1,000 register for marathon

As the countdown ticker on the IU Mini Marathon's Web site clocks down the final two months until the race starts, organizers are growing more upbeat with every day.\nReaching 1,000 registrants Friday, the inaugural event raising money for the Bill Z. Littlefield Scholarship for Survivors, a fund that will help a cancer survivor attend any of IU's eight campuses. The group said it's well underway of reaching its goal of 5,000 participants.\nThe IU Circle of Life, a student-led organization that hopes to award one of the largest scholarships in the United States to a cancer survivor, has been organizing the event for the past two years and is hoping to create a week-long experience for participants. \n"From the Greek-challenge, which has all 43 houses involved, to the alumni event being held at Nick's Pub after the race, we want this to be an engaging event for everyone," said senior Kevin MacCauley, the president and CEO of the Circle of Life. "The event is being held during the second week of classes and we hope that will be an energizing time for the freshmen and for all of the campus to get out and support this event." \nBuilding on the foundation that IU has been ranked one of the most beautiful campuses in the nation, MacCauley and event organizers believe there is no better place to hold the first collegiate mini marathon in the state of Indiana.\n"The Indianapolis 500 Mini Marathon is the largest mini in the nation," MacCauley said. "But no one has utilized the fact that IU is one of the most beautiful campuses in the nation, and more scenic than Indy. We hope this will promote what IU stands for -- professionalism and good academic standing. IU doesn't really receive the recognition that it deserves."\nThe event will also include a five-kilometer run and walk in conjunction with the marathon, in which children can participate as well.\nOne big draw, said event organizer Don Carr of Tuxedo Brothers in Indianapolis, is it's a brand new course so many have never seen it before.\n"The Bloomington track has hills, which some people will enjoy," Carr said. "I think that it created a lot of excitement that the start-finish line is right by the IU Assembly Hall, which not many people have seen, which adds another aspect to the event."\nOrganizers decided to cap the race at 5,000 people due to logistical reasons. Since it's the inaugural event, planners did not want to ruin the quality of the race by having more than 5,000 participants.\n"We are better able to predict what will happen on race day," MacCauley said.\nCircle of Life believes that one reason the Indy Mini Marathon is so successful is because of all the support the community gives to the event and they hope the Bloomington community will do the same.\nThere has already been a response from community businesses as sponsors of the event, including Bucceto's Smiling Teeth and B97 radio station. Bucceto's will be providing the pasta for the pre-race pasta dinner at the DeVault Alumni Center, while B97 will receive song requests by participants and play them throughout the race along the course. Other sponsors, such as Chick-fil-A, Oakley, the Lance Armstrong Foundation and Coca-Cola have been a factor as well.\nAlthough event organizers are not satisfied with the amount of participants as of yet, they are hopeful that they will reach their goal and build on their success in the future.\n"Many hold off registering until the final week," MacCauley said. "Two months is still pretty far. We are not satisfied with being there right now, but we would like 2,500 to 3,500 for an inaugural race -- that would be a good number."\nAs for the future, the 2007 and 2008 Mini Marathons are already on the calendar, both of which will be held on a Sunday on the same weekend in September. \n"Since there is a football game on the Saturday before the race on the future dates, we hope this would be a big draw not only to our event, but to the football team as well," MacCauley said. "As for future participants, we hope we can grow 5 percent each year."\nAlthough success of the event has yet to be determined, the concert list yet to be named and the number of participants is not yet set, Carr said he is already pleased.\n"We are thrilled that so many people from around the Midwest have already entered the event." Carr said. "It has already proven that we will be successful by the amount of participants and the race being two months away"