The 21st annual Crazylegs Classic kicked off at the Capitol Square Saturday morning and finished at the 50-yard line of Camp Randall. Despite poor weather conditions, 9,104 participants attended the race.
The festivities began with the UW marching band playing to an enthusiastic crowd of racers. Badger football players Brooks Bollinger, David Braun, Lee Evans, Al Johnson and Jake Sprague, along with Badger basketball player Freddie Owens, were present at the start of the race to show their support to all the participants.
Tom Grantham, the general chairman of the Crazylegs Executive Committee, was also on hand. Elroy “Crazylegs” Hirsh was there to start the race and to congratulate the participants as they crossed the finish line. Grantham, Ken Sparks and Rich Backus started the Crazylegs Classic in 1981. The three Badger supporters said they wanted to create a way in which they could help raise money to support UW athletics. Since the first Crazylegs there have been over 116,000 participants and nearly two million dollars raised.
Tom Grantham attributes the amount of success to the communities’ “interest in having fun and getting fit along with their respect and admiration for both the UW athletic program and Elroy Hirsh himself.”
Hirsh and Grantham presented the award of 2002 Crazylegs Classic Race Grand Marshall to Jeff Sauer, who is the current all time winningest coach in UW athletic history. This was followed by a short speech and ceremony where Governor Scott McCallum presented Elroy Hirsh with a proclamation for raising nearly two million dollars over the last 21 years. At approximately 9:50 a.m., the wheelchair participants started their race, followed by the running participants at 10:00 a.m., and the walking participants at 10:05 a.m.
Madison runners took home two of the three overall trophies this year. Joe Mahoney, 29, finished with the fastest male race time at 25 min and 36 sec. Clocking in at 31 min and 39 sec, Laura Clark-Taylor, 45, took home the female trophy. Waukesha’s Gary Debuhr, 41, with a time of 26 min and 36 sec was the winner in the wheelchair event.
At approximately 10:40 a.m., a 58-year-old male racer collapsed near the halfway point. UW Hospital listed the man in critical but stable condition Saturday night.
Grantham said he was happy with the event.
“Overall, we are pleased with the turn out,” he said.