11th Annual Alton ‘Miles For Meso’ registration open for Sept. 28 5K race, 3K fun run and walk

Registration is now open to participate in the 11th annual “Miles for Meso” race Saturday, Sept. 28, to benefit the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization and its mission to prevent asbestos-related diseases by securing a U.S. asbestos ban.

The passage of major reform to the federal Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) marked a milestone for the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) in its effort to have asbestos banned in the United States. The Miles for Meso race to the finish line continues the effort with the 10th Annual Alton 5K Race and 3K Fun Run/Walk to benefit the ADAO. The 2018 race raised $25,000. To date, the race has raised almost $400,000 for ADAO.

RACE, FUN RUN START AT 9 A.M.
Miles for Meso is held less than 30 minutes from downtown St. Louis in historic Alton, Illinois. This event is in celebration of National Mesothelioma Awareness Day.
Presented by Simmons Hanly Conroy and coordinated by the Metro Tri Club, all proceeds from the event are donated to mesothelioma research and awareness.

The Alton Miles for Meso 5K Race & 3K Fun Run will begin at 9 a.m. on Sept. 28 at the Simmons Hanly Conroy national headquarters, One Court Street, across from Marquette High School. The race’s starting line will be near the intersection of Fourth and Alton streets.

Miles for Meso is an advocacy project of the Simmons Mesothelioma Foundation, a private, non-profit organization founded by the Simmons Law Firm. Dedicated to helping patients and families affected by mesothelioma, the Simmons Mesothelioma Foundation works with leading researchers and treatment specialists throughout the country, supporting their search for a mesothelioma cure.

“We are heartened by this major move forward in protecting people from the negative health effects of asbestos, but there is more work to be done,” said Linda Reinstein, co-founder of ADAO along with Doug Larkin, who both have lost loved ones to mesothelioma as a result of asbestos exposure.

WAYS TO REGISTER FOR THE RACE
Regular registration costs $30 through Sept. 13, followed by late registration up until the race day for the cost of $35. Registration on-site the day of the race will begin at 7:30 a.m. and is $40. Cash, check and credit cards will be accepted on site the morning of the race. All who register will receive a long-sleeve, moisture-wicking T-shirt. Sizes are given out in order of registration. Register early to ensure getting your size.

If you cannot attend the race, register online using the “Virtual Race” option and receive your T-shirt in the mail. The cost is $33 through Sept. 21. You can be involved by taking a picture with the T-shirt and share it on social media with the hashtag #milesformeso.

The top five overall men and women 5K race finishers each will win cash prizes of $500, $250, $200, $100 and $50 in order of finish. In addition, the first, second and third place finishers in age groups will receive Miles for Meso medals.

The Alton race is considered the flagship event for Miles for Meso. Since the Illinois river town hosted the first Miles for Meso race in 2009, the Alton race has raised almost $400,000 for mesothelioma research.

“It’s our goal to continue to use the Alton race as springboard for other races around the country,” said Mike Wever, Alton race director and president of the Metro Tri Club, the sports club organizing the event.

More than 1,000 people have attended the Alton Miles for Meso 5K Race and 2K Fun Run. Miles for Meso races have taken place in other cities across the country from New York to Florida to Washington state and several locations in between. For additional information about Miles for Meso and a link to the Alton Miles for Meso website, visit www.milesformeso.org, email info@milesformeso.org, or call 1-877-304-6376 (MESO).