Issue date: 9/1/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Ashley Hinkle Joel Kruse (left) and Natasha House (right) pose with their victory T-shirts following campus recreation's Cougar Welcome 5k run/walk Sunday.

Despite early morning shivers, the first annual 5K run/walk held on SIUE's campus marked another eventful day during the Cougar Welcome period here on campus. Students, faculty, staff and alumni alike joined together to break the new event in.

In a 5 kilometer (3.1 mile) "fun run," a respectable crowd of about 75 people showed up to partake in the early morning event. Despite cold weather, most people donned shorts and T-shirts.

Numbers were given out to everyone who participated, and, as an extra incentive, event T-shirts were given out to all participants.

Natasha House won the women's race with a time of 20 minutes and 27 seconds, while Joel Kruse won the men's division with a time of 17:55.

The brisk run started at the Vadalabene Center, went along the bike trail, down by the soccer fields, and then everyone turned around and came back toward the Vadalabene Center.

"The course is pretty much flat, but it's a great course to run. I had a lot of fun," Dan Knobloch, a Moline, IL native, who finished in third place in the men's division with a time of 18:54, said. "It was a little cold at the beginning, but once you got the blood flowing, it was a really enjoyable run."

Campus Activities Board and Campus Recreation sponsored the event.

"This run was just a way for Intramural Sports to be involved in Cougar Welcome," Nathan Scott, recreation specialist and one of the coordinators for the race, said. "I thought we did very well organizational-wise, and as a whole staff, we were pretty happy with how things turned out."

The turnout was disappointing to some people, who came out early to watch the race.

"I was kind of disappointed with the turnout. I was expecting more," SIUE alumnus and spectator Mikel Grenich said. "I don't know if it was the weather or the early morning timing of the run, but I would've thought more people would've come out."

Some people, who came in support of the event, chose to walk the scenic course instead. There was also a marker at one mile in case people wanted to turn back.

Everyone who crossed the finish line was greeted with applause and refreshments, followed by the crowning of the men and women's first place finishers. Both winners received special T-shirts.

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