May 4th @ Freedom Park: Charlotte, NC – 6:30PM

Not your “typical” park run.

What may happen at the next 5K for $5K today? See picture above, just saying. With one 5K under our belt, we are looking forward to a big turnout today at Freedom Park; our 2nd 5K for $5K Run/Walk Challenge. RUNNERS, WALKERS, CHILDREN AND PETS ARE ALL WELCOME TO JOIN! This is not a race but just our way to create awareness for PPA and have fun in one of Charlotte’s most premiere outdoor locations.

Can we top 10 people? You bet we can, “Forrest Gump” style! Who can come? ME. YOU. EVERYONE.

The 5K route – We are meeting in Freedom Park at the bridge overlooking the main body of water. From this location, we will run/walk toward the benches taking 1 3/4 laps around the water. As we approach the 1st bridge, we will veer right, crossing the bridge and onto the path in the woods. Heading left toward East Blvd, we will wrap around the entrance to Freedom Park passing the tennis courts (on the left), basketball court, baseball diamonds, soccer/lacrosse fields, beach volleyball courts and the playground (on the right), moving back toward the bridge.

Of course, we can’t pass up steps! We will climb the steps making one final lap around the water before ending at the original bridge.

If you have any questions, please email: [email protected]

To make a donation go to: PPA Research and Education Fund (Run4Papa)

1908 East Blvd, Charlotte, NC – 6:30PM

Today marks the 1st 5K for $5K Run/Walk Challenge. RUNNERS, WALKERS, CHILDREN AND PETS ARE ALL WELCOME TO JOIN! This is not a race but just our way to create awareness for PPA.

The 5K route – We are meeting at the entrance of Freedom Park on 1908 East Blvd at the beginning of Little Creek Sugar Greenway. From there, we will run/walk by the Levine Children’s hospital, Carolina Medical Center, alongside the shops and restaurants of the Metropolitan and down to 7th St./S. Kings Drive.  From this point, we loop back to the fountain on 717 S. Kings Drive where we will have completed our 1st 5K for $5K Run/Walk Challenge.

If you have any questions, please email: [email protected]

To make a donation go to: PPA Research and Education Fund (Run4Papa)

Amateur Runner Does 100 Marathons in 100 Days for Cancer Awareness

Exclusive footage of Loddy running to honor his friend

After his close friend died from a rare cancer, Matthew Loddy immediately raced into action.

The 46-year-old British businessman, who had no previous running experience, set out to complete 100 marathons, in 100 days in honor of his buddy Phil Latham who died from stomach cancer, NBC reports.

Three hospital stints and 2,620 miles later, Loddy completed his journey on Sunday when he crossed the finish line in London.

“Hopefully, he’s up there looking down thinking, it’s a good job done,” Loddy told NBC.

The father of two told the Daily Mail that the inspiration for his journey came from talks he had with Latham in the hospital.

When his friend’s health was improving, Loddy and Latham talked about participating in a charity walk for young cancer sufferers. But when Latham’s condition took a turn for the worse, Loddy made a promise to complete their mission –- and take it thousands of miles further.

“What’s going to happen with this sponsored walk? [I] I’ll have to do it myself,” Loddy joked to his friend before he passed away, according to the news outlet. “Then I changed it to 100 marathons in 100 days finishing in England.’”

Loddy started his journey in Portugal and made his way through Spain and France, NBC reports. In addition to clocking in 2,620 miles, Loddy hopes to raise 100,000 pounds for the Teenage Cancer Trust, a charity that aims to improve the quality of life for young people battling cancer and St Francis Hospice in Berkhamsted, where Latham was treated before he died in 2010 at age 36, according to Loddy’s fundraising site.

“I’m immensely proud of Matthew’s commitment and absolute guts,” Latham’s widow, Karen, told the Daily Mail. “Phil would be so proud of what Matthew is doing not only in his name but in that of our daughters Holly and Evie.”

At 3:09:33, according to his fundraising site, Loddy’s final marathon of the tour was his fastest yet.

Learn how you can help Loddy complete the charity portion of his mission here

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Alive Inside: A Story of Music and Memory

The world premiere for Alive Inside will be April 18th at the Rubin Museum in New York City.

A Message from the Filmmaker:

When I saw what Dan was doing, I was so moved I spent over a year following him. It has been a mind-blowing odyssey. No project I have ever worked on has changed me as much as this story. It is my hope that this film awakens people’s hearts and helps make it possible to bring music to those in nursing homes, people who don’t even know how deeply they need music’s gifts.

Music has great lessons to teach us about what it means to be human; I learned this from the sweet and vulnerable souls I met making this film.

– Michael Rossato-Bennet

Legendary coach Pat Summit leaves the game after 38 years of service

Pat Summitt’s Legacy

One could say that Pat Summitt has forever changed the game of College Basketball…..but now Summitt, who has been at the helm of the Tennessee Lady Vols storied program, has been forced to step-down. Summitt, just 59 years old was diagnosed 8 months ago with early onset dementia/Alzheimer’s. Summitt coached her Lady Vols this season as best as she could, having good days and bad days with her team.

Pat made Tenneesse what it is today, winning 1,098 games, the most ever by an NCAA basketball coach in either the men’s or women’s game and of course her eight national championships, the most recent in 2008. When Pat assumed leadership of the program in 1974 she earned just $8,900 – talk about for love of the game.