Midnight madness comes to BYU-Idaho
Students run under moonlight during 5-K race
- posted: 26 June 2007
- scrollsports@byui.edu
Students gathered at the BYU-Idaho Stadium June 22 to participate in the Rec Sports-hosted Midnight 5K.
The race started at the stadium, went all around the outer edges of the campus, and finally came back into the stadium, where a champion was crowned in both the men’s and women’s division.
Each semester, Rec Sports and campus police correlate to ensure no problems occur.
In addition to the police force being out, Rec Sports also recruits student volunteers in advance to stand along the race route and direct the racers. The volunteers are given glow sticks so racers can see where they are located and know the right direction to head in.
“Most students have finished within 30 minutes in past semesters. We wanted students to have a fun time this semester as well,” said Clara Ellsworth, a junior from Adrian, Ore., and the Rec Sports student director for this semester’s Midnight 5K race.
The race started promptly at midnight, as 91 students, a faculty member, a puppy and one Rexburg citizen who was racing for the fun of competition took off from the BYU-I track. They began by completing one and a half laps around the track before heading out of the gate on Second South and turning right towards the Eliza R. Snow Building to continue with the outer campus route.
Thomas Anderson was a local citizen who participated in the race. “I only heard about the race a few hours before it happened. I came early to see if I could run, even though I’m not a student. [Student volunteers] told me that would be fine, but I would be unable to win anything. I decided to run anyway to see how I’d compete,” Anderson said.
Anderson came in first for the men with a time of 17 minutes and 54 seconds, but Evan Pack, a junior from Rexburg, won the award of a Rec Sports T-shirt for being the first student across at 17 minutes and 58 seconds.
The drive to compete compelled some participants to run. “I’ve run in competitive track here at BYU-Idaho and I raced in the Teton Dam marathon. Since I enjoy the sport, I thought I could do well,” said Auralee McGary, a freshman from Forest Lake, Minn.
McGary won the women’s 5K with a time of 20 minutes and one second, a time that finished a month of accomplishments she believes others would be surprised at. At the track meet on June 1, McGary broke the BYU-I school record in the mile run. The following week, on June 9, she won the Teton Dam marathon in the women’s division.
While McGary and Anderson went to compete, others went to stay in shape and give pets a new experience.
“I had been running every night with my puppy, so I decided to bring her with me to see how she’d be around other people, and stay in shape at the same time,” said Sarah Howard, a sophomore from Oakley, Idaho.
Both Howard and her puppy finished the race. “Every year on July 24, we have a six-mile race in Oakley. I’ve always wanted to say I’ve run in it. These nights of running with my puppy get me ready for that race, and this 5K allowed me to run with other people and establish a good pace,” Howard said.
Others ran to regain momentum. “I ran the marathon a couple of weeks ago and hurt my Achilles tendon. I had the option of running the 5K tonight or a race tomorrow, and I felt the race tomorrow might hurt more,” said Jacob Johnston, a freshman from Saint Helen’s, Ore. Johnston’s efforts paid off as he finished second place for the men, with a time of 18 minutes and two seconds.
While many students desired to win, others went to discover how they would do.
“I don’t normally run hard, so this 5K gave me a reason to run hard. I wanted to see how I’d do and how I could get better,” said Luke Dyer, a senior from Salem, Ore.
After crossing the finish line students received bananas and oranges from Rec Sports.
After the race, more than one person expressed a desire for other students to get involved.
“I’m always looking for more competition. I try to encourage others to spend time with sports and workouts [students] enjoy. Once [students] start on that, then endurance can be built up allowing [students] to move on to running,” McGary said.
Johnston also wanted to encourage those who want to run. “Don’t let the first couple of weeks fool you. They’re tricky. Afterwards the running will become addictive, and perseverance will also be formed,” Johnston said. 
