The 30th annual Great Race will be run Sept. 30 this year, and Mayor Luke Ravenstahl will be one of the racers.

Begun as a "fun run" in 1977 by then-Mayor Richard S. Caliguiri, the 10-kilometer [6.2-mile] race now attracts up to 250,000 people as spectators and participants. Last year, 2,768 men and 1,619 women completed the race.

Among those taking part this year will be teams from every city department, Ravenstahl said yesterday.

"I felt last year like a wimp," the mayor said. "I just stood there and fired the gun [to start the race]."

He never has run a 10K before but is setting aside time in his daily schedule to train, the mayor said.

He made the announcements at the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum in the Sen. John Heinz History Center in the Strip District as the museum opened a display honoring the Great Race.

On hand for the news conference was Carl Hatfield of Clarksburg, W.Va., who won the inaugural Great Race in 1977. His trophy for that race will be part of the museum's display.

With Hatfield were a dozen of the 26 individuals who have run all the previous 29 Great Races.

The race will begin at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 30 in Frick Park at Beechwood Boulevard and conclude near Point State Park.

There also will be a 5K [3.1-mile] run, starting at Fifth Avenue and Atwood Street in Oakland.

Those who wish to participate will be able to register online soon at the Great Race's official Web site (www.rungreatrace.com), or can pick up a registration form at Dick's Sporting Goods stores.