State honors in both cross country and track. He was a two-time All-American while attending TC Central and now competes for the University of Michigan, where he was the Wolverines' top freshman distance runner this past season.

"Those are going to be competitive races, and the high school races are just really loaded, too," Burns said. "We have really full fields with high-quality talent that includes state champions and All-State athletes. Lots of good local connections, too."

The boys and girls high school races, which have been won by prep greats such as Benzie Central's Hunter Jones and Traverse City Central's Julia Flynn, feature a stacked field of runners that includes Buckley's Aiden Harrand, who was named the Record-Eagle 2022 Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year and the 2023 Girls Track & Field Runner of the Year. Harrand will be joined by Florida State University commit Ava Povich, who won the 3200-meter state championship in Florida's 1A high school division this year.

The boys race includes local athletes in Traverse City Central's Jett Reimers as well as Traverse City West's Willem DeGood. Vestaburg's Owen Patton, a state champion in Division 4, will compete along with Ann Arbor Pioneer's Eric Overdier and out-of-state runner Jacob Schwarting, who is from Erie, Colorado, and represented the USA in the 18U race of the World Mountain Running Championships.

Festivities for the Cherry Mile are set to begin at 4:30 p.m. Thursday with the races to follow soon after.