A few runners willing to test their endurance

~ A four-hour race is planned for Saturday at Delaware Park.

Those runners who gather Saturday morning at Delaware Park in Cape Girardeau will be the few, the strong ... the crazy.

"It's a little different than what we usually have," said Bryan Kelpe, who is organizing with the Cape Road Runners a four-hour endurance run over the 1.76-mile dirt track course in the park.

"It's a challening course to begin with," Kelpe said, "and to do an endurance run on it definitely pushes you past your comfort zone."

Kelpe isn't entirely surprised although a little disappointed that only five individuals and five relay teams of three have signed up for the meet. He said a conflict with a group run for ultra-distance competitors in St. Louis may have been a factor.

"We have a lot of people who are curious about it but a little intimidated," Kelpe said.

For those who get over their reservations, registration will be open 7 to 7:45 a.m. Saturday. The four-hour race begins at 8 a.m.

Kelpe will be one of those on the starting line and hopes to fit in a marathon -- 26.2 miles.

"I'm planning to take a walking break each lap," he said. "I ran 28 miles in a little more than four hours on the course in January doing it that way."

The course will have the usual water stops along with snacks such as trail mix available for the runners.

The first-time event is a fundraiser for Crohn's and Colitis Foundation. Crohn's disease and colitis, inflammatory bowel diseases, affect about 1.4 million people in the United States, according to the CCFA Web site.

Kelpe, who has a nephew with the disease, saw a correlation between the foundation's slogan -- "Got Guts" -- and an endurance run.

"I thought it would be a chance to raise awareness and raise money," Kelpe said.

Entry fees are $25 for individuals and $75 for teams.

For information, contact Kelpe at (573) 339-0370 or (573) 979-4021.