2004 Crazylegs Classic Saturday
April 20, 2004 | General News
For the first time since the event began in 1982, the Crazylegs Classic will be held without its namesake Elroy 'Crazylegs' Hirsch in attendance. Hirsch, the former UW football player and athletic director, passed away in January at the age of 80. Whether it's in tribute to Hirsch or the improvements to the event, the 2004 event will be bigger and better than ever if the numbers are anything to go by!
The 23rd annual Crazylegs Classic, which will be held on Saturday, begins at 10 a.m. on the Capital Square. The classic features an eight-kilometer (4.97 mile) run and a two-mile fun walk.
As of Monday evening, the event had attracted more than 10,000 pre-registered participants ' an event record. Another 1,000 to 2,500 participants are expected to register as walk ups on Thursday, Friday and Saturday in the Nicholas-Johnson Pavilion of the Kohl Center. Depending upon the weather, the unofficial record of 12,000 runners and walkers could be history.
'The Crazylegs run is one of the most significant fundraising and participation events for the UW Athletic Department,' said Terry Murawski, who is the Executive Director of the National W Club, which runs the event.
Runner's World magazine has ranked the Crazylegs Classic among the best 100 events in the nation while readers of Madison newspapers have voted it the No. 1 local running event every year since 1995.
'This year will be our first run ever without Elroy 'Crazylegs' Hirsch, our good friend who passed away earlier this year, ' said Murawski. 'Certainly, we are doing what we can to remember Elroy. '
Among the tributes to Hirsch will be the commemorative t-shirt, which features Hirsch's UW football number 40 and his signature. Hirsch's widow, Ruth, as well as the rest of the Hirsch family will serve as grand marshals.
'Elroy's passing certainly gave us some early press about the run because it was one of his favorite events and in his passing, there was a lot written about the Crazylegs run,' explained Murawski about the increased participant numbers.
Hirsch played for the Badgers in 1942 before joining the Marines and transferring to the University of Michigan. Following his NFL career with the Los Angeles Rams, Hirsch returned to the UW as athletic director in 1969. He left his position in 1987 but remained very active as an ambassador for UW athletics and served as the honorary chair of the Crazylegs Classic since its inception.
So far, this year's event has attracted participants from 30 states from as far away as California, Florida and Maine as well as Canada.
The eight-kilometer run is considered a "runner's delight" starting at the State Capital Building, going down State Street, moving onto the campus over Observatory Drive to Picnic Point and returning down University Avenue to Camp Randall Stadium where it ends at the 50-yard line.
Almost 30 percent of the participants will walk the two-mile course which circles the Capital Square, continues down State Street to University Avenue, crossing to Randall Avenue and coming in the north end of the stadium for the finish.
New this year will be VIP walkers including Cindy Alvarez, Kelly Ryan, and Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk.
Taking over Hirsch's duties of greeting finishers in the stadium will be former and current student-athletes. Former Badger greats scheduled to be at the finish line include Billy Marek and Al Toon.
Participants will also be among the first to check out the Camp Randall Stadium renovation, which has been closed to the public since the end of the 2003 football season.
'You can see from the outside there's a lot going on, but this will be the first peek for fans to get in there and get the 'wow ' effect of the renovation of Camp Randall Stadium and it certainly is significant,' said Murawski.
Following the walk and run, participants will enjoy food and drinks as well as music from the band 'The Love Monkeys'.
For more information in the Crazylegs Classic, log on to www.CrazylegsClassic.com
