Early in the morning on Aug. 25, runners took off in the second RUN MIZ, a 5K hosted by the Mizzou Black Men’s Initiative. This year saw a 100 percent increase in participation from last year’s event.
The runners began at the Gaines/Oldman Black Culture Center and traversed through the campus, passing landmarks such as Jesse Hall. Freshman Sean Campbell completed the course first with a time of 18:46.
Before Saturday, 130 people had preregistered. Those participants received a free T-shirt. Fees ranged from $5 to $15 depending on when one registered.
The proceeds from the event support MBMI, an MU organization focusing on leadership and personal development that gives young black men academic and social support, according to the organization’s website.
MBMI President Lindsay Murray said he thinks the change MBMI has brought to campus makes the organization special.
“It brought the campus closer together through different events such as the 5K run,” he said. “Not to mention, for an African-American male, it gave me a place to call home on such a large campus.”
Murray said the motivation for hosting RUN MIZ is two-fold — it’s a good way to start off the school year and advertise MU as a healthier campus.
Murray said the organization wanted to promote a healthier lifestyle and raise funds for an Alternative Spring Break trip.
“These trips are definitely not cheap,” Murray said.
Last year’s race helped pay for the organization’s Alternative Spring Break trip to Washington, D.C., to visit graduate schools, Murray said. This year, MBMI will go to a conference in Atlanta, Ga.
Runners of all types showed up Saturday morning.
Senior Jazmine Tezak said she participated because she had set a goal.
“Well, as a personal goal, I want to run a 5K before I turn 23,” she said. “I turn 23 tomorrow.”
To make it across the finish line, she said she hydrated the night before the race with juice and water.
Freshman Erin McDowell said she participated in RUN MIZ because she was looking for races in which to participate and activities to do, and because the money is going to a good cause. She has done 5Ks in the past for other causes such as Crohn’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
First-year graduate student Martin Zie said he participated in RUN MIZ because he wanted to meet people.
