Nearly 600 Runners Take Part in Annual ‘Make the Lake’ Run To Kick Off The Cross Country Season

Runners participate in Make the Lake 2022 at the Detroit Lakes City Park (Photo: Zeke Fuhrman).

Detroit Lakes, MN (KDLM) – The Detroit Lakes Lakers Cross Country Team hosted its annual Make the Lake “meet” at the DL City Park on Tuesday morning, hosting close to 600 runners from 15 area schools.

“We call it Minnesota’s largest practice,” said Laker girls cross country coach Ryan Zunich. “It was us, Perham, Frazee, United North Central, OTC, Hawley, LPA, Red Lake County, Pelican Rapids, East Grand Forks, Park Rapids, Wadena, DGF, Long Prairie, and Fergus Falls all came this year. Probably close to 600 kids running in the park this morning.”

The run isn’t competitive but is meant as a giant joint practice and networking opportunity for area runners.

“We always have to remind the kids that this isn’t a race,” said Zunich. We don’t do this to race. We do this to celebrate our sport and allow the kids that enjoy the sport to get to know other athletes from other communities. They spend a lot of time working hard and they see a lot of the same faces, but here they get a chance to go on a three, five, seven, or ten-mile run depending on their level. They get to spend that time with different teams and different runners. There are a lot of smiling faces, there’s meeting a lot of new people, and a lot of SnapChats being exchanged. It’s a great way to kick off the cross country season,”

The Laker Cross Country team will kick off their 2022 season at The Vintage Golf Course in Staples on Monday morning.