News

Cumming, GA – The 4th Annual Run for Life 5K-A Race to End Lou Gehrig’s Disease, presented by Crossroads Hospice takes place on Saturday, May 1, 2010 at The Avenue Forsyth in Cumming, GA. Race day registration opens at 7:00 a.m. and the 5K begins at 8:00 a.m. A 1 Mile Fun Run will follow at 9:00 a.m. Participants may register online at active.com through April 28, 2010.
 
The Run for Life 5K has raised $30,000 in the past three years and had become a favorite among North Atlanta runners. The event was founded to honor Jon Blais, the only person with ALS to finish an Ironman triathlon. It is hosted each year in tribute to PALS, their families and caregivers, and the researchers who one day will discover a cure. All proceeds benefit ALS research at the Emory ALS Center in Atlanta, GA.
 
ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) can strike anyone. Without warning it happens to 15 people each day in the United States. The average life expectancy is only two to five years from the time of diagnosis. ALS slowly takes away the ability to move, speak, swallow, and ultimately breathe. At the ALS Clinic at Emory, medical professionals partner with the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Georgia and the ALS Association of Georgia, searching for a new understanding of the illness and seeking to minimize its toll on families.
 
Runners and walkers will begin the 3.1 mile course by circling the perimeter of The Avenue Forsyth, then exit onto Ronald Reagan Blvd. where they will traverse between Peachtree Parkway and Majors Rd. They will enter The Avenue Forsyth for another loop around the property and finish in front of the race expo. The 1 Mile Fun Run course follows a portion of the larger 5K course. A crowd of approximately 700 is expected. Wheelchairs, strollers, and dogs are welcome.
 
Participants will receive a t-shirt, post race refreshments, and enjoy great music as the “Celebrate Life and Imagine a Cure.” Awards will be presented to Overall and Masters Overall winners, as well as to the top three finishers in age groups.
 
For more information visit www.cureforals.com or the event’s Facebook Fan Page .