June 21, 2011 at 11:09 a.m.
Hodag Run for Your Life set for Saturday
Fifth annual 5- and 10K races benefit Y's Strong Kids Campaign
Hodag Run for Your Life set for Saturday
By Jonathan Bailey-
Runners from primarily Rhinelander and the surrounding areas will gather Saturday morning near Stevensport Square for a little competition and to raise money for the YMCA's Strong Kids Scholarship Campaign.
"We needed a fundraising event for the Strong Kids Campaign to add to what we were doing at the time, which was just a golf outing and a progressive dinner," race director Chris Moran said on the reason for beginning the Hodag Run for Your Life in 2007.
"So there was a need for another event to raise money, but also the community of Rhinelander until that time did not have a run," he added. "There are multiple runs in Minoqua, one in Eagle River, but there weren't any here."
Organizers hope the event, which drew 215 runners in its inaugural year and grew to 280 participants in 2010, will eclipse the 300 mark this year.
Hodag Run for Your Life raised $10,000 for the Strong Kids Scholarship Campaign in 2007 and improved upon that by bringing in $14,000 last year.
The Strong Kids Scholarship Campaign is in place to ensure that no one is turned away from the YMCA due to the inability to pay.
"We're not making a huge growth but we're making steady growth, which to me is better because at least there will be a continual (improvement)," Moran said.
"The idea here is not only to raise money for the Y but to also encourage a healthy lifestyle for everybody who participates and more awareness in the Strong Kids Campaign and we're doing that every year," he added.
As much as the event is to raise money and get people exercising, it also invokes its fair share of competitive juices.
Aside from bragging rights, the top three male and female finishers in each age bracket will receive custom Hodag medals, while the top overall male and female winners in each race will be awarded the "special coveted" Hodag Award. All registered runners are also entered into a drawing for a Trek bicycle donated by Mel's Sporting Goods.
New this year to the Hodag Run For Your Life is a 5K Run/Walk Baby Stroller Division, designed to give another unique factor to the run.
"Previously people had ran with their strollers without a separate division and we wanted to recognize those people who were doing the run with their families and children who couldn't run on their own," Moran said. "It's new this year, we wanted to see how many people would sign up for it and be part of it and hopefully we can expand on it ... in the future years."
For young children who can run, there's a free Chase the Hodag event (ages 12 and under). Kids will try to catch the Hodag as it runs around the Oneida County Courthouse back to the start/finish line at Stevensport Square.
Registration is $35 for both the 5- and 10K races. Online registration at www.active.com closes at 5:01 p.m. Thursday. After that it can be accomplished by calling the YMCA or showing up between 7 and 8:30 a.m. Saturday at Stevensport Square.
For more information call the YMCA at (715) 362-9622 or visit their website at ymcaofthenorthwoods.org.
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