Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

DOWAGIAC — Celebrating 50 years, Southwestern Michigan College’s Steve’s run is set to get under way at 6 p.m. with the starting and finishing line again being in downtown Dowagiac Friday.

Steve’s Run is held in conjunction with Dowagiac’s Summer Festival and BBQ Competition. There is still time to register for the races, which include a 10K run, a 5K run/walk and a one-mile Family Fun Run.

Registration ends at 11:59 p.m. Thursday, but you can still save a little money by registering before 11:59 p.m. Wednesday. Race-day registration, which will be at the Dowagiac Train Depot, runs from 4 to 5:30 p.m.

The cost of the 5K run/walk is $30 through Wednesday. Fun Run is $1.

New this year, runners can register for the 5K and 10K races and receive a stuffed Ronnie Roadrunner for $50. That cost runs through Friday.

Registration costs increase to $40 for both the 5K and 10K events.

Packet pickup is also available from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Charles O. Zollar Building on the Southwestern Michigan College campus.

Awards will be given to the overall male and female winner, as well as the top three finishers in eight age divisions.

The Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce is hosting drinks, food, and live entertainment following the race. Runners with the race bib will get in free, while the general public can take part in the festivities for $5.

The Original Road and Trail Race, which was held in honor of Steven Briegel, a graduate of Dowagiac Union High School and Southwestern Michigan College, changed its name to Steve’s Run in 1992.

Briegel was the son of SMC President David and Camille Briegel. Born in 1967, Steven died after a five-and-a-half-year battle with cancer in March of 1991.

After Steve’s death, SMC’s annual Road and Trail Race became Steve’s Run, dedicated to all who have fought or are still fighting cancer, with proceeds split between Mayo Clinic cancer research and the Briegel scholarship. President Briegel died Jan. 13, 2021.

Steve’s Run was the brainchild of former Ron Gunn, who coached cross country and track at SMC.

Gunn was also the Roadrunners’ dean of sports education. He ran the races — which began as the Road and Trail race before morphing into the Bud Lite Run and Nike-Fair Store Run — until 2017. Gunn served as the master of ceremonies for the 2018 race.

To register, go to runsignup.com/Race/Register/?raceId=16417