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Running never looked so good.
Men and women will be out in their finest Saturday at the second Gritman Medical Center Red Dress Run/Walk to support heart disease education.
The 5k run will begin at 9 a.m. at the Ross entrance of the Palouse Mall. Runners are encouraged to wear red, which is a symbol of the American Heart Association.
“It’s an event to raise awareness of heart disease and (to have) a heart healthy lifestyle,” said Justin Minden, the organizer of the event.
Organizers, including members of the University of Idaho’s Alpha Phi sorority, will be on hand to answer any questions about heart disease, including who it affects and how to prevent it, Minden said.
There will be free blood pressure checks and several informational booths about controlling and preventing the disease.
Participation in the event is free, but people will be able to make donations, Minden said.
All proceeds go to Gritman’s Cardiac Rehabilitation program, an outpatient wellness program for people that have had bypass surgery, a heart attack or stable angina.
“(The program) is a place for people to go if they are released from a doctor to exercise and run on a treadmill with assisted training,” Minden said.
The event is open to all age groups, and wearing dresses is encouraged. Snacks and prizes will be provided
“One side is beneficial,” he said. “You see some very interesting man dresses at the run.”
Minden asked the Alpha Phi’s to help with the event because of their close ties to the heart disease cause, said Chelsey Lillard, vice president of marketing for the sorority.
“The Alpha Phi Foundation is aimed at cardiac awareness,” she said. “We want to get women aware of the risks of heart disease.”
Minden and Lillard agreed that it is an important cause because most people know someone who has been affected by heart disease.
Lillard said learning early about the risks associated with heart disease is one way to prevent it.
“Education about it needs to start early,” she said. “This affects people all over the country. This event is a way for people to get out and not feel like they’re just looking at a pamphlet. They can get the information that they need.”
College students should be involved in the event because it’s never too early to learn about the warning signs of heart disease, Minden said.
“Young students should be aware of these things too,” he said. “They’ll be better off in the future, and too often we wait too long to get information about this.”
Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, and can affect people from many different age groups. Risk factors for the disease include high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, obesity and smoking.
Minden said the run is a way for people to get out and exercise — one of the things that can help prevent heart disease.
“Exercise is one of the best things people can do,” he said. “This gets people started on the right foot. We want to get people outside and active.”
For more information on the Red Dress Run, contact Minden at 883-9605 or e-mail him at
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