Mary Jane Chichester is convinced she made the right move three years ago to let men compete in the 10K race and volleyball parts of Run, Jane, Run. She projects that one out of three runners and volleyball players in the contest is male. The golf tournament, however, remains man-free.
"Last year, we had a couple of the golfers who had never stepped on a golf course before. Same with the volleyball," says Chichester. "We actually keep the beginners separate, so that you're playing against someone of the same caliber." Games begin at 9 a.m. Friday at Briarwood Golf Course (2737 West Edgerton Road in Broadview Heights) and 8 a.m. Saturday and 7:30 a.m. Sunday at Edgewater State Park, 6500 Cleveland Memorial Shoreway. It's free to watch, $125 to golf, $30 to play volleyball, and $20 to run. Call 216-651-1450 for more information. -- Cris Glaser
Triple Threat
Hills and waves won't deter triathletes.
8/13-8/14
Mickey Rzymek chuckles as out-of-state athletes scan the route of the Greater Cleveland Triathlon. "They go, 'God, we didn't know those hills were out there,'" says Rzymek, the race's organizer. After a kids' mini-triathlon on Saturday, Sunday's race starts with a 1.2-mile swim in Lake Erie, followed by a 56-mile bike ride and 13.1-mile run that both wind through 13 cities in Lake and Geauga counties. The fastest male and female qualify for the 140-mile Ironman next year in Lake Placid, New York. "Every event I go to, somebody from Northeast Ohio finishes in the top tier," says Rzymek. "Without fail, they always do well." Races start at 8 a.m. Saturday and 7 a.m. Sunday at Mentor Headlands Beach State Park, 9601 Headlands Road in Mentor. It's free to watch; $170 to compete ($30 for kids); call 330-686-0993. -- Cris Glaser
Race Crazy
SUN 8/14
The Perfect 10-Miler & SELREC 2-Mile Classic has a way of making folks crazy. "I didn't discover I could run until I was almost 40," says Tracy Seifert, who's participating in Sunday's race. "Now I'm one of those psycho runners." The second annual contest winds through a pair of scenic suburbs before finishing with a lap on Brush High School's track. "It's the perfect distance for most runners," says Seifert. Runs start at 7:30 a.m. at Brush High School, 4875 Glenlyn Road in Lyndhurst. Registration fees are $16 (for the 2-mile race) and $40 (for the 10-miler). Call 216-464-5510 for more information. -- Lucy McKernan