Not surprisingly, the idea for this event was hatched in late 1981 by three Badger loyalists at a campus bar. The three, Tom Grantham, Ken Sparks, and Rich Backus, wanted to raise money to support UW Athletics. As admirers of then- Athletic Director Elroy Hirsch, they asked his permission to name it the "Crazylegs Run" in his honor.
The first race in 1982 attracted 1,525 runners and raised $9,500. The event grew in popularity and the walk was added in 1987 with 676 walkers the first year. The event has grown substantially reaching a record high of 20,415 in 2010. Since the inaugural race 43 years ago, it has attracted over 354,000 runners and walkers. The Crazylegs Classic has become a time-honored tradition of the University of Wisconsin, as well as a much-anticipated event to kickoff spring in the Madison community.
