Michigan Spine and Pain 5K attracts about 85 people, fights childhood obesity

• Tweet
• 

Chilly temperatures were not enough to slow down runners and volunteers Saturday morning at the Michigan Spine and Pain 5K.

About 85 people spent the morning at Island Park supporting and participating in the Promoting Active Children Everywhere race.

Garria Arnold, clinical supervisor and nurse practitioner for Michigan Spine and Pain, supported the event as a keynote speaker and runner in the 5K.

“My position is to help reduce childhood obesity,” Arnold said. “Because we know that if you’re overweight as a child, it could lead into adulthood and lead to more health problems in the future.”

East Lansing senior Niki Corcoran wasn’t planning on running in the event but the cold made her thinking about changing her mind.

“I’m freezing, so I was actually thinking about running it just to get warm,” Corcoran said, laughing.

Registration began at 8 a.m. and by 9 a.m. the participants were all gathered behind the starting line.

One of the runners, Corey Friedrich, warmed up long before the race started.

“I just got up a little while ago and I needed to get my legs warmed up before the race starts,” the Mount Pleasant resident said. “It’s a nice way to get some exercise and help charity too.”

Friedrich finished the 5K race with a time of 18 minutes and 37 seconds, the fastest time of the whole event.

Once the adults were done with the 5K, it was the kid’s turn to shine.

Kids participated in their own half-mile Tot Trot, some of them even riding bicycles.

Four-year-old Andrew Cline said his favorite part of running in the race was the last part “because that was when he ran so fast.”

Some of Central Michigan’s track team members, including coach Dionne Henley and Saginaw senior John Calvert, helped out at the event by directing runners and making sure that none of the participants got lost.

“We try to do a lot of volunteer work in the community,” Henley said. “We were excited to be here.”