NEWS
Annual Crazylegs race more than just a race
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by Erin Aagesen
Friday, April 26, 2002
UW-Madison students are likely to associate Bucky Badger, the UW Marching Band and beer drinking with Badger football games in the fall, but they can get a taste of that atmosphere Saturday at the 21st annual Crazylegs Classic Fun Run and Walk.
This year’s five-mile fun run starts at 10 a.m. at the Capitol Square. The course leads down State Street, over Observatory Drive, to Picnic Point and back to University Avenue. The race ends at the 50-yard line at Camp Randall Stadium.
The post-race party will feature the UW Marching Band, the UW cheerleaders and Bucky Badger. Food, bottled water, soft drinks and beer will be served.
“Our goal is a record turnout of 12,000 this year,” race executive director Tom Grantham said.
The race — rated one of America’s 100 best events by Runner’s World magazine and recognized in “Great Races! Great Places!” in Footnotes magazine — has drawn over 116,000 runners since the first race 21 years ago.
Starting at 9 a.m, Bucky Badger, the UW cheerleaders and the UW Marching Band will do a pre-race performance. Retired hockey coach Jeff Sauer, grand marshal Gov. Scott McCallum, and Elroy Hirsh, after whom the race was named, will present the opening ceremony.
Hirsh, or “Crazylegs,” was a 1942 Badger football sensation whom, because one of his feet pointed out farther than the other, was described by a Chicago Daily News Reporter as having “crazy legs.” The nickname stuck.
The idea for the Crazylegs race came from three Badger fans that wanted to raise money for UW athletics, Tom Grantham, Ken Sparks, and Rich Backus. Since the first race, the event has raised over $1.5 million. Last year, the race raised over $183,000, and this year’s race officials expect similar profits.
Barb LaVoy, Crazylegs executive committee member, said the appeal of the race is its fun atmosphere.
“There’s just a lot of energy. Watching everyone run through State Street is quite a sight because there are so many runners,” LaVoy said.
Runners can still register and pick up their race packets at the Kohl Center today from 12 to 7 p.m. or Saturday before the race from 7 to 9 a.m.
