Registration open for Crazylegs

University employees and students are being encouraged to take part in the Crazylegs Classic 8K run or two-mile fun walk sponsored by the National W Club on Saturday, April 30. The springtime tradition is in its 24th year.

Both the run and walk begin at 10 a.m. near the Capitol at Main Street and M.L. King Boulevard and end on the 50-yard line in Camp Randall Stadium. Wheelchair entrants begin their journey at 9:45 a.m. There will be a post-race celebration in the stadium featuring two of Wisconsin’s favorite bands — the UW Marching Band and the LoveMonkeys. Beverages and food will be served.

Entry fees are $20 for runners, $18 for walkers, and $25 for Fun and Fitness registrants until 4 p.m. on Friday, April 22. After that date, the registration fee is $25 for all entrants. Proceeds from the event support UW Athletics.

Register online at http://www.crazylegsrun.com, or call 261-LEGS (5347) to have a registration form mailed to you. Forms also will be available at the Kohl Center and Camp Randall welcome centers and at several local health clubs.

Volunteers are needed as well. More than 400 of them, from high school students to retirees, do their part to help make the event run smoothly each year. To volunteer, call 262-7717 or sign up via the Crazylegs Web site.

The Crazylegs Classic was named after All-American football star Elroy “Crazylegs” Hirsch, who came to the UW from Wausau in 1941. He played only one year for the Badgers before joining the Marines. Hirsch later played at Michigan, then became a wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams. He was UW athletic director from 1969-87, the longest tenure in the history of Badger athletics. Hirsch died in January 2004 at the age of 80.

Drivers should note that the route for the Crazylegs run includes several campus area streets. Among them are Langdon Street, Observatory Drive, Walnut Street, Old University Avenue, Breese Terrace and Regent Street from Breese Terrace to the Field House parking lot. Be on the lookout for brief lane closures. Police will be on hand to direct traffic.