Purdue University Calumet’s Fitness Center took over management of the Fall Frolic 4-Mile Run in November of 2002.
The original event, “Jimmy’s Fall Frolic”, was started in the 1980’s by Jimmy Angelopoulos. Angelopoulos owned Jimmy’s Athletic Apparel which was located in the old Woodmar Shopping Center. Jimmy catered primarily to runners and was involved in a number of early Calumet Region Strider projects. His original race was an outgrowth of the store and his running contacts.
In the early years, the race started out as a 10K run which began and ended at the old Woodmar Shopping Center. Angelopoulos changed the race distance and race headquarters several times. Finally, in the mid-90’s, he moved the race headquarters to Purdue University Calumet.
The Purdue University Calumet Fitness Center Staff assisted Angelopoulos with the race until 1999. One year later, Angelopoulos decided to discontinue the event. In 2001, there was no Fall Frolic 4-Mile Run.
The following year, at the request of many local runners who missed the special end-of-the-running season event, Purdue University Calumet’s Fitness Center decided to bring back the Fall Frolic 4-Mile Run and add a 1.5-Mile Fitness Walk.
Although the race is nearly 30-years old, November 12, 2006, marked the 5th annual Fall Frolic 4-Mile Run and 1.5-Mile Fitness Walk put on by the Purdue University Calumet Team.
http://webs.purduecal.edu/pucraces/race-history/2/