Just like fast runners, time flies.The Get in Gear 10K, first held in 1978, will celebrate its 35th Anniversary when this year's race is held on April 28.
The event, which has expanded over the years with additional distances, will also include a 2K, 5K and half marathon in 2012. The 2K was added in 1987, followed by the 5K in 2005 and the half marathon in 2009.
All races will begin and end in Minnehaha Park in Minneapolis. Registration for all events has begun with over 2,000 participants already signed up, including more than 600 for the half marathon which has a 1,500 limit.
The 10K race has a limit of 5,000 runners and the 5K is capped at 2,500. Race organizers expect the half marathon to fill sometime in March. The next fee increase for all events will occur on April 1. Currently the registration costs are $12 for the 2k, $25 for the 5k and 10k, and $55 for the half marathon.
“Our mission at Get in Gear for all of our 35 years is to offer a solid and well managed event for the community,” Paulette Odenthal, executive director, who has been with the race for 15 years, said in a media release. “We’ve also worked hard to keep our event current and to help it flourish while at the same time responding to what our participants want.
“The 5K and the half marathon are two of the fastest growing distances in the running industry plus it just made sense to strategically place a half marathon ahead of all the spring marathons in the area," she added. "All our races are good complements to the 10k and to the overall event.”
The Get in Gear 10k was created in 1978 as a means to spark interest in fitness. In its first year, over 4,000 participated and from this initial response, the race has been a fixture on the spring running calendar as well as Minnesota’s largest 10K race.
Through the years, the winners' circle of the Get in Gear 10K has read like a who's who of Minnesota road racing, graced with men's champions like Tony Shockency, Lindsay Brown, and Pat McCarthy and women's victors like Jan Arenz, Janis Klecker, and Jan Ettle.
The prize purse for this year's 10K features $1,000, $750 and $500 for first, second and third place open men and women, plus $250 each for the first Minnesota male and female. The master’s purse is $500, $250 and $100 for first, second and third place men and women respectively.
The Get in Gear family of races is organized by Get in Gear, Inc. a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Its major sponsor for the past 20 years has been Preferred One and its designated charitable organization since 2006 is Second Harvest Heartland.
For more information, go to www.getingear10k.com or call 612-722-9004.
Great event. My first race ever was the Get in Gear 2k race with my elementary school run club in 3rd grade. Pretty sure it took me like 15 min and I had to walk half of it, but I thought the event was fun b/c I got a t-shirt and free bananas at the finish. lol. Never would've guessed at the time that 15 yrs later I'd be finishing up my 5th yr running for the Gophers. haha
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