Over 500 runners and walkers competed in the annual American Classic 5K Saturday to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity and encourage physical fitness on campus.
The event was organized by Jason Eisen, Erin Bumgarner, Greg Rosenberg, Mark Stern and Chad Woodworth and assisted by the community service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega. The race organizers hoped to raise thousands of dollars for Habitat for Humanity, as last year's 5K raised $5,000 for the AU chapter of Habitat for Humanity.
"The turnout for this year's race is about two to two-and-a-half times greater than last year's," said Guy Seemann, a senior in the School of Public Affairs and a race volunteer. "Eisen did an impressive job organizing it, especially with publicity."
As part of the university's 15-Point Plan for athletic involvement, which challenges everyone at AU to "take seriously our responsibility to encourage physical fitness throughout our community," several AU sports teams participated in the race, as well as area cross-country teams.
"It was nice to see the community come together," said Patrick Sullivan, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences.
"It was actually awesome to see everybody come out for the race," said Seeman. Even if people didn't want to run, they still came out to donate money. ... There was even a middle school cross-country team here."
For the event's organizers, the 5K was the result of weeks of meetings and other responsibilities.
"It has involved creating a Web site, tabling, organizing volunteers, raising money, designing T-shirts, planning a race course and all the other logistical planning," said Eisen, a senior in the School of International Service.
The course began in front of the SIS building and then looped twice around campus, ending in front of the Mary Graydon Center.
"I love this course," said Michelle Johncock, a 1997 CAS alum and winner of the female division. "I ran by all the places I went to classes at. I was like, 'There's my dorm!'"
Sullivan said he also liked the course.
"I saw parts of AU I'd never seen before," he said.
Next year, the race's leaders hope to move the 5K off campus to increase community involvement, according to Eisen.
