The Great 38 races to raise money for charity

Runners in the Oxford and Ole Miss community put all of their efforts into running in the Great 38, a race for Chucky Mullins’ legacy.

Of the 770 participants in the race, 606 made it to the finish lines in Vaught-Hemmingway stadium.

The race also raised money for the Roy Lee “Chucky” Mullins scholarship and the Tailgate for Palmer event held after the race.

“I always love to run races for causes, and I think it is wonderful when races sponsor causes that are not as well-known as others,” Megan Garner, senior marketing major and president of the Ole Miss running club, said. “It makes the race have more significance and meaning. It is something I thought would be great to accomplish personally.”

Junior psychology and pre-med major Haley Schrock said that Mullins’ legacy is very inspirational.

“I think the legacy has a lot to offer,” Schrock said. “It’s important to work hard and not give up when things get tough. Yes, the legacy does inspire me and I think it should inspire everyone.”

The Great 38 was split into a 3-mile and an 8-mile with the top three in each split by gender. In the overall male and female 8-miler, first place winners received $200 each. Second place won $125 each and third received $75 each.

The masters and grandmasters in both categories received awards along with the top three in the different age categories.

Those who completed in the RebelWell race, the Double Decker Spring Run, Lee Family Dentistry’s race and The Great 38 race received The Inn at Ole Miss Grand Prix medals for the best times in shortest distance and longest distance.

Ole Miss Athletics, Run Oxford, The Inn at Ole Miss, Smoothie King, Baptist Memorial Hospital and others contributed to the event.

Marvin King, associate professor of political science and the president of Run Oxford coordinated all four races in the Grand Prix.

“(Run Oxford members) are the people that actually design, organize and manage the race,” King said. “We have nearly one thousand likes on our Facebook page and more than 130 dues paying members.”

Those who ran in the eight-mile race could also win master or grand master awards. First place male and female masters and grandmasters each won $50 each.

The Great 38 participants split at the 2-mile mark in order to finish the two sections of races. The top three winners, male and female, each received an award for competing.

In order to prepare for the race, runners had to push themselves physically and mentally.

“I am running 3.5 miles three to four times a week and doing other cardio based things the other days to build up different muscle groups,” freshman exercise science major Allie Hendry said.

Hendry said before competing in the race that she was looking forward to learning a new route to run through the Ole Miss campus, since she is not from Oxford or Mississippi.
“I am also excited to finish the race on the 50 yard line of the Vaught-Hemmingway Stadium because under normal circumstances we are not allowed on the field,” Hendry said.