‘Run for Your Life’ expands

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By Wayne Allen

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Final preparations are being made for the 38th Annual Southern Ohio Medical Center (SOMC) Run For Your LIFE. This year’s event has expanded to include a 10k bike ride.

“We have added bikes this year. Connex will be ridding and they will be doing the 10k. People can not only run or walk, but now you can ride for your life,” said Wendi Waugh, administrative director of SOMC Cancer Services and Community Health and Wellness.

She said the addition of a 10k bike course came as a suggestion.

“I think it (10k bike course) will start small this year. My goal this year is to have ten bikers out there,” Waugh said. “It’s been 38 years and running, run for your life with the addition of bikes, it’s going to be really cool.”

The SOMC Run for Your LIFE will be held Sept. 5 at 8 a.m. at the Life Center in Portsmouth.

Awards will be given to the top three finishers in each age division of the 5k and 10k run.

To register, search “Run For Your LIFE” at tristateracer.com. This event is held in conjunction with the River Days Festival in Portsmouth. The festival started Thursday night and will run through Sept. 7.

Highlights of the River Days festival schedule include, on Friday, Sept. 4, the Rotary Club of Portsmouth will have their annual fish fry on the Roy Rogers Esplanade from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tickets are $6 and can be purchased at the event or from any Rotary Club of Portsmouth member.

The festival midway and marketplace craft area will open at 5 p.m. The group Southern Edge will take to the river front stage at 7:30 p.m. The evenings featured entertainment Keith Anderson will take the stage at 9 p.m.

On Saturday, Sept. 5 the festival midway and marketplace craft area opens at 10 a.m. Children’s activities for Saturday will take place in York Park starting with 11 a.m. with an expanded petting zoo and pony rides. Also at 11 a.m. will be Jess Moore and Louie the monkey. From 3-6 p.m. COSI on Wheels will visit York Park. The River Days Grand Parade will start at 11 a.m. Serving as parade grand marshal will be David Pettit, Ohio State Drum Major. At 6 p.m. registration starts for Buckeye Sanctioned Kiddle Tractor Pulls with pulls to begin at 7 p.m.

The annual Miss River Days Queens Pageant will take place in the Vern Riffe Center For the Arts on the campus of Shawnee State University, starting at 6:30 p.m. Terry Hall and The Dave Morrison Band will take to the river front stage at 7:30 p.m. The evening’s entertainment Sawyer Brown will perform at 9 p.m.

On Sunday, Sept. 6, the festival, midway and marketplace craft area opens at 10 a.m. In York Park at noon there will be a petting zoo, Jess Moore and Louie the Monkey along with the OSU Buckeye Mobile Tour will take place. At 6 p.m. the group FLINT will take to the river front stage, the group TEAZER will perform at 7:30 p.m. Doc Rock and The Remedies will perform at 9 p.m. followed by the festival fireworks extravaganza at 10 p.m.

From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 7 will be an antique and collector car show in Bonneyfiddle.

According to festival officials the rides will be placed along Front Street. All concerts are free and will be on the river front stage at Court Street Landing in Portsmouth. For more information about the annual River Days Festival visit them at www.portsmouthriverdays.org or on Facebook.

Wayne Allen can be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 1933 or on Twitter @WayneallenPDT

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