Greyhound Club sponsors campus mile walk
On Sept. 11, 2010, nearly 100 people crossed the finish line at Key Stadium during halftime at the University of Indianapolis football opener after they participated in the UIndy Campus Mile Run/Walk.
The mile long event ran through the UIndy campus, and was designed for both those who wanted to run it or those who just casually and socially wanted to walk. Either way, all participants crossed the same finish line during halftime.
Matt Donovan, associate director of the Greyhound Club, said that it’s a model used by high schools, but altered slightly from the high school model to end cross-country meets during football games.
Mike Candy came in second overall with a time of 9:54.3 at UIndy’s Campus MIle Run/Walk on Sept. 11. Photo by Chris Hartley.
“The idea kind of clicked because it is a really unique idea,” he said.
Last year, 10 to 15 participants entered the event that was then put on by the Greyhound Club and Standing O Promotions. This year, since the event fell on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, the UIndy Army ROTC joined as a sponsor.
“[The UIndy Army ROTC] was really excited about this event,” Donovan said.“They were really the sponsor that fueled the event and it all came together perfectly because the event, which was [on] 9/11.”
This year approximately 100 people entered, with the proceeds going toward program enhancements and facility upgrades in the athletics department. One such project will be the addition of metal conference championship banners that will go around the outside of Key Stadium.
Participants included UIndy students in the kinesiology department, UIndy Army ROTC cadets, UIndy alumni. As well as both UIndy basketball teams,UIndy students and the general public.
Hillary Wenning, a senior guard for the UIndy women’s basketball team was among those who participated in this years Mile Walk/Run.
“Coach [Freeland] mentioned it to us one day after practice. The three seniors thought it would be a good opportunity to bond as a team and support our fellow athletes.”
All participants completed an entire mile through the UIndy Campus with the swim teams and softball team volunteering as course directors.
All the runners and walkers finished on the track at Key Stadium in front of the home crowd during halftime of the game against Ashland.
“It was kind of a fun feeling running back into the stadium in front of everybody there on the home straightaway,” Wenning said.
Donovan expected only 30 to 40 people to participate this in this years UIndy Campus Mile Run/Walk, but instead had close to 100 participants.
“Compared to last year the success was great,” he said.“We were really pleased with the turnout.”
Donovan said that part of the increase could be attributed to a slight change in the event’s name.
Last year it was called the Fastest Mile Run/Walk. By calling it the UIndy Campus Mile Run/Walk drew the attention of more social walkers who wouldn’t otherwise want to run the whole distance.
Next year’s UIndy Campus Run/Walk will be during Greyhounds home football game at Key Stadium on Oct. 15, 2011.
