{{Short description|American road race}}

{{Infobox athletics race | bgcolour = gold | date = late August or early September | location = Eau Claire, Wisconsin | type = Paved Road | distance = {{convert|5|mi|km}} and {{convert|2|mi|km}} | est = 1983 | participants = over 300<ref>{{cite news |work=Leader-Telegram (Eau Claire, Wisconsin) |last=Buckli |first=Ron |title=Strong thread runs through runners' tale |date=2 September 2024}}</ref> }} The '''Buckshot Run''', previously the '''Leader-Telegram Buckshot Run''', is an annual {{convert|5|mi|km}} and {{convert|2|mi|km}} race held in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, held on Labor Day weekend. It was established in 1983 and attracts runners of all varieties. It is named after Leader-Telegram sports-writer Ron Buckli.<ref>{{cite news |work=Leader-Telegram (Eau Claire, Wisconsin) |last=McGraw |first=Dennis |title=Strong thread runs through runners' tale |date=7 October 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |work=Leader-Telegram |last=Wachter |first=Blythe |title=Leader-Telegram Buckshot Run hits 30-year mark |date=1 September 2012}}</ref> It was run to raise money for the Indianhead Special Olympics, however the 2024 running was the last affiliated with the Special Olympics.<ref>{{cite news |work=KQOW News (Eau Claire, Wisconsin) |last=Franklin |first=John |title=Hundreds race for Special Olympics at 42nd Buckshot Run |date=2 September 2023 |url=https://www.wqow.com/news/hundreds-race-for-special-olympics-at-42nd-buckshot-run/article_c4a28d86-49dc-11ee-b3cf-8ba533834e88.html |access-date=9 December 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |work=Volume 1 |last=Scherer |first=McKenna |title=Upcoming Buckshot Run Will Be Last to Benefit Special Olympics |date=13 August 2024 |url=https://volumeone.org/articles/2024/08/13/347521-buckshot-run-other-run-walk-events-chippewa-valley-2024 |access-date=9 December 2024}}</ref> As of 2022, the race raised an estimated $1.5 million.<ref>{{cite news |work=Leader-Telegram (Eau Claire, Wisconsin) |last=Buckli |first=Ron |title=Buckshot Run returns for 40th edition |date=1 September 2022}}</ref>

The race starts and finishes at Carson Park and follows the Chippewa River State Trail in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.<ref>{{cite news |work=Leader-Telegram (Eau Claire, Wisconsin) |last=Knight |first=Joe |title=Public input on Carson Park ball field, road proposed |date=26 January 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |work=Leader-Telegram (Eau Claire, Wisconsin) |last=Buckli |first=Ron |title=Buckshot Run: 5-miler back to original course |date=26 August 2012}}</ref>

Bob Lesniewski had the idea of a run to support the Special Olympics, and the first running on September 3, 1983 drew 412 participants.<ref>{{cite news |work=Leader-Telegram (Eau Claire, Wisconsin) |last=Buckli |first=Ron |title=Stories shape Buckshot Run's history |date=2 September 1983}}</ref> The first running had a $5 entry fee and raised $1100 for the Special Olympics.<ref>{{cite news |work=Leader-Telegram (Eau Claire, Wisconsin) |last=Buckli |first=Ron |title=First Buckshot Run was an all-star event |date=4 September 2015}}</ref> The race shirts for the first year were green and said "Get your Tail into the Mousetrap" because Greg "Mouse" Bement was the race's first sponsor and held a post race party at his bar. Lesniewski invited Dan Conway to run it as a show-case runner.<ref>{{cite news |work=Leader-Telegram (Eau Claire, Wisconsin) |last=Buckli |first=Ron |title= Running took Dan Conway around world, as he recounts in memoir |date=19 April 2018}}</ref> The following year, Dick Beardsley ran and won the Buckshot Run in the same year as his fabled Boston Marathon duel with Alberto Salazar.<ref>{{cite news |work=Leader-Telegram (Eau Claire, Wisconsin) |last=Buckli |first=Ron |title=Buckshot Run: 5-miler back to original course |date=26 August 2012}}</ref>

Mike Salm previously served as race director of the Buckshot Run.<ref>{{cite news |work=Leader-Telegram (Eau Claire, Wisconsin) |last=Buckli |first=Ron |title=Salm to enter Indianhead Track Club Hall of Fame |date=27 March 2011}}</ref>

The 2015 race was run in honor of Brian Amundson who was a regular at the race. Amundson, a former city engineer from 1986 to 1996, had permanent mile markers installed in the pavement along the five-mile race course in 2002.<ref>{{cite news |work=Leader-Telegram (Eau Claire, Wisconsin) |last=Buckli |first=Ron |title=First Buckshot Run was an all-star event |date=4 September 2015}}</ref>

As of 2019, Mai Xiong and Michaela Harrison were responsible for putting on the Buckshot Run.<ref>{{cite news |work=Leader-Telegram (Eau Claire, Wisconsin) |last=Buckli |first=Ron |title=Indianhead Special Olympics, Buckshot Run under new leadership |date=26 August 2019}}</ref>

Beginning in 2019, the five mile race was named the Dan Conway 5 Mile in honor of Dan Conway who won the first Buckshot Run in 1983.<ref>{{cite news |work=Leader-Telegram |title=Notable deaths of 2018 |date=31 December 2018 |author=<!--none-->}}</ref> Conway lived in Superior, Wisconsin, and was a coach in Chetek, Wisconsin. In 2014, Conway ran the race in a tuxedo in what he said was going to be his last Buckshot Run after having participated 30 times over the race's 31 years.<ref>{{cite news |work=Leader-Telegram (Eau Claire, Wisconsin) |last=Buckli |first=Ron |title=Buckshot history chock full of stories |date=28 August 2014}}</ref>

The 2022 race was run in honor of Maynard Faanes. Greg Faanes had run in all 40 Buckshot Runs as of 2022 along with Dave Oestreich, Terry Hayden, Jerry Poling, Pat Callahan and Gary Ellis.<ref>{{cite news |work=Leader-Telegram (Eau Claire, Wisconsin) |last=Buckli |first=Ron |title=Buckshot Run returns for 40th edition |date=1 September 2022}}</ref>

Bob Lesniewski, founder of the Buckshot Run, called it a predecessor of the Eau Claire Marathon by popularizing distance running in the region.<ref>{{cite news |work=Leader-Telegram (Eau Claire, Wisconsin) |last=Buckli |first=Ron |title=Buckshot Run: Special Olympian makes Eau Claire 5-mile history |date=2 September 2019}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

Category:Recurring sporting events established in 1983 Category:Foot races in Wisconsin Category:Sports in Eau Claire, Wisconsin Category:Eau Claire County, Wisconsin Category:5-mile runs