The Cigs Race drew its support this year from the Columbia Track Club, Show Me State Games, The MU Healthcare Wellness Initiative, B&B Bagels and the Postal Annex. These sponsors were attracted to the unique concept of a race pitting runners in categories of whether or not they are or ever have been cigarette smokers. They were also drawn to the fact that all the net proceeds will be donated to smoking-related disease research through The University of Missouri, Columbia’s School of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Environmental Medicine.

One factor that made this year’s event so exciting was the support provided by Michael Denehy and Off Track Events. They provided a web site for the Cigs Race, promotional materials, graphic design and announcements promoting the Cigs Race and Health Fair. Many competitors were attracted by the efforts of Denehy and his crew. The t-shirt design is very stunning and will advertise for next year's event.

A big hit of the 2007 event was the hand crafted art work of local artist Jennifer Jensen. The theme of the trophy series is the colloquialism of the cigarette being referred to as a coffin nail. This year Jensen really set a standard by producing leaded glass coffin lids embellished with a coffin nail and lead vine work representative of the tree of life that grows stronger as an ex-smoker remains smoke free. With finishing places for the three categories of smokers, ex-smokers and non-smokers and then providing for gender-specific first and second places, there are a total of 13 overall place trophies that includes one for the first place walker. For Jennifer to have donated all of the time and effort to produce these works of art speaks volumes of how supportive she is to the cause of smoking cessation.

Having told of the pillars upon which this year’s event laid a memory no one there will forget there is one more thing I meant to say. I want to thank all the booth participants. There were six booths this year, Ped Net, Fit For Life, The Mayor's Council on Health and Physical Fitness, The Health Connection, Missouri Sports Massage Team and American Lung Association. A lot of hard work and sacrifice go into bringing a booth to a health fair. Not only did these people do that, but many walked the event and donated to smoking related disease research.

With the event being early April with temperatures hovering around freezing, you can count on the fact that only the most seasoned runners knew that they would be here. There were veterans of the Cigs Race competing as well. The Columbia Track Club provided for the timing and results, and the volunteers had to weather the cold. I can't say thank you enough to my friends who volunteered to help. All these folks really made this event special. What I meant to say is this, "what an honor to have been with these people on this day -- a day I will cherish the memory of for the rest of my life"
--Jim Linville, Race Director