YMCA run draws large crowd

Hours of phone calls, meetings and planning paid off Saturday morning. \nA large crowd congregated at 8 a.m. Saturday on the front lawn of the YMCA, 2125 S. Highland St., to witness the kickoff to the 25th Annual Spring Running Festival.\nEvery spring, the YMCA sponsors a 5K and 10K run. It is a means of raising funds and, for many Bloomington residents, a long-standing tradition.\nAimee Heeter, festival coordinator, said many of the people who participate in the run started during high school. Now they run the race with their children and grandchildren.\n"It's become a sort of traditional event," she said. "For some, it's a part of training for the mini-marathon later in the year."\nThe route the runners take is a sort of mini-marathon. The 5K runs in a small circle from Winslow Road to Thornton Road, covering three miles. The 10K is a larger circle, starting from Winslow Road to First Street. The course is six miles long. But, for nonrunners and children, the event offered a Healthy Kids Fun Walk/Run, which was free and one mile long.\nAssistant professor Sarah Queller participated in the race, following a long-standing tradition herself.\n"I used to run every year until I had her," she said, referring to her infant daughter.\nQueller said she had been looking for a chance to get back into running since she had her baby and said the festival was the best way.\n"Once you sign up, you're committed," she said. "This way, I had to run."\nVolunteers offer help in a variety of ways, from helping with registration and timers to taking tags and handing out water.\nLois and Gene Taylor have volunteered at the festival for three years. Saturday, they were handing out water. \n"Mostly it's the folks in the cardiovascular class that accept the water," Lois Taylor said. "But we make sure we have it for them if they need it."\nThis year they sat with fellow volunteer Gilbert Rainey and waited for the runners to arrive.\nParticipants in either the 5K or 10K paid a fee of $14, and those who run both races paid $19. All of the participants received a T-shirt. Winners for each age division of the races received merchandise donated by businesses from around Bloomington. Children who participated in the Healthy Kids run automatically received a participation prize after completing the race.\n"We'll do it again next year," Lois Taylor said.