John Hetrick, 46, (third from left) leaves the starting gate in the 5K race at Y Race Phoenix at South Mountain Park in Phoenix, Ariz., on Sunday, Oct. 20, 2013. Hetrick's final time was 18:48. (Photo by Caitlin Cruz)Runners looked up as they crossed the finish line, heading for the drinks and snacks waiting for them on the other side. An announcer called out the names of everyone who had just finished the Y Race.
The 45th Annual Y Race Phoenix, which took place Sunday near South Mountain, had the most participation in the 45 years it has been held, said Greg Corns, senior executive director of the Lincoln Family Downtown YMCA.
There were three different races: a 5K, a half-marathon and a 1-mile "fun run,” according to the race’s website.
Corns, who served as the race director, said he is excited to see the event grow with ASU's help. The University's Downtown campus helped sponsor the events.
“It’s our partnership with ASU,” Corns said. “Together, we’ve reached a much larger audience.”
The race cost between $35 and $60 to register, according to the website, and served as a fundraiser for the Lincoln Family Downtown YMCA and the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Corns said.
The money for the YMCA goes toward helping those who cannot afford to pay for services and activities offered there, Corns said.
“As a nonprofit organization, we’re always looking to raise money to support both children and families that aren’t able to afford those problems like swim lessons or summer camps,” Corns said.
ASU was well represented at the race, and the W. P. Carey School of Business came out in force.
Finance graduate student Lucas Hawthorne said he had some friends in the business school who signed up for it and that he decided to join them.
“Our school is kind of sponsoring a group, so we got an email from administrators saying, ‘We need people to sign up for this race,’” he said.
Hawthorne said he is training for a half-marathon, and he thought the 5K he ran would be good practice.
Public policy and service sophomore Marissa Fullford said she received similar messages from the business school urging her to participate in the race. She also ran the 5K.
Unlike Hawthorne, Fullford said she is not a runner.
She said she only did it for the business school, and managed to get through it because of the unity the school created in the race.
She said all the business students were wearing their school’s shirt, and she found that uplifting.
“I loved it,” she said. “Everyone was throwing up pitchforks and just encouraging each other.”
Reach the reporter at justin.emerson@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @J15Emerson
