Marc Hershfiled of Duluth, Minn., shared with us via e-mail the reason why he participates in the Bellin Run year after year. This is a slightly edited version of what he wrote:

“Thanks to the generosity of my Aunt Mary Ann, I was wearing Bellin Run T-shirts long before I ever crossed the finish line. As children, my brothers and I would receive the T-shirts as neatly wrapped gifts for Christmas or our birthdays from Aunt Mary Ann. Perhaps it was the power of the shirts, but as a young adult I took up running and have participated in about a dozen Bellins over last three decades, earning the shirts myself. 

Aunt Mary Ann has since retired and I’ve mellowed a bit, so instead of bashing it all night at Bayfest like we used to, it’s now a soak in the city’s municipal pool after the race and ice cream. The real reasons I return to Green Bay in June are to delight in my aunt’s company, enjoy the hospitality of the community and maybe catch a glimpse of running legend Uta Pippig. Running the Bellin and running in general has also contributed to my positive lifestyle, interesting travel, a connection with nature and inner growth.

And to top it off, this year my Aunt Mary Ann gets my Bellin Run T-shirt!”

Marc Hershfield, Minnesota

Linda Maxwell - CSR Bellin Health and...

Bellin Run High School Challange Coordinator

Bellin Run Elite Runner Coordinator

Bellin Run Corporate Challenge Co-Coordinator

Bellin Run Kids For Running Coach

Bellin Run - Run A Better Bellin Class Instructor

When I think of all the duties and responsibilities that come along with all of these titles, I can now understand why she called me to ask if organic red pepper cheetos were an appropriate thing to eat prior to a run... We are about a week out from the race and Linda hasn't stopped running since February!