Bowman Cup race takes off this Saturday
File photo by Dana Beveridge
October 12, 2011
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Students, teachers and local residents plan to lace up their running shoes Saturday morning for the 11th annual Bowman Cup 5k race.
The 3.1-mile race starts at 8 a.m. in front of the Student Recreation and Wellness Center and makes a loop, ending back in front of the Rec.
The route of the race is intended to be scenic, said Jason Hawk, marketing coordinator for recreational services.
“The course goes through some suburbs, but some of it connects to the bike path,” Hawk said. “The trees along the path add to the visual benefits of the race.”
Hawk said this year each runner will be given their own chip to wear that identifies them and records the time they cross the finish line. He said it’s more accurate than scoring methods used in previous years.
Last year there was 636 runners, and he expects the turnout to be about the same for this race.
Kent State graduate Andrew Carnes won last year’s Bowman Cup. The 24-year-old Carnes said he remembers the event clearly.
“It was cool,” Hawk said. “It was great. Winning is always very rewarding. Me and Aiman, the second place runner for the race, were neck and neck. We were really killing each other.”
Carnes’ winning time was 14 minutes and 37 seconds. He said it was a good personal time, especially since there’s a hill in the last mile.
Carnes said he is a skilled runner, but it took a lot more than natural talent.
“I’ve worked very hard,” Carnes said. “I’m still growing as a runner. I’ve had to work through injuries and other obstacles. It took a lot of patience for the amount of effort I put in to running to reflect in my performances.”
Carnes couldn’t say enough about the benefits of being a runner.
“Running allows anybody to strive for the best in themselves,” Carnes said. “It’s a way of testing yourself.”
Carnes is unsure if he can attend the Bowman Cup this year because of a conflicting race, but offered this advice to those making their way to the starting line Saturday morning: “Have fun, and give your best. Give 100 percent.”
Contact Hannah Hamner at [email protected].
