The University Record, September 24, 1997
200 join president in North Campus run/walk
Elizabeth Hokada, director of the Investment Office; husband Ken Ito, associate professor of Japanese language and literature; their daughter Ella and dog Maile were among the 200 individuals who joined the president for the 5K Walk/Run. Photo by Bob Kalmbach
Bollinger was given his official T-shirt–President, No. 1, by a member of the Women’s Cross Country Team. Photo by Paul Jaronski
By Rebecca A. Doyle
They came singly or in clusters, in teams, pushing strollers, with dogs and even on bikes. In the cool and damp morning air, they claimed commemorative T-shirts and waited for President Lee C. Bollinger to arrive.
On time and ready, Bollinger toed the line with more than 200 runners and walkers who stepped off promptly at 7:30 a.m. last Friday to begin inauguration festivities with a brisk jog around North Campus. The 5K run/walk lasted only 16 minutes for some, 40 minutes for others.
Marysia Ostafin, Jan Burbank, Gwen Tessier and Angela Dadak wore shirts with their unit’s logo the Center for Russian and East European Studies.
“We just thought it would be a great team-building exercise,” Ostafin said. “And we wanted to celebrate.” The four make up two-thirds of the Center’s staff, and all planned to be at their office after a quick shower.
No prizes were given for finishing first. Applause greeted every runner who crossed the finish line, whether they came in at 16:11 on the clock as did first finisher Joe Drissel, or 24:20 with Regent Daniel D. Horning. Crossing the line in second and third places were Ken Kozloff and Rob Aldrich, with times of 17:22 and 17:51 respectively.
“This is a great idea!” said Aldrich, who graduated from the U-M in 1981 and is now a local real estate developer.
Amy Bork, who lives in married student housing and runs regularly, was the first woman runner to finish, with a time of 19:12. Bork saw the notice at a North Campus bus stop and decided to run with the president.
Ken Ito, associate professor of Japanese language and literature, Elizabeth Hokada, director of university investments, daughter Ella and dog Maile made the run a family affair. Maile slurped bottled water from a Frisbee after the run.
Bollinger, who said he thinks the inauguration committee suggested the event because they know he loves running, called the outing “thoroughly enjoyable” and thanked participants who clocked in after he did as they crossed the finish line.
Bollinger (center) nears the finish line, accompanied by David C. Dawson (left), professor of physiology, and All-American runner Kevin Sullivan, a member of the Men’s Cross Country team. Photo by Bob Kalmbach
