The relay event was held from 6 p.m. Tuesday to 6 p.m. Wednesday. Twenty-one members of the Viking track and cross country teams, along with the coaches, raised $2,000 while running on treadmills at the school. Half of the money will be donated to Habitat for Humanity, and the other half will benefit the teams.
Runners took half-hour shifts. In excess of 187 miles were completed for an average of 3.9 miles per 30-minute session, says Elliott Nott, the men’s track and cross country coach. The goal had been 175. Nott ran the fastest reaching 4.71 miles in a half hour. Senior Luke Johnson put in the most miles, logging 13.4 in three half-hour sessions.
The students were excited about the event and the opportunity to raise money for others. “The treadmill relays were such a unique and extraordinary idea to raise money for both our organization and Habitat for Humanity,” says senior Liz Podczaski. “Hopefully the money we raised can give a family the opportunity to get their lives back on track and inspire others to contribute their time and money.”
“It provided a purpose for our running, and the benefits surpassed merely completing the full 24 hours,” says senior Becky Gritter. “As a runner, I often dread running on the treadmill. Due to the support of fellow teammates and those that passed by, the treadmill environment was actually enjoyable.”
Earning special respect from other athletes were Podczaski, senior Allison Weller, and former cross country runner, Grace Conrad. The three alternated shifts between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m.
“I give Liz, Allison and Grace a lot of credit for running throughout the night and very early morning,” says sophomore Weston Gleffe. “It was truly selfless of them to run when they normally would have been asleep.”
Nott says he was pleased that the early morning sessions were among the first the athletes wanted.
The event was a first for the teams and was the brainchild of Nott, who introduced the relay concept at a previous college. “We had a blast putting together this event and I’m thankful that the North Park community supported our efforts,” he says.
Copyright © 2011 The Evangelical Covenant Church.
