Fun, food, and music paired with a new 10K race will welcome spring weather on the University of Southern Indiana’s campus.
USI will host the inaugural Romain Subaru Spring into Fitness 10K on Saturday, April 13, the last in the three-race Romain Subaru Screaming Eagles Running Series.
More than 500 runners are already registered for the event, which will begin at 9 a.m. on USI’s campus. USI sport management students are handling the planning of the event, a new race in the series.
An all-day FlowerFest on campus will complement the race. USI’s Activities Programming Board will sponsor a performance by Honor by August, a nationally acclaimed modern rock band from Washington, D.C. The band will play from noon to 3 p.m. FlowerFest, scheduled to begin at 8 a.m., also will feature a rock climbing wall, a Subaru car show, and a youth area with inflatables, clowns, and face painting, as well as health fair booths and food booths. All FlowerFest events are free and open to the public and will take place in Parking Lot C near USI’s Physical Activities Center.
“We’re providing community members with an opportunity to lead a healthy lifestyle and come together as a community in a social event,†said Dr. Glenna Bower, associate professor and chair of the Department of Kinesiology and Sport.
Anne Mahlum, founder and CEO of Back on My Feet, will run in the race. Back on My Feet is a non-profit organization that transforms the lives of homeless people through running. Mahlum also will speak on campus about her organization at 6:30 p.m., Friday, April 12 in Carter Hall at the University Center.
The course for the 10K runs from USI to Burdette Park and back on USI-Burdette Park Trail, a designated destination point on the American Discovery Trail, which passes through Southern Indiana. The trail also has been named a National Recreation Trail by the Secretary of the Interior. USI contributed much of the land through which the trail winds.
The top three male and female runners in each of four age groups will be recognized in an awards ceremony following the race. Awards also will be given to best overall male and female and top challenged athlete in each division, as well as best hippie costume.
The 10K will be followed by the Flower Fun Run for children ages 2 to 10. About 300 Girl Scouts will participate in the fun run, walking distances of 50 meters up to a half mile. All child runners will receive a medal for participation.
Registration is available online or the day of the event. The cost of the race is $20 before April 6 or $25 through the day of the race. The Kids Fun Run series is free. Participants can check in the night before the race from 5 to 8 p.m. or on race day at 7:30 a.m. USI’s Recreation, Fitness, and Wellness Center.
All proceeds from the Romain Subaru Screaming Eagles Running Series will go to the USI Sport Management scholarship fund, professional development opportunities, and future events offered through the Department of Kinesiology and Sport.
For more information or to register or volunteer for an event, visit www.usi.edu/running or contact Bower by email at gbower@usi.edu or by phone at 812/465-1265.
