Gus Wood Capstone 2025

By the end of my freshman year, I had already decided what my capstone was going to be. I participated in a running event put on by another member of Students Run Philly Style, dubbed the “SLA Anyway 5k” which he did as his capstone project, inspired by another iteration of the 5k before him. Since I had always participated in running races, I was struck by curiosity about what it is like to be a race director. How do the elements that make a good race come together? From my capstone, I learned a valuable lesson in event planning that I hope to apply moving forward. Always account for the unexpected. There were many elements to this project that I did not even consider beforehand, such as venue troubles and T-shirt designs. The process involved selecting a location and date, advertising, redesigning the race website, purchasing and selling T-shirts, and setting up snacks and drinks, among other things. My work culminated in the SLA Anyway 5k on May 10th in FDR Park. Around 60 participants ran around the park loop, with snacks, hot dogs, and beverages awaiting them at the finish line. Medals were given out to finishers along with shirts for $15. From this, we raised $500 for SLA, with huge support from the Philly Slow Girl Run Club, who helped volunteer and contribute. I was able to connect with the running community through this event, and (hopefully) fostered a fun Saturday morning for everyone involved.

Use this link to view photos from race day! https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iYQh8-6nCZLbl1Gn11WM4N1oXkqR05dH?