BY CORIE LYNN
As Labor Day approaches, runners across the Hays area are preparing for the Mac Labor Day 10 miler and 2×5 Mile Relay.
Though this is the first year of the 10 mile run, Dennis Weber of the Hays Area Road Runners says the running group hopes to continue the race in the future and a new interest in long races.
“There used to be a popular 10 mile Labor day run from Great Bend to Hoisington several years ago,” he said. “We wanted to get something like that going again.”
The inaugural Mac run has been in the planning stages for the past year and includes two events.
Runners have the option of participating in the 10-mile race or the 2×5 mile relay. Both courses start and finish at Lewis Field Stadium while sending runners through Frontier Park, the FHSU campus and Historic Fort Hays.
Registration is available online or through mail until Sunday at 9:00 p.m. with fees of $30 for the 10-mile race and $50 for the relay.
Weber explained that the Road Runners do not yet know how many runners will participate, but that races in their first year are typically small. Even with a small group, he explained that they will allow runners to keep their distance from each other.
“We will allow a staggered start if people are concerned about being too close to others,” he said.
However, the purpose of the race goes beyond renewing interest in long runs or establishing a new tradition. The Mac Labor Day Run has a namesake in the Hays community.
“We called it the Mac run in honor of Bob McAnany, a long time resident and former runner at FHSU. He has been and continues to be a tremendous help in almost every activity in the city,” Weber said.
Information about the race, including the course map, contact information and registration, is found online. Both the 10-mile race and 2×5 mile relay will begin at 8:00 a.m. on Monday.