Team Naked Asci is ready to run a 5K race and take on the icy temperatures of Lake Raleigh in support of the Special Olympics. 

The annual Torch Run 5K and Polar Plunge, sponsored by Campus Police, will take place Saturday on Centennial Campus. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Special Olympics of North Carolina, which has a stated mission to “provide sports training and athletic competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities,” according to the program website. 

For Kathleen Burchardt, a doctoral student in plant pathology and founder of Team Naked Asci, this event is a great opportunity for her and her teammates to have fun while giving back to a community she said lies close to her heart. 

“I thought [the event] would be a lot of fun and it is for a really good cause,” Burchardt said. “I am interested in raising money for SONC because my younger brother is autistic and I know the organization does a lot for families with special needs individuals.” 

Burchardt recruited 10 other members for Team Naked Asci, including graduate students from the plant pathology department and their significant others. So far, the group has raised over $1,600 to contribute to the fundraiser. 

According to Kestrel Lannon, a graduate student in plant pathology and member of Team Naked Asci, the name of the team relates to a botanical joke. 

“Asci are structures that act as sacks to hold fungal sexual spores,” Lannon said. “We wanted to have a little fun with our name.” 

Lannon also said the name has been used by the department to represent various intramural teams. 

According to Burchardt, the entire team of 11 will participate in the 5K run, but only Lannon and Katie Neufeld will be participating in the plunge. 

For Neufeld, a graduate student in plant biology, this is her first time participating in either the 5K or the plunge. 

“I saw a polar plunge when I was younger and thought the people were crazy,” Neufeld said. “However, I saw an advertisement for the plunge and thought it would be fun.” 

Neufeld also said the real satisfaction from the race comes from giving back to the community. 

“It is very rewarding to know how much your fundraising efforts are appreciated by [the Special Olympics athletes] and their families,” Neufeld said. “[The Special Olympics] provides a place for young children to feel accepted and gives them opportunities they may not have had otherwise.” 

To prepare for the race, Team Naked Asci has been training by running and mentally preparing for the icy dip. 

“I’ve continued with my regular running to prep for the race,” Neufeld said. “As for the plunge, I’ve just thought about how cold it will be – and the tactic of jumping in, running out and getting someone to hold a change of clothes and a blanket for me.” 

The concept of a polar plunge is unappealing to some – but not David Setser, a facility construction engineer who has been participating in the event since it began in 2006. 

“The first year, me and a couple of other guys did it for the fun of it,” Setser said.

Setser is known at the event for painting his back with creative designs. In the past, he has painted a thermometer, devil and a tuxedo on his back; however, he said that he does not know what he will paint this year. 

“It makes the event fun for spectators,” Setser said. 

Unlike other participants, Setser said he does not believe there is really any way to prepare for the event. 

“I don’t think there is anything you could do to train,” Setser said. “I try to acclimate myself to the cooler temperatures by walking around in a pair of shorts and no shirt – not that it really helps.” 

Increasing student involvement is key to the success of the race, Setser said. 

“I mean come on, I’m 50 years old. If I can step out of my comfort zone for a few minutes and make such an impact for Special Olympics, surely we could get more of the students to participate,” Setser said. 

Jumping into the water is always the most dramatic part of the day, according to Setser. 

“[The coldness] will definitely take your breath away as you go under,” Setser said. ”I always tell people ‘Your head has to go under the water to make it count.'”