The Human eMotion Event to support Great Bend Family Crisis Center and the Great Bend High School Future Business Leaders of America is set for Saturday morning.
It is the third year for the event, which is hosted by Great Bend Regional Hospital.
“We’ve seen the numbers grow every year, which is great,” Event Organizer Pam Chambers said. “It’s been fun to see it grow through the years.”
Great Bend Regional Hospital expects over 500 athletes to participate in various races, including walking, running and cycling.
“A lot of people we’ve talked to plan on signing up the day of the event,” Pam Chambers said. “We’re expecting maybe 600 participants. That’s more than triple last year. We’ve had to adjust our plans to accommodate so many people.”
Pam Chambers said that there has been a lot of support for Human eMotion, and that Adina Gregory, Emily Yarmer and Bob Bilak in particular have helped arrange things for the expected turnout.
Events will begin at 7 with 25- and 62-mile bike rides.
Cameron Chambers, professional bike racer and four-time National Mountain Bike Champion will be on hand to lead the 62-mile trek.
Jackie Stiles, an NCAA All-America selection basketball player and 2001 WNBA Rookie of the Year, will participate in the ½ marathon, which starts at 7:30 along with the 5K race.
At 8, the event will be unveiling its newest race, the Color Run.
While the proceeds from the bike and competitive races go to Great Bend Family Crisis Center, the proceeds from the Color Run will go to the Future Business Leaders of America group from GBHS.
Participants in the Color Run will start the non-competitive 5K jaunt wearing white clothes, and will be doused with different colors of powdered paint at checkpoints every kilometer.
“This event has created a lot of excitement,” Pam Chambers said. “We’ve had people sign up from Denver who wanted to participate in the Color Run, but didn’t get into one in Colorado.”
After the races, which begin and end at Great Bend Regional Hospital, there will be breakfast served.