Saint Francis Hospital Announces Upcoming Virtual 5K Race

Press release from Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center:

September 29, 2020

HARTFORD, Conn. (September 29, 2020) – In an ongoing partnership with the Hartford Marathon Foundation, Saint Francis Hospital announces the Saint Francis Hospital 5K, a virtual race to be hosted as part of the 2020 Eversource Hartford Marathon and Half Marathon. The Saint Francis Hospital 5K, along with a new 10K and the annual marathon and half marathon, will take place October 8-11.

Registration is 25 dollars per individual, with 100 percent of the registration dollars donated to the event’s official charities. Through the financial support of sponsor partners, led by Eversource, including Saint Francis, all race participants will still receive a finisher medal and a technical shirt to commemorate their race. While the event will be virtual— meaning all participants run their race at a location of their choice— participants have the opportunity to receive training support materials and event experiences digitally, including race bibs, finisher certificates and custom race day playlists. Participants also have the option to submit verified results following their race and appear in race results online.

“My wife, neighbors, and I are excited to be participating in the upcoming Saint Francis 5K, along with many of our hospital colleagues,” said Thomas Burke, BPharm, MBA, interim president, Saint Francis Hospital. “We are thrilled to be part of this community-wide virtual race event. With the added stressors we are all facing currently, this event is a wonderful way to unite us, in a safe way, while giving back. In keeping with our Saint Francis Hospital Mission, we are proud to serve as healing presence to our local communities in this unique way.”
Additionally, participants of the Saint Francis Hospital 5K can tune in to RUNetwork, the interactive digital race hub launching September 29 and featuring insightful interviews, inspiring stories and expert resources via online expo booths, including content from the Connecticut Sports Medicine Institute at Saint Francis and the League of Injured Runners. The League of Injured Runners is a community network available to help get runners through the mental anguish and physical challenges of injury. Runners have access to fellow runners and experts from the Connecticut Sports Medicine Institute to guide best practices for injury prevention and recovery strategies. The closed Facebook group allows members to share experiences and encourage each other while also meeting other members of the community with shared similar experiences.

“We appreciate the continued support of Saint Francis Hospital, the Connecticut Sports Medicine Institute team and all of our partners helping to make the Eversource Hartford Marathon race experience a meaningful community movement during these unprecedented times,” said Beth Shluger. “The Saint Francis Hospital 5K is a great opportunity to get outside and get steps in to support local charities, you don’t have to be a runner or walker to participate this year and make a positive difference.”

Registration details available here: https://www.hartfordmarathon.com/eversource-hartford-marathon-virtual/races/saint-francis-hospital-trinity-health-5k-at-the-eversource-hartford-marathon/

About Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center
Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center has been an anchor institution in north central Connecticut since 1897. In 2015, Saint Francis became part of Trinity Health Of New England, a member of Trinity Health, one of the largest multi-institutional Catholic health care delivery systems in the nation. Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center is licensed for 617 beds, is a major teaching hospital and the largest Catholic hospital in New England. Other Saint Francis entities include the Comprehensive Women’s Health Center, the Connecticut Joint Replacement Institute, the Curtis D. Robinson Center for Health Equity, the Hoffman Heart and Vascular Institute of Connecticut, the Smilow Cancer Hospital Yale-New Haven at Saint Francis, and Trinity Health Of New England Medical Group. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @SaintFrancisCT

This press release was produced by Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center. The views expressed here are the author's own.