Notre Dame students and South Bend residents met at Legends Saturday morning for the University's annual Domer Run. The race, held entirely on campus, began in 1983 and has raised more than $65,000 for cancer education and awareness programs.
Freshman Michael Hernick said he ran because he is a frequent runner and enjoys road races.
“I've never been a huge runner, but I thought it would be nice to help out for a good cause,” he said. “Also, the Under Armor shirts were pretty enticing.”
Freshman Kaleigh O’Boyle, a volunteer at the race, said she heard about the Domer Run from the captains of the sailing club.
“I decided to volunteer when I looked into Domer Run and saw that it's an awesome cause that's worth waking up a little earlier than usual for,” she said.
O’Boyle said she directed runners along the race’s three courses.
“There were a good amount of volunteers, enough at least to cover each checkpoint,” she said.
Volunteers at the race also helped with crowd control, counting runners, working the finish line and gathering division results, according to the RecSports website.
Three-mile and six-mile running courses, as well as a two-mile walking route, were available to participants. The RecSports website encouraged families to register and walk the two-mile route together. All three courses took participants through campus, past well-known landmarks such as Saint Joseph’s Lake and the Golden Dome.
Freshman Lizett Pink said the Domer Run reminded her of the beauty of campus and her love for Notre Dame.
“I really liked the fact that the Domer Run was on campus, especially after the first turn when we were running up Notre Dame Avenue and could see the Dome,” she said. “It was a really pretty sight and just made me appreciate where I am even more. Overall I thought the Domer run was a really fun and exciting experience.”
Williams said the overall experience of the run was a lot of fun.
“Nothing feels better than helping a cause and bettering yourself at the same time,” she said.
