NEIU’s Running Club is hosting the first ever Golden Eagle 5K Run on Sunday, April 13. Runners of all levels are encouraged to participate. With the spring semester coming to an end, Running Club wants to get the NEIU community together for one last event.
The 3.1-mile race will kick-off at 9:00 a.m. and will consist of two full laps around the NEIU campus. The run will start on the Campus Athletic Field, continue along the west end of the campus, east on Bryn Mawr Avenue, and back south on St. Louis Avenue to the Athletic Field. Each runner will receive a T-shirt and personal time chip to clock their speed and time.
The Golden Eagle 5K Run is open to students, faculty, staff members and the general public. Registration for the 5K has already started and will continue through the morning of the run. The participation fee is $10 for NEIU students; $12 for NEIU faculty, staff and affiliates; and $15 for the public. The fee will be increased for those registering the day of the race. All money collected will be used for the event including time chips, awards and T-shirts.
Runners will be awarded medallions for coming in first, second and third place in their race categories. Runners will be placed in a race category according to gender and age: male, female, age 40 and younger, and over 40 years of age. Participants will have the option to run or walk without being disqualified for time.
Organizers of the 5K race hope to promote a growing running community on campus. “This run will help the students and people get educated on running,” says Martha Montes, Associate Director for Campus Recreation. “And if a person has never done a run, I highly suggest doing one of our workshops.” The NEIU Running Club offers workshops to learn proper technique and preparation for races. They also offer scheduled group runs throughout the year to help improve running abilities.
The race will offer a chance for runners to compete or to simply get some exercise and enjoy some food. Beck’s Bookstore, Jimmy John’s and Whole Foods are a few of the companies sponsoring the NEIU Golden Eagle 5K Run. Whole Foods will offer an after-run buffet with a variety of fruits, vegetables and juices. Volunteers from these companies will set up water stations, as well as help guide runners around the course.
“35 people are registered already; 100 is what we are shooting for,” says Montes. “We are hoping for a big turn out.” For more information on the running workshops, or to register for the Golden Eagle 5K run, call Campus Recreation at extension 4131.