The Human Race: Minnesota's season opener
By Teri Dwyer Was that a giant centipede running down Summit Avenue in St. Paul? Chasing a leprechaun? 
| Teri Dwyer |
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This year, for the 29th consecutive year, The Human Race will lead off the road–racing season in Minnesota on March 24. Originally known as the St. Patrick's Day 5 Mile, this Summit Avenue race truly has earned its place on the Minnesota racing circuit.
I've been a part of the Minnesota running scene ever since I moved from southeastern Wisconsin to attend the University of Minnesota
almost 16 years ago. After my college running career ended, I looked forward to this race every year. As a runner, I believed this race was one you automatically added to your calendar each year. It was a place to see and be seen – the Academy Awards of the running community. This year's 29th annual running of The Human Race is again the USATF (www.usatfmn.org) Minnesota 8K Championship, the first team race of
the season. And it's the second race on the Minnesota Distance Running Association (MDRA) (www.runmdra.org) Grand Prix Series. Besides the 8K, The Human Race includes a 5K run/walk and youth runs. There have also been years when The Human Race included a costume contest. Who knew giant centipedes could run?
The Human Race is one of six races produced by The Sporting Life. TSL President Chris Fuller says weather is not a factor for participants in this event.
"People who live in Minnesota know that March is transitional weather. It's half winter and half transition to spring," according to Fuller. "This event draws people out of their winter mindset to get them thinking about spring. We've had everything from below zero wind–chill to 60–degree days. We don't promise anything more than Minnesota weather."
There is something special about The Human Race. Kelly Keeler, 40, of Bloomington, Minn., is an elite performer in the Minnesota running
community. Among many noteworthy finishes, she's won the women's division of The Human Race 8K the past two years and finished second in 1999.
"The Human Race is one of the biggest spring races around. Everyone is there. It's the racing season opener," Keeler says. "It's a fun, very competitive event. The field is always strong."
Rosemary Harnly, 55, of Red Wing, Minn., has a view from a little farther back but enjoys the race for some of the same reasons. She has
run The Human Race every year since 1987.
"The Human Race truly is the beginning, the renewal of each running season," says Harnly. "It is the scene for everybody who survived, speaking for myself, or thrived throughout the winter months of mind–over–treacherous–matter and temperatures."
Like many runners, the costume contest will make a comeback at this year's Human Race, according to Fuller.
"The costume side of it is a fun thing in a larger race such as this. We've
always had some people who have dressed up at this race because of the St. Patrick's Day side of it. Costumes just add to the celebration side of it. It's fun. That's the delightful part of this race – you have everybody from the competitive, team side of it to race walkers, to people doing it just for the fun, celebratory part of it."
The contest, as in years past, will have two award divisions – a St. Patrick's Day theme and a human race theme. Who among us doesn't
have visions of leprechauns, potatoes and human centipede teams running down Summit Avenue? Fuller says the best costume in the "human race" division was the year a couple ran as Adam and Eve in body stockings. I wonder if dressing like a snake gets you credit for both costume award divisions?
Besides the return of the costume competition this year, Fuller promises the kick off of a new community–oriented awards program aptly dubbed Human Race Heroes.
"Human Race Heroes basically is a way to identify some of the people who have been a part of making The Human Race a great event and also to show the community at–large how runners and walkers give back to the community," according to Fuller. "We will be designating one to two people each year based on noteworthy performances in this event and also on how they are making a difference in the community. The first Human Race Heroes will be announced this year shortly before the race."
And it's this community spirit that makes it easy to see why The Human Race has garnered the admiration of many participants. It's an event truly respected in the running community. Keeler says, "It's a great course. The past two years that I've won it, running that last mile when the women split off from the men and just trying to stay ahead, was pretty exhilarating."
Twin Cities running lore has it that when the Twin Cities Marathon was
first looking at courses, they picked Summit Avenue for their home stretch based on the popularity of St. Paul races at the time. And The Human Race was at the top of the St. Paul running circuit. In its early days, The Human Race was a point–to–point race that finished at the state Capitol.
The Human Race continued to be a leader throughout the past 28 years. Legend has it that a finisher who participated in the race the first year
crossed the finish line and asked the finish line worker what his time was. The worker looked at his watch and said, "Let's see, you started at noon, right?" I'm sure that tale has grown taller as the years go on but the novelty of simplicity in road racing's early days is one to which many of us can relate.
From that first year to today's high–tech racing – ChampionChip timing, online registration and finding all of the information you need on The
Sporting Life's new Web site (www.tslevents.com) – the changes have come at a pace that keeps The Human Race just ahead of the curve of road racing in Minnesota.
The Human Race was the first running race in Minnesota to use the ChampionChip. They added the Chip for the first time in 1998.
"The reasons why I like the chip are two–fold," says Fuller. "It's very participant– friendly: you don't have chutes at the finish line and the mid
to back of the pack runners are no longer penalized for where they have to line up; and secondly, the results are quick."
Online registration was added in 2000 and 10 percent of participants registered online that year. In 2001 the percentage was up to 20 percent and Fuller expects it to continue its upward trend.
"It's definitely going to continue to be a significant part of the registration process. People don't have to track down an entry form, they can pay
with a credit card and they can register whenever they want."
But there are other differences that make this race stand out. Some simple yet effective changes have been implemented in the past years. One notable addition has been the offering of registration choices. With The Human Race, for example, you can register for a short sleeve or long–sleeve T–shirt or both in what The Sporting Life dubs a "combo." Or you can register as an "economy" entry and simply pay to run the
race, with no T–shirt to take home for your collection.
"When we first offered options, we did it not knowing what people would do. But what we found out is that 50% of people chose a nonstandard, or T–shirt only, option," according to Fuller. "We found we could make our whole group of participants happy if we gave them options."
Both Keeler and Harnly like the options offered by The Sporting Life. Keeler says, "I like the fact that they don't force you to buy a T–shirt
with your entry fee." And Harnly concurs, "The Sporting Life has taken pains to have options with registration."
Last year was the first time I had the opportunity to actually run The Human Race. Injuries, work conflicts and nagging winter illnesses seemed to be stacked against me each March until 2001. But it was worth the wait and at least as much fun to participate in as it is to observe from the sidelines.
Although the name has changed a few times over the years, because of
schedule and course changes, the sentiment of this race has not.
"I wanted to have a little bit more evocative name to get people thinking about the fact that running was something people did all over the world. The Human Race made it more clear," according to Fuller. "But The Human Race has always been a St. Paul event. It's deeply rooted in St. Paul. And St. Patrick's Day is a St. Paul tradition. So we will always have an element of that."
Right down to the tradition of the post–race party at a St. Paul Irish pub. I'll meet you there. I'll be the one dressed like a Yukon Gold.
Introducing Teri Dwyer
Teri Dwyer, 32, of St. Paul has been writing and running in the Twin Cities for over 15 years. A native of Hubertus in southeastern
Wisconsin, Dwyer went to the Twin Cities to attend the University of Minnesota School of Journalism and participate on the track and field team.
After completing her bachelor's degree, she began a career in public relations and writing. She currently runs her own public relations consulting and freelance writing business, and writes for two St. Paul community newspapers, Grand Gazette and Highland Villager.
Dwyer was the race director for Race for the Cure Twin Cities for its first nine years. Dwyer trained for and completed two half–marathons in 2001, her first forays into this distance. She currently runs for a USATF team, Runners Edge, a St. Paul running store.
Dwyer's running career has been a bit unique because she's competed at distances from 100m to the half–marathon.
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