Student Foundation adds new event

This April will mark a new addition to the ever-popular Little 500 events. Runners will now get to showcase their talents in the first annual Little Fifty. Patterned after the Little 500, the Little Fifty will feature a men's and women's relay style running race competing for glory and for a good cause. The race will be 50 laps (12.5 miles) and is sure to be as spirited and exciting as the Little 500. Qualifications to set the 33 team fields will take place on April 6, 2003 followed by the main event on April 13. \nThe idea for the Little Fifty came from IU alumnus and avid runner Ray Jordan. A huge fan of the Little 500, Jordan approached IUSF Director Jonathan Purvis over a year ago with the idea of creating a running race similar to the successful Little 500 cycling race.\n"The initial response has been really positive," Purvis said. "So far, we have been marketing it through word of mouth. I think it (the race) makes sense. You walk on campus, and you always see a lot of runners." \nIUSF said the Little Fifty may evolve even more quickly than the Little 500 did because it is an event everyone can get involved in.\n"Everyone I have mentioned the event to has been pretty excited," senior Brian Gaylord said. "There's no cost for bikes like in the Little 500 or a requirement for a large number of participants like in IU Sing. Because of this, we think it will be an immediate success." \nGaylord is on the IUSF Steering Committee and is in charge of marketing for the event.\nSenior IUSF Steering Committee member Brittany Van Trees has been hard at work creating a Little Fifty runner's manual with rules and regulations that will model the Little 500 rider's manual.\n"We have developed a runner's council that I meet with," Van Trees said. "This group of ten runners meets with the rules and regulations committee, and we revise and edit different aspects of the race." \nThe Little Fifty will also be raising money like the Little 500 does to benefit others. Each Little Fifty team will designate a charity they will be running for. The proceeds from the event will then go to the designated philanthropy of the winning team. This will help bring the Bloomington community to the race, as well as motivate the runners even more to win. \n"I think people will pick charities that are local but ones that they have some sort of connection towards," senior Marisa Indelicato said. "We look forward to inviting these charities to the race to show how many people truly care about their cause." \nIndelicato is a part of the IUSF Steering Committee and is responsible for recruiting runners and volunteers for the Little Fifty. \nAny undergraduate student is eligible to form a four-person team and compete in the newest addition to the "World's Greatest College Weekend." There will be a runner's call-out meeting at 8 p.m. Nov. 5 in Geology 126. Anyone interested in organizing and promoting the event should contact IUSF at