Commentary by Erin Murphy
Running prevents heart disease, relieves stress, eliminates depression and some experts say it even helps reduce the risk of breast cancer in women. Sounds like a simple way to get healthy, so why not start your running career at this year’s Grand Run at Grand Park?
The Grand Run is a terrific family event. This year we have added even more options to accommodate all skill levels. We have a 1-mile, which is a great way to walk or run through Grand Park. It is short enough that you can even have your kiddos participate.
If the kids are up for it, we have our usual 5K. A 5K is another great race to enjoy walking or running. This year we decided to add a 10K. This distance offers intense runners a substantial race July 4, but it is a short enough distance that new runners can challenge themselves to complete.
If you are a serious runner, I encourage you to sign up for our challenge. This is a combo of the 5K and the 10K, making it just shy of 10 miles throughout Grand Park.
Lastly, if your kids are under the age of 5, they can enjoy a race around a field in the free Kids Run.
This is the fourth year for the Grand Run at Grand Park. It started when Grand Park officially opened in June 2014 and has continued ever since. Grand Park has more than 10 miles of trails throughout the 400-acre park, which makes it the perfect place to run.
Sign up today by going to westfieldwelcome.com. Proceeds from this year’s race will go toward Wounded Warriors. I look forward to seeing you our at Grand Park July 4!
