A near record-breaking number of Gators are lacing up their shoes for RecSports’ eighth annual Midnight Fun Run.
As of press time, 1,144 runners have signed up for the 5K. This is close to last year’s 1,200 participants, said Andy Howard, assistant director of marketing and communications for UF RecSports.
He said the goal is to register 1,500 runners and walkers.
The Fun Run, which is the largest 5K held on campus, will begin at 11:59 p.m. on the last day of class, April 23. Participants will have the option to run a 5K, which is about 3.1 miles, or walk 1 mile around Lake Alice.
Registration opened Tuesday at 10 a.m. on RSconnect, and more than 800 people had signed up for the event within 24 hours, Howard said.
He said there is no cap on the number of participants in the race.
“The goal is to not limit it and encourage as many students as possible to engage in this healthy programming,” Howard said.
Participants may register up to the day of the event for $12 if they have a Gator 1 Card, but only those who register by April 15th will be guaranteed a T-shirt.
“Shirts are kind of a part of 5K culture,” Howard said. “It’s a bragging right.”
Sherin Varikatt, a 20-year-old UF pharmacy freshman, said she is looking forward to completing her first 5K and getting the shirt.
[A version of this story ran on page 4 on 4/7/2014 under the headline "RecSports’ Midnight Fun Run sees increased number of sign-ups"]
