Hillsdale’s first half-marathon event will be hosted by Student Life and Outdoor Adventures Club on Nov. 14.
Hillsdale College seniors and best friends Sofia Krusmark and Danae Sollie are leading the charge in creating and planning the event, which include 5K and 10K options. Students, faculty and their families, and Hillsdale Academy families are eligible to sign up. Already, more than 130 runners have registered.
Krusmark said she was inspired to plan the half-marathon when she realized the dates of scheduled runs nearby were too early for her to prepare.
The half-marathon, rather than a full, gives participants a realistic amount of time to train.
“This is my senior year, and I get to plan something that I love so much for so many people to enjoy whether they’re runners or not,” Krusmark said. “The more people who get involved in this event, the better, because this is an opportunity for people who do completely different things on campus to come together and enjoy something that’s so common to people. And if you don’t come out and run, anyone can cheer.”
According to Sollie, the event is also the result of the coronavirus pandemic and the disruption it caused.
“A lot of people were planning on doing events that got cancelled because of COVID,” she said. “We wanted to do something local so that we could still run and get people motivated with gyms being closed as well. We just thought, ‘what a good way to get people outside and running.’”
The race will begin on the quad and the finish line will house pizza, hot drinks, live music, and beer provided by one of the race’s sponsor, Hillsdale Brewing Company. Hillsdale College senior Asa Hoffman will lead the organization of student bands playing at the end of the race.
Interested participants can sign-up using the Google form included in the Student Activities and Outdoor Adventures Club newsletters. Registration for the event ends Oct. 15 and includes a $14 entry fee that covers the cost of a T-shirt.
email skrusmark@hillsdale.edu for additional questions.
