Annual Mississippi River Run scheduled Sept. 27

The Mississippi River Run will hit the pavement on Saturday, Sept.  27.  The run will take off on the east side of the Mark Twain Memorial Bridge in Illinois at 8 a.m.  This 5K/10K Run and 5K Leisure Walk will cross the Mississippi River and return to the Y Men’s Pavilion in downtown Hannibal. 
This event will be in conjunction with the Northeast Missouri Heart Walk, scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 1  at Hannibal-LaGrange College. 
Although the Northeast Missouri Heart Walk Committee has been planning its Heart Walk for many years, this year it became apparent that more was needed to make an impact on the health and well being of children and families throughout Northeast Missouri. 
“In the past, the life expectancy of human beings has continued to increase.  However in 2007, the U.S. Surgeon General announced that for the first time in 100 years, the life expectancy of our children growing up right now is actually less than their parents,” said Lois Damron, RN and Race Director. “This decrease in children’s life expectancy is due specifically to the nationwide epidemic of children who are overweight or obese at young ages.”
“The Northeast Missouri Heart Walk Committee found this information staggering,” said Marilyn Flynn, Committee member of the 2008 Northeast Missouri Heart Walk. “This information prompted our organization to develop two additional objectives for our community:  to promote community awareness and fight childhood obesity. ” 
The Northeast Missouri Heart Walk Committee would like to thank our Heart Walk presenting sponsors Continental Cement, the Hannibal Clinic and Hannibal Regional Hospital for their support in this endeavor.  Thanks also go to the City of Hannibal and the Missouri Department of Transportation for teaming up with the Heart Association to put together this special event.
For more information call (573) 231-3187.
Registration is available online at www.mississippiriverrun.com, www.active.com and www.runnersworld.com.