Press Release:

Join the fun and get fit with Start! Training, a new team half-marathon training and fundraising program by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. Start! Training is for runners and walkers of all levels and abilities, and kicks off Saturday, April 9, 2011.

Whether a participant chooses to walk or run, expert staff and coaches will train each team member from step one all the way to completing a half-marathon. Participants will take part in weekly group trainings at various locations while raising a minimum of $500 for the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. Funds raised help to advance the fight against heart disease and stroke, the number one and number three killers of Americans, through research funding for better awareness, prevention, treatment and diagnosis.

Beginners and experienced runners and walkers are welcome. Information sessions are scheduled for:

Tuesday, March 29 at 6:00 p.m.
Running in Motion, 610 Main Street, Suite B, Edmonds

Wednesday, March 30 at 11:00 a.m.
Vision Quest, 800 2nd Avenue, Seattle

Thursday, March 31 at 6:00 p.m.
Shawn O’Donnell’s Restaurant, 122-128th Street SE, Everett

Tuesday, April 5 at 6:30 p.m.
West Seattle Runner, 3727 California Ave, Suite 2-A, Seattle

Wednesday, April 6 at 6:30 p.m.
Run 26, 15603 Main Street B-106, Mill Creek

Thursday, April 7 at 6:30 p.m.
Everyday Athlete, 11829 - 98th Avenue NE, Kirkland

The information sessions are free to attend, and interested individuals can sign up for the training program through April 9.

The inaugural season of Start! Training culminates at the See Jane Run Half Marathon on Sunday, July 17, 2011 at Gasworks Park in Seattle.

For more information, visit www.starttrainingpugetsound.org or call 206-834-7330.

Additional Information

The West Seattle training group will be led by Molly Usry, personal trainer at YMCA, and Lori McConnell, owner of West Seattle Runner, according to Frankie Minas, senior director of communications and marketing for the American Heart Association western states affiliate.

"This is a program for all abilities of walkers and runners and heart disease is the number one killer, and one of the best ways that we know to get fit is through exercise so this is one way to get fit (and raise funds for the AHA),” Minas said.

People who sign up for Start! Training pay a race entry fee for the July 17 half marathon and commit to raise $500 while training for the race. Minas said participants can contact friends, family, coworkers, etc. to reach the fund raising goal and people can donate through the AHA online system to make it easy.

There are 15 weeks of training leading up to the big race, scheduled for Saturdays at 8 a.m.