fEditor’s Note: For more information, please visit www.unidancemarathon.com 

No one tossed their cookies at this year’s UNI Dance Marathon 5k. The annual run had cookies as the theme, with cookie stations set up at various points in the route. Whoever ate the most cookies over the course of the race would get the most time taken off of their final race time.

Most runners ate between four and ten cookies during the race, but Conar Reed, sophomore leisure youth and human services major, topped everyone, consuming an impressive 24 cookies over the duration of his run.   

According to Tanner Bernhard, junior marketing and management major, and UNI Dance Marathon Executive C0-Director, Dance Marathon wanted to do something different than the foam run and color run that have been held in previous years. Something similar had been done at ISU with a doughnut run. “We wanted to put our own twist on it and with Insomnia Cookies just opening they sponsored us so it’s really an awesome way to kind of bring a new idea to UNI,” said Bernhard.

All funds raised went toward the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital, which is a  Children’s Miracle Network Hospital.

“Dance Marathon is important because it helps extend and save children’s lives, Bernhard said. “It’s a movement by college students, this generation fighting for the next.”

This event served as a jumping-off point to raise awareness for UNI Dance Marathon. Bernhard hoped participants would become more aware of what Dance Marathon stood for at UNI.

To do this they sold shirts and have been informing students of the main Dance Marathon event.

“I’ve never done a 5k before and then the addition of cookies. So that’ll be really fun,” said Kira Hendrikson,  senior elementary education major, who is also involved in one of Dance Marathon’s committees.

There were some consequences for eating cookies and running with reports of cramping and stomachaches. When asked how he felt after eating six cookies, Branden Jessen, sophomore accounting major, said, “A sick stomach for sure.”

Caitlyn Boyd,  freshman business potential major, came out for the cookies, as well as the kids.

Boyd’s favorite part of the race was “The cheer station, like they were cheering you on, that was awesome. The motivation.”

Bernhard said that setting up the event was a process that takes a lot of work.

“Our executive board works really hard to put on events,” Bernhard said. “It’s something where we’re continually growing. We’ve been putting on events since the organization founded but we’re learning new constantly every day.”

Though it won’t officially be announced until next fall what next year’s theme will be, some participants had suggestions.

Scott Aamodt, freshman supply chain and operations management major suggested breaking it down into a relay.

“That way you don’t have to run a whole 5k,” said Aamodt. “You bring your own batons, like people could bring the coolest thing to pass on to the next person.”

Melodee Birke, senior elementary education major, also involved on a Dance Marathon committee, suggested bringing back the foam 5k.

“I think a lot of people like the foam one,” said Birke. “A lot of people were upset that it was a cookie one this time.”   

“We will be announcing our goal at the Orange Party on October 8th at the Campanile, and that’s from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.,” said Bernhard in regard to upcoming Dance Marathon events. “There will be free Chad’s Pizza for everybody. There will also be a bunch of games going on, we’ll announce the morale captains, our goal, there will be music. It’ll be a lot of fun.”

Registration for Dance Marathon will be opened on October 8 at the Orange Party. The Big Event, will be held on March 5, 2016.