'M' Track honors Red in home invitational

By Shawn Kemp

Daily Sports Writer

Amidst the bustle of runners, jumpers, coaches and fans in Michigan's indoor track building, an ordinary passerby can get overwhelmed.

But to a man of short stature with a tuft of red hair, the scene is anything but unfamiliar. Ken Simmons, known to Michigan's track community simply as "Red", not only embraces the track community - he helped create it.

Simmons, who turned 91 two weeks ago, started the first Ann Arbor Women's Track Club in 1960. The Michigammes produced seven national champions, and the runners fed into Michigan's first women's track team in 1976 - coached by Simmons himself.

He continues to aid Michigan's track programs, timing races and overseeing the progress of home meets. In recognition of all of his contributions to the program, Michigan will host its 21st annual Red Simmons Invitational on Saturday.

Michigan track coach Ron Warhurst is looking for some improved performances, especially in the distance events, over last weekend's loss to Indiana.

Mike Wisniewski, Mark Pilja and Tom Greenless, three of Michigan's top distance runners, will have the additional factor of talented competition to fuel their races. An elite distance running club, sponsored by Hanson's Running Shop, will race in the invitational in preparation for the World Cross Country Championships in Washington this February.

"When there is more competition, people come around," Warhurst said. "If they want to pin their ears back and put their noses in it, they will compete, and they will run fast if they compete."

Teams from Eastern Michigan, Michigan State, Central Michigan, Toledo and Bowling Green will join Michigan Saturday as field events begin at 9:30 a.m. and running events take place at noon.

And in the middle of all the chaos will be the host himself, equipped with an official stopwatch, Big Red.