Ann Arbor's Burns Park Run
- By Doug Kurtis

Ann Arbor's Burns Park 5K and 10K runs will celebrate their 25th anniversary Sunday.

The event was started in 1979 by parents who were raising money to send their children to summer camp. Since then, it has become the largest annual fund-raiser for the Burns Park Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization. Proceeds provide funds for school enrichment activities.

The event enables the PTO to make numerous grants each year to teachers and the school and to buy playground equipment for the school and an adjacent park.

What has made this race special is the friendly, neighborhood feeling. The route winds through the tree-lined, residential streets of Burns Park. Many of the homes are from the 1920s, and the school is the epicenter of one of Ann Arbor's oldest school districts.

It's a family run in which many kids participate, often with their parents. One neighbor described the run as something out of a different era -- a true neighborhood event, at which people come together to have fun and cheer each other on.

For years, one resident who lived on a particularly challenging part of the course played the "Rocky" theme as runners passed by. Because so many people have fond memories of that, organizers hope to resurrect the tradition.

Runners have commented that the post race brunch for runners and volunteers is something special. Days before the race, Burns Park residents are busy baking muffins, and a special crew arrives early on race day to cut dozens of bagels.

The race is organized entirely by several hundred Burns Park parents and staff volunteers. It's a huge effort, but they've kept it going for 25 years. The co-chairs and steering committee work almost year-round on the event.

The two races have drawn more than 700 participants annually. For the past two years, race co-chair Mitch Garner has been able to attract celebrity runners. Two years ago, Olympic gold medalist Frank Shorter came because of his connection to Garner through Yale University. Another marathon gold medal winner, Joan Benoit Samuelson, spoke to the kids last year through the help of sponsor Pfizer Pharmaceuticals.

This year, John (The Penguin) Bingham, a columnist for Runner's World magazine, has been invited to speak at the school and help with awards. Bingham, often referred to as "the patron saint of the back of the pack," commands what he refers to as the "penguin brigade." His books include "The Courage to Start" and "No Need for Speed: A Beginner's Guide to the Joy of Running."

Race organizers also liked his nickname. The penguin is the school mascot.

The 5K race will begin at 8:35 a.m., the 10K at 8:45. There is also a family fun run at 9:45. Registration is available off-site Thursday through Saturday and on site before the run on Sunday. For more information, call 734-369-2423 or visit the Web site at www.burnspark.org.