GREEN BAY (NBC26) — Nearly 10,000 racers and about 800 volunteers are counting down to Saturday morning's 50th annual Bellin Run in Green Bay.
Race Director Linda Maxwell said organizers wanted to make the milestone anniversary memorable.
Appearances by past Bellin Run champions, finisher medals for this year's race participants and a history exhibit on display in Astor Park will commemorate the event's milestone anniversary.
"Our focus is really on the community and getting feet on the streets, so we want to remove barriers to that and really work to make sure that people come back year after year," Maxwell said.
Setup for the race began early Monday morning.
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Green Bay elite runner Noah Jahnke is doing his own preparations for the event. Jahnke ran his first Bellin race in high school.
"It was an awesome experience," Jahnke recalled.
When asked what made it awesome, Jahnke pointed to the energy surrounding the event.
Jahnke has finished third in each of the past 2 runs. As part of his elite Bellin runner experience, he is now sharing his running journey with local kids.
"The Bellin Run kind of brings the community together in that way, and I found it a super rewarding experience," Jahnke said. "It kind of has shown me, like, going all in on something can definitely be worth it, and I'd say I'm all in on running."
Maxwell said community and physical wellness are at the heart of the event.
"We want to model good behavior," stated Maxwell. "Physical activity is great for your body, and it also should be fun -- and a part of our lives."
The 50th annual Bellin Run takes place Saturday, June 13 at 8 a.m.
