ONU to Host Indoor Marathon

Think winter is the wrong time for long-distance running? Not at ONU.

The ONU Polar Bear Indoor Marathon, Half Marathon and Relay begins at 7:30 a.m., Sunday, Jan. 31 in the ONU Sports Center.

That breaks down to 210 laps around the indoor track for marathoners, 105 for half-marathoners, and 70 laps per person for relay teams.

This first-time event has 26 runners from six states signed up to visit Ohio Northern.

“It’s a chance to expose ONU to more people,” says Jason Maus, head coach of the men and women’s cross country, track and field teams. The idea germinated while Maus was running with a high school and college friend and talking about similar events in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

The event is organized by Maus with the assistance of Brian Keas, associate professor of biological sciences, and Regina Bresson, a fifth-year pharmacy student from Canfield, Ohio, and former member of the cross country and track and field team. Proceeds from the event will go toward uniforms, equipment and other support for the ONU cross country and track teams. Keas will be one of the runners.

The event begins Saturday, Jan. 30, with a pre-race pasta dinner. Runners take their marks at 7:30 a.m., Sunday, Jan. 31, in the field house. Awards, T-shirts and finisher’s medals will follow.

Members of the ONU cross country and track and field teams will be counting each runner’s laps and recording times. Every half hour the runners will change directions.

Spectators are welcome to watch this unique event.