For the fifth year, the University of Indianapolis hosted the annual Hound Hustle 5K Run and Walk to celebrate Homecoming week. According to Associate Professor of Chemistry Kathy Stickney, the 5K is a tradition that brings together the UIndy community and raises funds for student resources.
“The goal is two-fold. First, the race benefits students through scholarships, so one goal is financial,” Stickney said. “The other goal is to have a fun community event that brings together students’ families, the community, alumni, faculty and staff, basically to make a fun event that is inclusive to everybody.”
Stickney is the founder of the Hound Hustle and has organized it every year. She said she wants the annual event to be fun for the community and be something for them to look forward to and train for.
“Running is something you can keep [up] with your whole life while it’s a little bit harder to find a baseball league or a softball league, running is something you can always do,” Stickney said. “It’s an individual thing, if you can develop a culture of fitness through running it can become a lifelong fitness.”
The course runs around the university’s campus and begins at Athletics & Recreation Center, goes around the athletic fields, in to the University Heights neighborhood and ends at the Schwitzer Student Center.
Assistant Professor of English Barney Haney was the first UIndy faculty member to ever win the 5K, finishing with a time of 20:18. According to Haney, his strategy during the race was to keep the leader in his sights and not let him get too far away. Haney said he started running in 2008 to relax from a stressful job. He kept the habit up when he came to UIndy.
“This is the first year my partner was able to come out and support me in the race. It was awesome to have her there,” Haney said. “At the end of the race, Kathy Stickney gave me a big hug. It felt like we won one for the faculty.”
The overall female winner was junior chemistry major Rachel Hurrell who finished with a time of 22:48. Hurrell said she was a soccer player growing up, but began to take running seriously when she came to college. She said the Hound Hustle was a great way for her to combine her love for distance running and to support the school.
“I was very excited to see a chemistry student win the women’s race,” Stickney said. “It was especially exciting because most of the volunteers working at the finish line were chemistry majors and friends of hers.”
Stickney said that the Homecoming Hound Hustle 5K is an event that she and many other members of the faculty look forward to and train for throughout the year.
