The final stretch

The "Little 500 week" is kicking off a little earlier this year.\nThis weekend begins with the inaugural Little Fifty track race. The Little Fifty is a 12.5 mile relay race in which each team runs 50 laps around the outdoor track at the Haugh Varsity Track. Most teams will use a strategy of one or two lap exchanges.\nTickets for the event came with the purchase of a Little 500 ticket. During fall registration 6,000 tickets were sold, well over the 3,000 person capacity of the track and field complex. \nSenior Brian Gaylord, who is in charge of marketing the Little Fifty for the IU Student Foundation, said that with good weather the stadium could be filled. \nSince it is the first running of the Little Fifty, Gaylord said there are some questions regarding public knowledge of the event. However, many of the participants are members of the greek system and members of team fraternities or sororities ensure at least a decent showing at the race.\nThe IU Student Foundation, who hosts the event, will donate a considerable amount of money to several charities, including Middle Way House and Boy Scouts of America.\n"We have no idea how much money we will end up being able to donate, but it will be a lot," Gaylord said.\nThe day will kick off with the Little Fifty eight kilometer run, which Gaylord said will be mostly local Bloomington participants. After the road race, a barbecue will be held in the track complex parking lots. The barbecue will be available with a ticket. The Little Fifty will begin with the men's race at 2 p.m. followed by the women's race at 4 p.m.\nThe race promises to be competitive, especially on the men's side. At qualifications, Fiji earned the pole position with a time of 8.53.60 in a 4x800 meter relay. Several other teams should be competitive, including Mercury, Sigma Chi and Pi Kapps. \nSenior Jeremy Friedman, a runner for Mercury and a member of Riders Council, said he was excited for the first running.\n"I'm excited because I want this event to grow and to become more of a complimentary event to the Little Fifty," he said. "It's just exciting to be a part of this. But I can't emphasize more that it's just complimentary. We don't want to ruin the nostalgia of Little Fifty. Hopefully it will work and continue to grow." \nOn the women's side, The Stilettos earned the pole in 10:45.13, with Hot Buns and Alpha Phi handily beating the rest of the field.\n"The men's race should be very competitive," Gaylord said. "They will both be exciting to watch. We're going to find out Sunday."\nAwards will be handed out in the form of scholarships. In addition to awards, teams are using the race for other reasons. Sophomore Arik Frankel from Delta Sigma Pi said that his team will use the meet partly to bring publicity to the fraternity.\n"We'd like to get our name out, and this is a good way to do it," Frankel said. "There should be a lot of people out there and that will definitely help."\nThe IU Student Foundation hopes the Little Fifty gets the Little Fifty season off to a good start, Gaylord said. They are trying to link the two events and will have an elaborate pre-race ceremony, he said. A torch will be on the infield of the complex and the Little Fifty king and queen ceremony will take place.\n"We wanted the Little Fifty to kick off the Little Fifty," Gaylord said. "We're hoping both events strengthen each other"