Little 50 kicks off ‘world’s greatest college weekend’

The running of the women’s and men’s Little 50 on Thursday at the Haugh Track and Field Complex officially kicked off the “world’s greatest college weekend.”\nDespite chilly weather, fans were in high spirits as hundreds came out to urge on their teams. \n“It’s a great way to start off the Little 500 weekend,” said sophomore Lauren LaCassa of Pi Beta Phi. “Seeing all the fans out here excited for their teams really gets you in the mood for a fun couple of days.”\nWIUX student radio provided commentary and music and announced the race leaders every 10 laps. A roar from the sea of fans packed at the front of the stands could be heard at each update, followed by waving flags, and students sporting greek letters and other team names.\nThe women’s race began at 7 p.m., starting in a tight pack of 24 teams, but after just three laps the field was stretched halfway around the track. Defending champion Cream and pack leader Gamma Phi Beta separated themselves from the field early and never looked back.\nAfter a last-lap exchange by Gamma Phi Beta, they surged ahead for good, outlasting a charge by Cream down the final stretch.\n“We are very proud of our runners,” said Jackie Howell of Gamma Phi Beta. “They put in a lot of hard work and they really represented the house well.”\nThe men’s race began just after 9 p.m. with the field of 25 teams spreading along the track even faster than in the women’s race. The men completed more exchanges in the early stages of the race, allowing the dominant teams to establish a comfortable lead.\nAfter 30 laps, poll-sitter Left-Handed Remarks, Mercury and Fiji separated from the pack, leaving many teams far out of contention.\n“We put in a strong effort out there,” said Nate Kroll of his Alpha Tau Omega team. “It’s really good to see the improvement we’ve made. I honestly didn’t expect us to do this well.”\nA gun shot signaling the final lap quickly sent the crowd to its feet. Left-Handed Remarks runner Dan Watts, a sophomore, strode down the final stretch easily in first, crossing the finish line and keeling over with his hands on his knees. Exhausted, Watts had to wait a moment to catch his breath as the rest of his team ran over to celebrate.\n“We went out there faster than we expected,” Watts said between heavy breaths. “But we hung in there, and it \nfeels great.”