2nd Annual Nordic Walking World Championship
October 7, 2007

Thanks to Portland Marathon Director Les Smith’s continued support and vision, this year Portland Marathon’s Nordic walking has expanded to offer something for all fitness and skill levels.

The 2nd Annual Marathon Distance Nordic Walking World Championship is open to all. New this year is the 5-mile Nordic Walking Championship. Both of these distances are judged, and you will need to be familiar with the rules. There is also the non-competitive 2nd Annual 10k Mayor’s Fun Nordic Walk, a great walk through scenic Portland.

If you are interested in becoming a judge, next year there will be a workshop offered at no fee. This workshop covers techniques for judging and logistics of hosting a competitive Nordic walking event. For more information visit www.fittrek.com. Also during the expo weekend you can explore the benefits and equipment of Nordic walking in one of the 30-minute demonstrations. Every Nordic walking finisher at this years event will receive a “swag bag” full of Nordic walking goodies; stop by the Fittrek NW cool down tent to pick up your gift and meet other pole people.

For more information on the event call 1-800-345-1004 or visit www.portlandmarathon.org.

Las Vegas Marathon
December 2, 2007

This December 15,000 runners and walkers will compete in the 3rd annual Las Vegas Marathon. 10,000 runners and walkers will join them for the 2nd annual half marathon. Fireworks and Elvis singing “Viva Las Vegas” will start you off at 6 am in front of Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. The race then heads down the famed Las Vegas Strip with the marathoners heading out past the Fremont East Street Escape and the half marathoners making the turn around there.

While on the course you will be racing alongside Elvis and competitors dressed as showgirls. You can even get married at the Run Through Chapel at mile 5. For motivation and just plain entertainment, the course will have live music, dancers, and drummers.

The course is walker friendly with no course cutoff; however, the roads will reopen at a 13 minutes pace per mile. Aid stations will be every mile starting at mile 2. There will be aid stations opened later for walkers, and vans will patrol. Last year’s start was chilly, and the average temperature in December is 50F, so dress appropriately.

To start the weekend off the race Expo will be held Friday, November 30th and Saturday, December 1st. Instead of the traditional group carbo party, discounts will be offered from participating restaurants.

While visiting Vegas there is plenty to see and do with world class dining and shows. The Stratosphere Tower, America’s largest indoor theme park at Circus Circus or climbing the wold’s tallest freestanding rock climbing structure at Gameworks are just a few things children would enjoy doing.

The Walk to D’Feet ALS
Portland, September 9, 2007

The Walk to D’Feet ALS® is the ALS Association’s national signature event. Each year, over 65,000 people with ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), caregivers, family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, corporations, children, and even pets join together to raise funds in support of community-based patient services programs and nationally driven cutting-edge research. Now in its eighth year, approximately 150 walks will be held around the country in 2007, with 5 of them hosted locally in the state of Oregon.

As you may already know, ALS is a particularly horrific disease. As it attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, people progressively lose the ability to walk, move their arms, talk, and even breathe. They become completely paralyzed, trapped inside a body they no longer can control. Yet their minds remain unaffected, aware of the limitations the disease has imposed upon them. There is no effective treatment for ALS and no cure; it is fatal in an average of two to five years after diagnosis. The disease also does not discriminate in who it strikes and can impact anyone at anytime, regardless of their age, gender, race, or ethnicity.

The Walk to D’Feet ALS® offers an exciting, empowering opportunity for patients, family members, friends, companies, and organizations across the country to raise significant funds to support comprehensive patient service programs and cutting-edge research.

For more information, please contact Aubrey Mercer, Development Director, at 503-238-5559 or aubreymercer@alsa-or.org. Visit walkor.alsa.org for more information and next years event details!