Freedom’s Run
Freedom’s Run: An Event for Health and Heritage is a walking and running event with distances ranging from a one mile kids fun run, a 5k, a 10k, a half-marathon, and a full 26.2-mile marathon. The event was created through the collaboration of physician, Mark Cucuzzella, and citizen activist, Lois Turco, in an effort to reverse current trends of inactivity.
In 2009 and 2010, Mark and Lois hosted Freedom’s Run through 4 National Parks – Harpers Ferry National Historic Park, the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historic Park, the Potomac Heritage Trail, and Antietam National Battlefield. In the first year of the event, there were 1,650 official finishers from 37 states. Freedom’s Run sold out in 2010 with participation of 2,700 runners from 42 states, making it the largest event in the state of West Virginia. Money from the race had been raised for school-based gardens and fitness trails. The outcome led to the building of a 1.5 mile trail, garden, and wetland at Page Jackson Elementary, with a similar project at South Jefferson Elementary currently taking place. Additionally, over $5,000 had been donated to the Hedgesville High School Community Track Project. Freedom’s Run promoted the significance of the land in which participants were running on and engaged the community in year round training runs, among other events.
With $20,000 in state and local grants to advertise, the economic impact to the region grew exponentially in 2010. Freedom’s Run was awarded the 2011 Road Runners Club of America East Coast Regional Championship Race, an honor for a third year event.
In a post-race online survey with 550 responses, the following question was asked: “Do you plan to return/would you encourage others to visit our region/participate?”. The response was 93% yes, 6 % maybe, and only 1% no. The following question was also included in the online survey: “Overall how would you rate the Freedom's Run event?” On a 1-5 scale with 5 being the best- 76.5% gave the race a 5 and 21% gave it a 4. Over 97% of surveyed participants were either Very Satisfied (the large majority) or Satisfied with the event.
Freedom’s Run promoted a couple themes during the event: 1) reattaching community youth and families to their environment and 2) going “green” – with the help of Karen Valentine and the Go Green Gals, Freedom’s Run was able to divert almost all waste through recycling and compost efforts.
The next race day is October 1, 2011. Create your own race on Oct. 1 to add to this national running and walking event. Register now at http://www.freedomsrun.org.
To see more Freedom's Run videos, click here.
Resources
Tags: health & wellness, marathon, parks, race, running, trails, west virginia