One of Ball State University's oldest traditions resumes this weekend as dozens of cyclists will race around campus as other students hang out on University Green.
The Office of Student Life and University Program Board will host the annual McKinley Mile Bike Race and Field Day on Saturday.
Sixteen teams registered for the races this year. The event will have two races: 24 miles for experienced cyclists and 12 miles for novice riders. Nine teams competed in last year's race.
The route will start at the intersection of Neely and McKinley avenues and go south. Riders then will go east on Riverside Avenue to New York Avenue where they will head north until taking Neely back to the start.
University Police Department will have the roads blocked off from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The first race begins at 1 p.m. and the second is at 3 p.m. Student Life is organizing the races.
Tamika Smith, program coordinator for Greek Life, said she hopes to see a large portion of the Ball State community show up to watch the races and participate in the Field Day events.
"I'm expecting students to have a really good time and enjoy themselves," she said. "Just enjoy the race and get involved and have a good time. We're just really excited for it. We hope a lot of students come through and enjoy it."
Dillon Kimmel, vice president of marketing for UPB, said the Field Day events will have five or six inflatable activities on University Green, including a four-story slide. Students can play dodgeball, ride "banzai bikes" which bounce and flip riders, compete in a hot dog-eating contest and more, he said. There also will be free pizza and smoothies.
Kimmel said this is the third year UPB has teamed with Student Life for the event. The weather forecast indicates Saturday should be nice, and he hopes students know about it by now and will show up in large numbers, he said.
Field Day runs from noon to 4 p.m.
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