LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — It’s not every day that Spartans and Wolverines run side by side, but every year, the two rivals team up for something much bigger. Alex’s Great State Race returned for its 12th year Friday to unite Michigan State University and the University of Michigan in a 64-mile run of the official game ball from Ann Arbor to East Lansing.
The race honors the legacy of Alex Powell, an MSU student and sports enthusiast, who was supported by the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities at Michigan State University while undergoing cancer treatment at Michigan Medicine in Ann Arbor. Powell passed away on May 8, 2011, but his spirit lives on through this annual event.
“Continuing this race year after year is really important for expanding awareness around disability initiatives around Alex’s legacy as we continue to have students that, and employees for that matter, that have disabilities,” said Associate Director of the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities at MSU Shelby Gombosi.
ROTC Cadets began the race at midnight in Ann Arbor and ended Friday morning in East Lansing.
Event officials say the race not only commemorates Powell’s legacy but also serves as a platform to highlight the importance of student disability services at both universities…