8th annual run raises more than $105,000 to fight cancer

As the sun rose early Saturday morning, a record number of more than 5,000 runners and walkers filtered into IU Memorial Stadium to participate in the Hoosiers Outrun Cancer one-mile walk/run and 5k run.\nCancer survivors, families and friends of loved ones who died of cancer and various groups made up the crowd of people either walking or running in the eighth annual event. Flags and signs for different teams dotted the sea of people gathered for the opening ceremonies. \n“I don’t enjoy anything about the day,” said Jane Suhr, who founded a team, while she waited for the opening ceremonies to begin. \nSuhr, the mother of former IU basketball player Errek Suhr, lost her daughter Jenny, an IU student, to brain cancer in 1999. Since then, the Suhrs have created and built-up a team of family, friends and coworkers called “Team Jenny.” Suhr said that while she isn’t happy that she had a reason to create the team, she did think it was a good day to honor those lost to cancer. \nHoosiers Outrun Cancer began in 2000, when friends Karen Knight, the wife of former IU men’s basketball coach Bob Knight, and Dorothy Ellis, a member of the Bloomington Hospital Foundation’s board of directors, came up with the idea. Soon after, a member of the board, Joan Olcott, was diagnosed with cancer and founded the Olcott Center for Cancer Education and Advocacy. Proceeds from the event now go to the center. \nBoard member Juli Curtis said organizers expected to raise about $150,000 this year. The event ended up raising a little more than $105,000. \nShe added that every year, the event grows in size, making it now the largest 5k run/walk in South Central Indiana.\n“Most people know someone directly or indirectly (who has been affected by cancer),” she said. “The event brings people out of the woodwork.” \nSome teams at the event commemorated friends or family members lost to cancer, like “Team Jenny.” Others represented schools. Steering committee member Debbie Sibbitt said more than 1,200 students from Bloomington North and South combined competed in the day’s events. \nVolunteers Gerry and John Miller, who have worked at the event nearly every year since its inception, said they enjoyed the camaraderie between volunteers and participants from both schools, despite their traditional rivalry.\n“We’re all working together for the same cause,” Gerry Miller said. “It’s also a social occasion ... you get to meet new people.” \nDuring the opening ceremonies, former IU football coach Bill Mallory and his wife Ellie, honorary co-chairs for the event, spoke briefly about their experience with cancer.\nIU President Michael McRobbie and his wife Laurie then spoke about their separate experiences with losing spouses to brain tumors. Participants were encouraged to blow bubbles to symbolize lost loved ones as well as to celebrate cancer survivors. \nIU senior Beth Dorr said this year was her first year running in the event. She added that she hasn’t run in many races, but she and a friend wanted to get in shape, so they decided to run together. Dorr said her favorite part, by far, was the end of the run. \n“I think it’s great finishing, with all these people cheering for you,” she said. \nAfter the race, Mayor Mark Kruzan spoke, naming the day “Hoosiers Outrun Cancer Day.” He simultaneously named the day “Worldwide Day of Play,” after the name of the new children’s activities held at the end of the race on the football field.\nAwards varied from trophies to medallions, and the first place male and female finishers, as well as cancer survivors, received $100 with their award. George McArdle, a graduate student, placed first overall in the men’s 5k run with a time of 15:52. \nJessica Gall, director of experiential education and recruitment for the IU School of Journalism, placed first in the women’s race with a time of 17:46.