147th Article at the Independent

5k event part of Sounds of Summer festivities Saturday

MARSHALL — As part of the Sounds of Summer weekend festivities, the YMCA partnered up with the Marshall High School boys and girls Cross Country teams to host a Stepping out of the Summer 5k run/walk event at Independence Park on Saturday morning. Around 90 people participated in Saturday’s 5k event, which almost tripled the 2021 entries.

This is the first year the YMCA was involved with the events, as the cross country teams previously partnered with the Marshall M Club.

“I was approached by the city of Marshall and they asked if the YMCA could take over the race, manage the race,” said Heather Radke, YMCA director of healthy living and community engagement. “This year our goal was to double (the 30 entries from 2021). We almost triple that with about 90. The money were raising will go to YMCA youth scholarships.”

The race started at about 8:30 a.m. Everyone wrapped up their 5k within an hour.

Tristan Peterson, one of the participants, spoke about why he decided to run the 5k.

“Just to kind of push myself a little further,” Peterson said. “I use to run 5k and 10k events all the time, and also ran cross country for six years and after college. I haven’t ran in a while, so I was just trying to get myself back out there.”

The entire Marshall Tigers boys and girls cross Country teams were in attendance. The Marshall swim team also competed.

“My entire swim team decided to sign up for the 5k together because we thought it would be great for team bonding,” Marshall swimmer Briana Hernandez said. ” It also help build our endurance and strength for swimming because we are in season.”

Marshall cross country coaches Brian Leibfried and Marie Sample both spoke on the history of the event and why it is important to them. Leibfried said it fit within the schedule of cross country and blending in with the Sounds of Summer weekend allowed them to bring families together to participate in something fun and beneficial.

“The Marshall 5k was designed to support youth and helped with scholarships with kids,” Sample added. “It goes to us so that we can do special activities within the team. We supply food after practices, events as well and we’re also going to do some team bonding in Alexandria.”