Local students ‘run’ to Feed Store
Numbers for this year’s “Running Man” were down from last year’s 237, and the 2016 all-time high of 303 participants, and organizers are pleased with the decrease.
“We are trying to limit it almost exclusively to Albany students and alumni,” said Feed Store executive director Tisha Wilkins. “We want this event to be primarily for our local students.”
Big Country Fellowship of Christian Athletes representative Paul Johnston gave a devotional, and then explained the rules of the game before the 173 runners left to be transported to their dropoff zones.
“Running Man went well, with no major injuries, and only a few incidents,” said Wilkins.
Although students were required to run with adult leaders at all times, in the heat of the event a few students became separated from the adults.
“Parents need to know that we try to prevent that from happening,” said Wilkins. “It is against the rules, and we make sure that we go over the rules with all of the participants.”
Another unexpected glitch this year occurred when some spotlight volunteers were turned away.
“We only allow a certain number of spotlighters,” said Wilkins, “and once those spots are claimed, we turn other spotlight volunteers away.”
Apparently some of the ones turned away decided to “prank” the runners, taking away from some of the students’ enjoyment of Running Man, according to organizers.
“There will be some rule changes for spotlighters next year to help make it fair to the runners,” said Wilkins. “The event is supposed to be fair and allow the students to have fun.”
Winners
By the time the night was over, and the adrenaline rush subsided, the seventh grade class squeaked out a narrow victory, managing to get 70.9 percent of their team back to “Home Base” without getting caught by the spotlighters, winning the 21st Running Man event.
The eighth grade came in second with a 69.6 percent success rate.
Third was claimed by the seniors, with a 69.5 percent return to home base.
Juniors managed to get 66.5 percent of their runners back to The Feed Store unspotted for fourth, and the freshman class came in fifth with a 64.1 percent success rate.
The Feed Store’s annual Halloween alternative event was originated by the youth organization -IMPACT as a substitute for less desirable Halloween activities, and has proven to be extremely popular with local youth.
The classes are dropped off in groups, and the older classes start from locations that are more difficult, with a greater distance to traverse to get back to the Feed Store.
In addition to participants, there were around 25 to 30 adult volunteers who helped set up, register, and serve food during the evening. Volunteers also drove and rode in the spotlighters’ vehicles.
