HAMMOND | The AAU District Cross Country Championships held at Hammond's Lost Marsh Golf Course on Oct. 28 attracted over 100 clubs from across the Midwest..

One of the largest groups there was the Calumet Junior Striders, which had 88 runners from Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties. The Junior Striders are the youth program of the Calumet Striders running club, which also spans the aforementioned counties, as well as drawing membership from Illinois

Junior Strider Mike Marshal competed in the Intermediate (ages 15-16) Boys 5K. A freshman at Chesterton High School, Marshal took fourth in his race. He said Lost Marsh provided a rather tricky terrain.

"There were a lot of hills, and there is a breeze that comes across because it's a golf course, so it brings down your time," Marshal said. "And I think it ran a little long."

Winning the Intermediate Boys race was Lance Nelson of Southport. Nelson also thought the course was long for a 5K.

"But it felt really nice though," he said. "There were no holes."

Nelson took an early big lead and maintained it throughout the race.

"It was different just running by myself," said Nelson, who doesn't often leave the competition in the dust. "I haven't done that in a long time."