Little Fifty event gives big race a 'run' for its money

Legs will start to make their way around the track in a warm-up to Little 500. But these legs are not peddling bicycles tomorrow, they are moving the bodies of the runners participating in the third-annual Little Fifty running race.\nLittle Fifty involves teams comprised of four runners completing 50 laps at the Haugh Track and Field Complex. One runner from each team completes a lap, and then that runner is allowed to hand off with another teammate, similarly to how riders in the Little 500 make bike exchanges.\nThe defending women's champion -- Alpha Phi -- qualified No. 3 in this year's race, 29 seconds behind this year's pole setter UAC-Cobra Chi. Last year, Alpha Phi senior runner Liz Enslein said her team used a new strategy in last year's race, which was key to Alpha Phi's victory.\nEnslein said Alpha Phi had each runner complete a lap and then hand off to another teammate. The runner who just completed her lap then would wait until her other three teammates finished their laps before she ran her next.\nAlpha Phi has two runners who are in their third year competing in Little Fifty, one runner in her second year and the fourth runner is a rookie.\nThe team averages about 35 miles per week.\n"We haven't gotten together for team training, but we workout on our own," Enslein said. "We are just four runners that like to run."\nOn the men's side, UAC-Cream took this year's pole and the defending champion is Phi Gamma Delta.\nSenior Beau Jackson, a runner for Undisputed, which qualified second, said his team is revamped after he had to miss last year's qualification because he had a prior out of town commitment. He said he found two other guys interested in Little Fifty and they started training in late November 2004.\nAll of the members of Undisputed have athletic backgrounds, as Jackson ran the 400-meter race in track and field in high school.\nJackson said consistency is the key if Undisputed wants to have a chance at winning the race.\n"You are responsible for hitting your split," Jackson said. "You just have to take it one lap at a time and hit your mark every time. As you move on in the race, it gets harder and harder and harder to hit the split you need."\nKappa Alpha Theta -- which is synonymous with the Women's Little 500 race -- finished No. 21 last and achieved its goal heading into qualifications of qualifying in the top 10. The team starts the race in the No. 6 position, and sophomore Kathryn Bolen said the team is looking to be more competitive this year.\n"Hopefully we can finish in the top five this year," Bolen said. "The competition in this year's field is tough and will make for a difficult race."\n-- Contact staff writer Steve \nSlivka at smslivka@indiana.edu.