HIGHLAND — For the 3.1 mile trek, the rain held off for the nearly 150 runners and walkers participating in the Second Annual Brain Freezin’ for a Reason 5K Run/Walk on Saturday in Highland, Illinois. The event is part of The Longest Day, a campaign hosted by the Alzheimer’s Association that raises funds and awareness about Alzheimer’s disease. The top three male and female finishers were awarded medals, and the overall top finisher, Hannah Inyart, received the giant ice cream sundae served in a chocolate brain bowl. Inyart, a Belleville native, is a youth coach with the Lebanon Project, a club she helped found in 2016. She trains and runs with the Lebanon Project, and she hopes to qualify for the 2020 Olympic trials in the marathon when she runs the Chicago marathon this fall, but her reason for running this 5k was personal.
“Both of my grandmas had Alzheimer’s,” Inyart said. “It was difficult to watch them both fade away from us. My mom used to facilitate Alzheimer’s support groups, so our family knows the importance of support. We are always hoping for the research breakthrough and a cure to be discovered.”
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In addition to Inyart receiving first place, Janna Perry and Jodi Venhaus came in second and third, respectively. The top three male finishers were Brian Fiederich in first place, Miles Venhaus in second, and Brock Schrage in third.
The Brain Freezin’ for a Reason 5k is one of thousands of events held across the country as part of The Longest Day. Throughout the month of June, teams raise awareness and funds for the care and support of families living with the disease while advancing research toward the first survivor of Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States with more than 5.7 million Americans currently living with the disease.
For team captain Stacey Howard, supporting the Alzheimer’s Association is a way to say thank you for the support she received from the Alzheimer’s Association while her dad was living with the disease.
“The educational workshops, resources, and even the 24/7 support line helped me to better communicate with my dad, even in the latter stages of the disease,” Howard said. “It allowed my dad and me to enjoy our time together, which is so important because a loved one can live for years with this disease. Alzheimer’s may steal their memories, but it doesn’t have to steal your time from each other.”
Howard encourages families who have a loved one living with Alzheimer’s to reach out to the Alzheimer’s Association for support. For more information about resources available through the Alzheimer’s Association, go to https://www.alz.org/greatermissouri.
