Anderson Cup Race set for Saturday

By By Robby Atkinson / staff writer
April 9, 2004
The 21st Annual Anderson Cup Road Race is set for Saturday at the Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center in downtown Meridian.
"We have always had a great response from the community and we have always had a very good turnout of great runners," race coordinator Joel Johnson said. "Some of races have shown some decline in participation around this area, but we are expecting a great number of people to run in the event on Saturday." The event is set to begin at 8 a.m. with the 5K run and the two-mile walk. There will also be a one-mile fun run for kids 12 and under following the two previous events. The course will stretch through much of downtown Meridian and Johnson thinks the course will be great for the runners.
"We feel like that this a good flat course for the runners. It is also very challenging to our runners and this is probably a good part of the city for the course to be."
The race will begin in the courtyard at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center and the biggest leg of the race will be up the hill of 22nd Avenue and 14th Street.
"Some of the local high school runners run in the event and that has been very good to see that the past few years," Johnson added. "This event also gives the high school kids a chance to get in shape for other events at their school."
The other big part of the day will be the one-mile fun run for the children which Johnson is excited about because of the number of kids that are expected to be a part of the run.
"We are expected to see a great number of kids for the run. We are expecting around 30 or 40 kids for the run and this gives the kids a chance to get in on the fun as well."
The runners will also be furnished with the shower facilities at the Fitness Center at Jeff Anderson after the conclusion of the race and the parking garage will be in use for people who will be attending the event to cut down on traffic problems.