With the worst of the winter storm seeming to have passed, the Eastern Illinois Striders running club will compete in the Charleston Challenge Mid-Winter Classic.

The Striders are a club composed of students, faculty and other local runners from the Charleston-Mattoon area.

The Striders currently have about thirty members, and look to send about seven to compete in the Mid-Winter Classic.

Senior special education major Miles Russell is the current president of the group and is excited to see the Striders represented at the Mid-Winter Classic.

The Mid-Winter Classic, put on by the Charleston Parks & Recreation Department, features a 5K, 10K and 15K race through various city streets and country roads in Charleston.

One competing member of the Striders is freshman English major Bryan Conger. Conger said he hopes to perform well in the Mid-Winter Classic in preparation for a series of triathlons he hopes to run by the end of the year. Conger heard about the Mid-Winter Classic after competing in the Charleston Challenge 40 Mile Relay last November.

Conger said he is excited about the level of competition the Striders bring to the race, and thinks this year will be an exciting one for the Mid-Winter Classic.

“I think that whoever wins the race will probably also break the course record,” Conger said.

Conger plans to compete in the 10K event, which currently holds a course record of 41:04.30 held by Mark Merkel.

While the snow seems to have stopped falling for now, its effects will still play a role into the race.

“I think we will potentially see some slower times due to the weather’s effect on the race,” Conger said.

The Mid-Winter Classic, scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, currently has a forecast for a high of 32°F. Conger says the best way to fight the cold is through the use of layered clothing.

After competing in the Mid-Winter Classic, the Striders will look to enter more events in the Charleston-Mattoon area, as well as in Champaign.

Russell said that he hopes to have more club members competing in the future events, but is confident in his other team members heading into the Mid-Winter Classic.

The Charleston Mid-Winter Classic beings at 10 a.m. with the 15K race, followed by the 10K and 5K events.

Dominic Renzetti can be reached at 581-7944 or dcrenzetti@eiu.edu