1,568 miles: From Massachusetts to Florida by foot
Relay run to raise thousands for children’s fitness programs and cancer research

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Posted Friday, 23 March, 2007

BOSTON (March 21, 2007) --- After they tackle the 26.2 miles of the Boston Marathon on April 16, 20 runners will then face an even greater challenge: the East Coast.

On April 18, as part of the “TREK II East Coast Relay,” two teams of 10 runners will return to the marathon start line in Hopkinton and begin an 11-day relay run to West Palm Beach, FL. Each runner will run relay-style between 15 and 17 miles per day. TREK (www.trekrelay.org) will end on April 28 with a celebration in downtown West Palm Beach.

The teams will be running simultaneously, but each will fundraise for a different charity. Each runner is charged with raising at least $5,000 for their respective organization.

Team DMSE will raise funds for The DMSE Children’s Fitness Foundation (www.dmsefoundation.org) , a nonprofit created by Boston Marathon Race Director Dave McGillivray to support organizations that address the epidemic of childhood obesity through youth fitness and medical research programs. TEAM POL (www.pursuitoflife.org) will raise funds for Pursuit of Life, a new Florida-based nonprofit organization developing film and educational projects to better the health and wellness of people.

"The DMSE Children's Fitness Foundation was born out of Dave McGillivray's life-long commitment to promoting physical fitness for our nation's youth, “ said DMSE Foundation Managing Director Billy Sheehan, who is also a TREK runner. “TREK USA events are an opportunity to showcase healthy role models for our children, and a nationwide invitation to support our position that a future of obesity, diabetes, cancer and heart disease for America's children is unacceptable."

TREK runners will pass through 11 states and the District of Columbia; each team will average 143 miles a day. During the run, students across the country will be “tracking the TREK” in their classrooms – following the teams’ progress, communicating with the runners via the Internet and incorporating TREK into lesson plans about fitness, math, geography and writing. Along the way, TREK runners also will meet face-to-face with students in East Coast classrooms for presentations about the importance of physical activity.

“The TREK relay events are the focus of our spirit to help our youth – healthy and unhealthy – to realize their goals in life,” said TREK Operations Director Ron Kramer. “I am excited for our East Coast relay to begin, for the planning and energy of the team will be harnessed into a successful run!”

The TREK concept was created by McGillivray, who completed a solo cross-country run in 1978 to raise money for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s Jimmy Fund. In 2004, McGillivray was part of a team of 11 runners who ran from California to Massachusetts and raised more than $300,000 for children’s fitness initiatives at The Jimmy Fund, The Red Auerbach Youth Foundation, the Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism, the Cam Neely Foundation for Cancer Cure; and the DMSE Children’s Fitness Foundation.
"Our first TREK was fantastic on all accounts -- we raised the funds we set as a goal and we finished the run on schedule," said McGillivray. "I know the East Coast Relay is going be equally successful -- and inspiring -- for both the runners and everyone they meet along the way. TREK is a great example of how regular people can make a difference."
TREK is being made possible by the generous support of its friends and sponsors, including Saucony, Kalahari FruitTrekker Bars, BJ’s Wholesale Club, Tracey Locke Agency, Canada Dry-Potomac region and WHDH-TV Channel 7.

To donate to TREK II, please visit www.trekrelay.org and click on the “Donate” tab.

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