Neighborhoods pour energy into marathon excitement zones

While disseminating joy technically isn’t part of his job description, Chris Lampen-Crowell, co-owner of Gazelle Sports and co-chair of the Borgess Run for the Health of It, more than understands the value of spreading cheer. 

 

In fact, he’s been known to inspire runners and those aspiring to run by giving boisterous speeches, donning a jester’s hat, and shaking a cowbell, or two or three. 

 

"Boulder ... Eugene ... Kalamazoo," he says. "Our goal is to become the next great running town, and we’re well on our way. We’ve shown people of all ages and all fitness levels that Kalamazoo is a welcome place for movement. Amping up the excitement for our runners at the 2013 Borgess Run and Kalamazoo Marathon is key to continuing this tradition."

 

For this year's races, part of the 34th-annual Borgess Run for the Health of It, building enthusiasm on the course will again be pivotal. Lampen-Crowell urged community members to come out in full force at a recent special presentation titled "How to Create Race Course Excitement!" 

 

And by full force, he, together with Blaine Lam, race director for the Kalamazoo Marathon, and Brian Lam, who heads up Lam Creative Solutions, mean everything from playing music and waving colorful signs to wearing costumes and blowing vuvuzelas to grilling bacon. (Because, of course, everybody runs better with bacon.) 

 

"One of the neighbors asked if I’d ever grilled bacon," says Perry Wolfe, Kalamazoo president for Chemical Bank (a 2013 marathon sponsor) and the ring leader of the Waite Street excitement zone. "I hadn’t, but I figured, why not? I saw it as our responsibility to make a big deal out of the marathon. Why not make it appeal to every sense?"

 

Since the first Kalamazoo Marathon in 2011, Waite Street--the 13-mile point--has become a truly effervescent area for runners. It's also the official bacon stretch. Alongside his neighbors, family and friends, Wolfe has sampled and handed out bacon cheesecake, bacon-cheese cupcakes, and the legendary chocolate-covered bacon. 

 

Wolfe, a former runner now-turned cyclist, believes running is one of the most honest sports. He rallied his neighbors to support the Kalamazoo Marathon because he wanted to celebrate a positive community event, honor the discipline and dedication of the runners, and expose his daughters (as well as other kids) to the sport. 

 

"Celebration is one of our best assets," Lampen-Crowell says. "There are no limits. We want people, businesses, and neighborhoods to get loud for Kalamazoo and our runners."

 

And by runners, he means three types: 

 

• Masters: The first 10 percent crossing the finish line. These runners, according to Lampen-Crowell, are experienced and have specific race goals in mind. They need some bolstering, but basically, desire little interruption. 

 

• Grinders: The 70 percent who are grinding it out. These runners need significant reassurance--noise, music, signs, balloons, pirate costumes--to get through the ups and downs they’ll endure. 

 

• Players: The 20 percent who are there to play. These runners need to have a true race "experience." They will stop and take pictures, give plenty of high fives, and actually eat some bacon. 

 

No matter the type, Lampen-Crowell notes, all runners benefit from course energy and excitement.

"It’s an absolute party out there," says Teri Olbrot, an occupational therapist who has completed two Kalamazoo Marathons and several other competitive races. Olbrot is training to compete in the 2013 Borgess Half Marathon. 

 

"I remember running through WMU’s campus during my first marathon and I broke my stride for a moment to dance with Buster Bronco (the university’s mascot)," she says. "People were everywhere, shouting, smiling, and giving us high fives. Their encouragement played a big role in my ability to keep going."

 

Combined with enticing smells, local neighborhood cheerleaders continue to boost the spirits of runners with memorable sights and sounds. "Hurry home, mama. We’re hungry," a little girl’s sign from the 2012 Kalamazoo Marathon read. A sign next to hers added: "And dirty." 

 

Emily Haines, community manager for New Holland Brewing (Holland, Mich.), has also been an ardent supporter of the Kalamazoo Marathon through her memorable signage. "Hurry, Betty White is right behind you," and "Chuck Norris never ran a marathon," are just two examples of the signs Haines held up last year near Kindleberger Park in Parchment. The signs were designed to provide a little levity and laughter as runners prepared to ascend the notorious Park Avenue Hill. 

 

"The best advice I can offer people is to have fun with it," says Blaine Lam, who co-chairs the Borgess Run for The Health of It. "When it comes to signs, the funnier, the better." 

 

For children and families looking for extra inspiration, Brian Lam suggests visiting the kids sign-making station during the Race Expo and Packet Pickup on Saturday, May 4, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., at Wings Stadium. 

 

Music, including that from the Kalamazoo-based Zion Lion who will play at the finish line (a k a Tent City), is equally important to race-day success. "Zion Lion were a huge hit, so we invited them back," Brian says. "They play reggae, get people dancing, and have some special songs just for kids. They add such a cool vibe to an already great celebration." 

 

Whether it’s cueing up "Eye of the Tiger" from an iPod, asking a youth musician group to jam, ringing cow bells, or shouting admiration to runners, making some serious noise on the sidelines makes a serious difference. 

 

"Running in my first-ever 5K toward the finish line, hearing the cheering and words from people I didn’t even know, it all felt so rewarding," says Dave Webster, who works at RiverRun Press, a longtime sponsor of the Borgess Run. Webster has transformed his life through running. Over about the last 12 months, he has logged hundreds of running miles and shed 45 pounds. He plans to race in the Borgess Half Marathon this May. 

 

"The energy is overwhelming, not just through the Borgess Run, but through programs like Run Camp and Girls on the Run," he says. "We’re extremely blessed to have the community involvement we have here in little-old Kalamazoo."