A lot has happened in the half-century spanning the Original Road and Trail Race to Steve’s Run, with the 50^th running taking place on Friday, July 19, at 6 p.m. in downtown Dowagiac, in conjunction with the Summer Festival and BBQ Competition.

Known as Steve’s Run since 1992, it left downtown in 2015 for Southwestern Michigan College’s campus, where it began in front of the David C. Briegel Building, named for SMC’s fifth president from 1981-98.

David’s and Camille’s son, Steven Briegel, was born July 21, 1967, and died March 1, 1990, at age 22 after a 5 ½-year battle with cancer. He graduated fifth in Union High School’s Class of 1986 and played basketball, golf and in band for the Chieftains.

He graduated with an associate degree in mathematics with honors from SMC in 1988 and was a junior in the Ferris State University program at SMC at the time of his death.

He was a member of Phi Theta Kappa honor society.

After Steve’s death, SMC’s annual Road and Trail Race became Steve’s Run, dedicated to all who have fought or are still fighting cancer, with proceeds split between Mayo Clinic cancer research and the Briegel scholarship. President Briegel died Jan. 13, 2021.

“He was my best friend,” said Hall of Fame Cross Country and Track and Field Coach Ron Gunn.

After flying to Rochester, Minn., to be with the Briegels as Steven neared the end of his life, Gunn collaborated with the family to turn the renowned Road and Trail Race into a tribute to their son.

President Briegel arrived at SMC three months before Gunn and “we really hit it off. We both liked sports and had a rivalry between me liking Notre Dame and him rooting for MSU. He appreciated what I was doing for the college and we worked closely. As an administrator, he was firm, but fair. He was just a wonderful human being, a class act all the way. He was not only the classiest person I ever knew, with a wonderful heart, he taught me a lot about ch