American Heart Association Heart Walk/5K Run

As an active runner I'm always down for a local 5k in town, when my company decided to be a sponsor for the American Heart Association I was more than excited to participate.

Being active is a way of life for me. I try to be active as much as possible, and I wear a fitbit to ensure that I stay active. I've had one since 2012 with no signs of getting rid of it anytime soon.

While reading my invitation for the 5k run, I decided I would turn it into a walk. Why you may ask!? Well while looking again at the invite it said you could bring pets too!

As you may have seen from my previous blog post on canine pancreatitis, Bebe is overweight and needs all the exercise she can get, she almost made the 3 mile walk, ending short of it by only a 1/4 of a mile before I grabbed her in my arms to the finish line.

Obesity is one of the most expensive health care problems surpassing smoking. One third of U.S. children are overweight or obese, putting them at higher risk of heart disease and stroke.

The Heart Walk/Run is a community celebration that encourages people to get active while raising vital funds to support the American Heart Association’s mission of building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. Dedicated to improving the cardiovascular health of all Americans by 20 percent while reducing deaths from cardiovascular diseases and stroke by 20 percent by the year 2020, the American Heart Association has launched the My Heart. My Life.™ health and wellness platform to empower Americans to get healthier. Focusing on increasing physical activity and improving eating habits, the American Heart Association is partnering with businesses, organizations and families across the country to help prevent and treat our nation’s No. 1 and No. 4 killers: heart disease and stroke. Learn more by visiting heart.org.

Moderate exercise, such as brisk walking, for as little as 30 minutes a day has the proven health benefits including managing high blood pressure, preventing bone loss and improving self image.

Link love:

• All information from above was taken from the American Heart Association website.

• Special thank you to Subway restaurants for catering this event!