How many runs/walks are too many?

LUDINGTON — How many runs/walks can there be in the City of Ludington before there are too many? This was a question asked by a city councilor during tonight’s council meeting. The council approved two requests for 5K events tonight, which sparked the brief conversation.

The first was a request from OneMain Financial, 4743 W. U.S. 10, Ludington, for a March of Dimes fund raiser on April 26. The other was for request for a Sept. 6 5K run/walk called the Adam Rader Kaleidoscope of Hope Memorial 5K Run, by Ludington Optimist Club’s Childhood Cancer Campaign.

The March of Dimes 5K run/walk will raise funds for birth defect research.

The Adam Rader Kaleidoscope of Hope Memorial 5K Run is a “color run.” The concept of a color run is to have people participate in a non-competitive running/walking event wearing white t-shirts and proceeding through various “color stations” along the route. At the color stations, spectators throw a safe, on-toxic cornstarch based color powder onto the runners/walkers. By the end of the run/walk, participants are full of multiple colors, thus the kaleidoscope name.

Councilor Kathy Winczewski said she isn’t opposed to run/walk events but asked if there is reaching a point that the amount of runs are putting a toll on the police department.

Police Chief Mark Barnett said his department will provide traffic control at any of the events but it may be time the city council look at whether or not the city is becoming saturated with runs. At this time there are at least nine runs/walks throughout the year.

City Manager John Shay said that the city wants to support such events but there may need to be a balance.