More than 10,000 Miami Valley area residents are expected to raise their heart rates and more than $500,000 on September 23rd for the American Heart Association, the world’s leading voluntary organization dedicated to building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.
The Association’s annual Greater Dayton 5K Heart Walk/Run, sponsored by Kettering Health Network, begins at 7:30 am with the walk at 9:15 am at Fifth Third Field in downtown Dayton.
Individuals, teams and companies can sign up in advance at www.heart.org/daytonwalk for the non-competitive, 5K walk and timed run.
“The Healthy For Good Heart Walk is a fun way to invest in your health and that of future generations, while honoring those who have been impacted by heart disease, stroke and congenital heart defects,” said Derek Kirby, Dayton Heart Walk chair and director of safety at Dayton Freight Lines, Inc.
The Greater Dayton 5K Heart Walk and Run will feature a health and wellness vendor fair with many interactive exhibits, a VIP survivor area, a kids zone for the youngest Heart Walkers, healthy snacks and a CPR Headquarters area, sponsored by Dayton Freight Lines, Inc.
“This year we are encouraging participants to keep ‘heartwalking’ throughout the year,” said Kirby. “Heartwalking is more than raising money for the cause or going for a walk, it’s an ongoing, personal commitment to move more by taking small, consistent steps to being Healthy For Good.”
Walking or participating in any exercise that raises your heartrate can boost your energy, strength and mood, while fending off serious health issues like obesity, high blood pressure, poor cholesterol and bone loss. The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week for adults and 60 minutes of physical activity per day for children.1 “Research has shown adding more steps to your day could add years to your life2,” said Kim Doherty, Heart Walk director for the Miami Valley Division of the American Heart Association. “Moving more doesn’t have to be hard – take the stairs, park further away, ditch the conference room and take your meeting on a walk. The key is to find activities you enjoy and make them part of your daily routine.”
Making these small changes to improve overall wellness is the foundation of the association’s new Healthy For Good movement, which provides practical information to help people eat smart, add color, move more and be well.
Sponsors for the Greater Dayton Healthy For Good 5K Heart Walk/Run include: Signature Sponsor Kettering Health Network; CPR Kiosk Sponsor Dayton Freight Lines, Inc.; Booz|Allen|Hamilton; LexisNexis, Wright State Research Institute; Compunet Clinical Laboratories; Premier Health; Huntington; Shumsky Boost and media sponsors ABC22/Fox45, B94.5; B106.5.
Additional Resources:
- heart.org/daytonwalk
- Like us on Facebook – AHADayton
- Follow us on Twitter – @AHADayton
- Hashtags: #HeartWalking #DaytonHeartWalk