The Gannon wrestling team recently combined preseason training and community service to create one great outcome. The entire wrestling squad ran in the Pump-Kin 5k race last Saturday, donating $300 for the Hero program.

Gannon’s Sport and Exercise Science Club organized the annual race which benefits the Hero Program, a nonprofit organization that helps families pay terminal diseases bills associated with their children.

Most runners in the Pump-Kin 5k left a percentage of their body weight prior to the race which takes away from the runners’ normal 5k time. Runners have the option to just run or pump and run.The Golden Knights pumped their weight and ran the 5k. Gannon head wrestling coach Don Henry said he wanted to test the strength of his wrestlers in competition during the fourth week of preseason training.

Gannon assistant wrestling coach Tom Boyd said he likes the run for what it does to help charities in need. “It is a great fundraiser,” he said. “We have a lot of guys in the sport and exercise science program, and it helps the Hero program. It was a double win for us.”

Team captain and accounting major Matt Turek said the run was also a good team-building activity. “We ran because it’s the last event before the end of our preseason, and we are doing it as a team event,” he said. “We started training about a month ago. We ran 10 miles last week and eight the week before. We did the training for the wrestling season, but it helps us in the 5k.”

Redshirt freshman Garret Smith finished first among the runners who lifted. He finished with a time of 18 minutes and 58 seconds after completed 13 reps.