Students lined the State Street steps of the Capitol building Friday afternoon, getting ready to embark on a run for charity. Nearly 90 UW La Crosse students raised money for Shriner's Hospital and plan on running from Madison back to their hometown.

"We wanted to make a big statement and just show that we are really enthusiastic and have everyone come together. It's a community builder, how we run back, it's something we are really showing," says UW La Crosse student, Lindsey Purl.

The students are going to be taking back roads from the Capitol all the way to La Crosse and even though it's more than 150 miles they say they're more than happy to do it for such a good cause.

"It makes me feel good," says student Cassi Binder. "I mean you can donate money to a cause and just let it be or you can actually do something and actually run and running actually makes you feel better about yourself."

Before the run they presented the hospital with a check for more than 6 thousand dollars. Money that will be used to provide care for the many children that stay there.

"I think it's absolutely remarkable! Absolutely remarkable!" says Will Reck of the Zor Shrine. "I'm delighted to be here to accept the money."

The run started at 4 pm on Friday and will go through the night until Saturday afternoon. The student's red and white t-shirts proudly displaying their mission keeps them going .

"At 2 o'clock in the morning I'll be taking my energy drinks and my Mountain Dew trying to stay awake for them cheering them on," says Binder.

And once on the road they ran side by side in shifts of about 2 miles until they make it back home.