MEMORIAL RUN
Written by Andy Ostmeyer
Brandon Blackburn , of Carthage , smiles as he finishes the Joplin Memorial Run Liberty 5K at Cunningham Park . Globe | Roger Nomer
The upcoming Freeman Joplin Memorial Run which has been Joplin ’ s largest running event since it launched in 2012 will be the last .
It will be held Saturday , May 18 . The Walk of Silence honoring the victims of the 2011 tornado will be held at 7 p . m . Friday , May 17 . Races this year include :
• The Freeman half-marathon . The entry fee is now $ 82 , but it will go to $ 85 on May 6 .
• The Sparklight 10K , which will cost $ 55 now , goes to $ 60 on May 5 .
• The Liberty 5K , now $ 45 , goes to $ 50 on May 5 .
• The Sign Designs Kids mile run , which is $ 20 , will remain that cost until the day of the race .
They are anticipating upward of 2,500 runners for this run .
It started on the first anniversary of the May 22 , 2011 , tornado to honor the 161 people who died because of the storm .
16 JOPLIN MAGAZINE | APRIL / MAY