???When the sound of the start gun shot through the misty air on Sunday morning, 1,500 runners and walkers took off from Alumni Arena on a 5-kilometer course through North Campus with two goals-crossing the finish line and raising awareness about campus safety.
???The 19th annual Linda Yalem Safety Run is held each year in honor of UB student Linda Yalem, who was raped and killed in 1990 on the Amherst Bike Path near the Ellicott Complex while preparing for a marathon.
???This is the second year the run has taken place since Altemio C. Sanchez, known in the media as the Bike Path Rapist, pleaded guilty to three murders last year including that of Yalem and Joan Diver, wife of chemistry professor Steven Diver. Sanchez is serving 75 years to life in the state prison system.
???The race was especially poignant this year following two rapes on South Campus of a UB student and a local resident. Many participants took the race's message to heart, changing their habits to keep themselves safe.
???"I went out a few times by myself earlier this year, not even thinking. But the more I thought about it, it could easily happen to me. Now I always run with a partner," said Brianne Kelly, a freshman communication major.
???As part of the $15 student registration fee, runners received safety tips and this year's race memento, a reflective light that can be clipped onto a shirt for evening runs. Some students already had safety in mind before they joined the race.
???"I actually wear a safety tag on my shoes so people will know who I am if anything happens to me, and [wear] protective gear when it gets dark out," said Ashley Wentworth, a student in the School of Medicine.
???Staff and over 650 volunteers have been preparing for the event more noticeably in recent days, but planning takes place throughout the year. ???"We plan all year round. One month after the end of the race we begin planning for the next year," said Jay Frieddman, co-director for the race. ???The 5K course saw several changes to its layout this year.
???"There were a couple areas of concern where we went under the bridge and the bike path got small. There was also an area in Ellicott where they had to jump a curb. By starting the race and doing it the way we are now we've avoided both those problems." ???Despite the damp conditions runners kept their spirits high for the race. ???"It's a good thing to raise awareness for, and it's good to get people out and working out," Wentworth said. ???The event came to a close with a post-race party, where food and drinks were served to hungry runners.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
