By Kelly Sullivan

Despite the cold weather, about 450 students stripped down to their skivvies to take part in the 2nd Annual Underwear Run Saturday night, said Story Wibby, the organizer of the event.

“It was great,” said Travis Weisberger, a middler computer and electrical engineering major. “It was the first run I’ve done in years.”

Weisberger, who wore briefs, a sideways hat and a belt, said he participated in the run to show his school spirit.

School spirit was one of the main goals of the run, said Wibby , a middler mechanical engineering major.

“I want to try and make it a tradition,” he said. “Once you graduate, you have no ties. It would be cool to say you started something.”

Wibby organized the event for the second time through Facebook and word of mouth. Although he said he was the sole organizer, he wouldn’t give himself all the credit for the idea. Several students, including Scott Kaczmarek, a middler communication studies major, and his roommate, Weisberger, discussed the topic before Wibby grabbed the reigns.

John Goldman, a sophomore chemical engineering major, said he was participating for one simple reason.

“It’s the underwear run,” he said.

The run was scheduled to begin at 9:05 p.m. from Speare Star and participants began arriving about 10 minutes beforehand. While most came fully clothed, it wasn’t long before people stripped down to boxers and bras.

Many students decided to show their creative side. One male participant donned a tutu and fairy wings Another wore just a towel. Some wore sweatshirts, and the cross country team wore short-shorts. The one accessory nearly everyone had in common was a pair of sneakers.

As more and more people began showing up, chants like “Let’s go Sox,” “Let’s go Huskies” and the repetition of the word “underwear” revved up the crowd.

Two minutes before the scheduled start time, Wibby, wearing only his underwear, cuff-links, a collar and bow tie jumped onto a nearby wall and urged people to begin stretching. Soon the crowd began counting down from 10 and took off.

Ryan Miling, a sophomore computer science and mathematics major, designed the course. From Speare Commons, the students ran down Opera Place, across Huntington Avenue to Krentzman Quad, over to the Curry Student Center Quad, across Forsyth Street to Centennial Common, through West Village, back across Huntington Avenue and finally ended back at Speare Commons.

When the group returned, about half the crowd took off again for a run to the Prudential Center, while the rest stayed near Speare to talk about the run.

Dan Ratzenberger, a freshman business major, didn’t run, but wanted to watch.

“I heard about the event,” he said. “I figured it would be funny because it’s so cold.”

The event also attracted non-Northeastern students. Matt Ball, a senior at the Berklee College of Music, said he came because he wanted to have fun.

Many students said they enjoyed the run.

“It was exhilarating,” said Taylor Reynolds, a freshman criminal justice major. “I’ll definitely do it again.”

Matt Wander, a junior theatre major, and his friends made an effort to be there despite some time constraints.

“We drove back [from Mt. Washington] at 95 mph,” he said. “We got to Brookline at 8:56 p.m., and pulled up here right when they were running. It was something that we had to do.”