as shared by ...
5K mud run and obstacle course to benefit the 20,000 individuals in Illinois affected by MS
Chicago, July 14, 2014 — The Greater Illinois Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society will hold its inaugural MuckFest MS mud and fun run on Saturday, August 23, at Legacy Paintball & Airsoft Park (2807 Canal St.) in Lockport, Illinois. Participants will slip, slide, slosh, climb, crawl and jump their way through over 15 muck and fun-filled obstacles to raise funds for critical MS research, programs and services.
The Lockport event, one of 10 MuckFests nationwide, will send runners of varying athletic ability on a messy, obstacle packed 5k jaunt designed specifically to cover them in mud and keep them laughing from start to finish.
“MuckFest MS is an awesome opportunity to get dirty and have fun raising awareness for a disease that can be messy at times,” said Angelena Colon of Antioch, Illinois, who participated in MuckFest MS in Indianapolis last year and will revel in the fun and mud again this year at the Chicago area event.
On its surface MuckFest MS is a hilarious romp through outrageous obstacles, but beneath the mud and laughs lies an even greater purpose: 100 percent of the funds raised by participants will directly benefit the National MS Society and its mission to bring an end to MS.
“As a person living with MS, it is truly inspirational to see so many people come together to support the efforts of the National MS Society,” said Colon. “The entire day was filled with gratitude and support from people I knew as well as complete strangers who cheered me on through every obstacle. I left the event knowing that I wanted to come back again because my heart was touched by the efforts of everyone involved.”
Participants will be rewarded with a free T-shirt, a refreshing beer (or soda) and a tasty snack in the MuckFestival area, where they can relive all the spills and thrills of the day. Even kids can get in on the action in the Lil’ Muckers play area. People of all ages and athletic abilities are encouraged to participate.
“I think that the running or ‘race’ aspects of MuckFest may intimidate some people, but I urge everyone to set those fears aside,” said Jessie LaFree, Chicago resident and previous MuckFest MS Indianapolis participant. “You’re going to feel great, and you’re going to be surrounded by lots of light-hearted, fun-loving people covered in mud and working for a common cause. In the end, everyone has done something great and leaves with an everlasting sense of accomplishment.”
MuckFest MS starts at 8 a.m., with participants entering the course in pre-assigned waves. Teams are not mandatory but are the best way to experience MuckFest MS in all its filthy glory. For the National MS Society, it is “the more, the muckier,” so spectators are welcome free of charge.
For more information, or to form a team, register as an individual, volunteer, or donate online, contact Charlie Blazevich at 312.423.1144 or at charles.blazevich@nmss.org, or visit muckfestMS.com. Participants are encouraged to fundraise to create a world free of MS.
Multiple Sclerosis is an unpredictable, often disabling disease that interrupts the flow of information in the central nervous system, which includes the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerve. The Greater Illinois Chapter mobilizes people and resources to drive research for a cure and to address the challenges of more than 20,000 individuals in Illinois and 2.3 million worldwide affected by MS. For more information about the Chapter, visit MSIllinois.org.
###
No comments:
Post a Comment