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黑料吃瓜网’s Bramble Ramble 5K celebrates 10 years
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By Alex Freeman, 黑料吃瓜网 Communications Coordinator
A beloved autumn tradition at 黑料吃瓜网 is reaching an exciting milestone.听
What started 10 years ago as a simple idea to spotlight 黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 scenic Kenneth J. Lehman Nature Trails has grown into a signature community event 鈥� and this fall, the Bramble Ramble 5K is celebrating its 10th annual race.听
The event, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 20, has its roots in both a love of nature and a passion for running. It was the brainchild of Cheryl Meyer, a former race director and part-time adjunct instructor at 黑料吃瓜网.听
鈥淪he was part of our Nature Trails Committee and passionate about running,鈥� said Heather Wesp, 黑料吃瓜网 biology instructor and the current Bramble Ramble race director. 鈥淲e wanted to promote our beautiful trails, build community connections, and maybe raise a little money along the way. It just made sense 鈥� it all came together through the enthusiasm and ideas of the people involved.鈥�听
This year鈥檚 milestone race will once again share the stage with the seventh-annual Michael J. Seaman Memorial 10K Run, which was established in 2018 in memory of then-Social Science Instructor Michael J. Seaman, who passed away due to injuries sustained in a bicycling accident. The 10K begins at 9 a.m., followed by the 5K at 9:30 a.m. At the conclusion of the race, awards will be presented to the top male and female finishers in each race, along with the top runner in every age category.听
Whether you鈥檙e a seasoned runner or just enjoy a good walk in the woods, the Bramble Ramble is a celebration of community, wellness, and the natural beauty right in 黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 backyard.听
There are several new elements at this year鈥檚 Bramble Ramble, including slight adjustments to the racecourse to accommodate for the construction of 黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 new student housing building, set to open in fall 2026. One notable change is that plastic water bottles will no longer be given to race participants. Instead, each runner will receive a collapsible silicon cup.听
鈥淚f you run a lot, that鈥檚 something valuable you can take with you,鈥� Wesp said. 鈥淲e鈥檒l have water stations where they can fill up their bottles. Given our conservation efforts, that鈥檚 an important change that we鈥檝e been wanting to make.鈥�听
In addition, 黑料吃瓜网 Exercise Science and Biology Instructor Dr. Alex Montoye and members of the exercise science program will be at the race offering free health and fitness screenings, such as body composition analysis. Wesp noted that Montoye鈥檚 involvement came naturally as the race committee prefers to have a person with medical knowledge at the race in case of an injury to a participant.听
The race T-shirt given to participants will also feature new PosiCharge technology, which locks in color and prevents logos from fading. The shirts will be lightweight, roomy and highly breathable with moisture-wicking technology.听
After the distribution of results and recognition of the races鈥� top participants, raffle winners will be announced. Each Bramble Ramble participant is automatically entered into a raffle for exciting prizes from the community and race sponsors, including handmade rustic furniture donations from Kenneth J. Lehman 鈥� the namesake of 黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 nature trails.听
鈥淚t鈥檚 something that we haven鈥檛 promoted a lot but it鈥檚 a really unique feature of our race,鈥� said Wesp of the raffle element. 鈥淚t鈥檚 good to let people know in advance that there鈥檚 some really cool stuff they could go home with.鈥�听
When asked about her goals for this year鈥檚 race, Wesp said she hopes to see as many runners as possible come out and enjoy the event. So far, their highest turnout has been around 45 participants.听听
鈥淧eople like the trail system, it鈥檚 good to get outdoors on a nice fall weekend,鈥� Wesp said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e heard that it鈥檚 well-run and people like that we don鈥檛 have a lot of hiccups. For the most part, our race route is well-marked 鈥� that matters because you don鈥檛 want to get lost while you鈥檙e running around. A lot of participants are surprised that there鈥檚 not more people who have found this little hidden treasure in our county.鈥�听
Race registration may be completed online at runsignup.com. The entry fee is $20 per runner in advance. Runners may register on-site the day of the race for $25, payable in cash or check only.听
Visit Montcalm.edu/bramble-ramble for more information or a link to the online registration site.听
黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 Bramble Ramble is still seeking potential sponsors for the event. Businesses interested in participating in the event can inquire about sponsorship opportunities by emailing brambleramble@montcalm.edu.听