ASU hosts fourth annual Pat's Run

April 10, 2008

Lace up your running shoes and bring out the family for the fourth annual Pat’s Run on Saturday, April 19 at Sun Devil Stadium.<separator></separator>The 4.2-mile run and walk will start at 7 a.m. at the north parking lot of Sun Devil Stadium. The course route heads north on Mill Avenue, curves along Tempe Town Lake and continues south on Rural Road. Runners and walkers will reach the finish line inside Sun Devil Stadium on the 42 yard line, commemorating Pat Tillman’s football jersey number when he was a Sun Devil.<separator></separator>Event highlights include a .42-mile “Kids Run” to begin at 9:15 a.m. that is free to children registered age 12 and under and all participants and onlookers will be entertained with live local music, an expo, food vendors and a “Canine Corner.”<separator></separator>Pat’s Run Race Director, Perry Edinger said, "It is tremendous that after four years of putting this event together, we are continuing to see growing numbers of supporters honoring the life of an incredible man. We appreciate all the people who see what Pat stood for and continue to come out every year and celebrate those admirable qualities."<separator></separator>Participant registration is available through the evening of April 15 at www.patsrun.com or in person at the north end of Sun Devil Stadium, April 16-18, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Day-of registration is also available starting at 5 a.m.<separator></separator>Teams are encouraged to sign up and for the first time “Team ASU” will participate in this year’s event. Originally brought to life last fall by the inspiration of ASU College of Liberal Arts and Sciences academic advisors Sara Lyness and Carole Redden, Team ASU includes 27 students, faculty, staff and alumni who enjoy running and walking. The team’s goal is to encourage the ASU community of all athletic levels to run and train together for various marathons. Team ASU marked its first joint event at the PF Chang’s Rock and Roll Marathon and Half Marathon in January 2008, where they won for best team half-marathon time in the large company division.<separator></separator>“I joined Team ASU as I wanted to run the half marathon, and I knew that being part of a group would keep me motivated to continue training toward the goal,” said Gini Sater, director of strategic marketing and communication for University Student Initiatives. “I am looking forward to Pat’s Run as it is a wonderful tribute to the life and accomplishments of Pat Tillman. It will be an honor to run on the same field he played on.”<separator></separator>Last year’s Pat’s Run broke records with almost 15,000 people in attendance including 13,000 runners and walkers.<separator></separator>Friends and family of Pat Tillman started the Pat Tillman Foundation to celebrate Pat’s life and created Pat’s Run to raise funds. The Pat Tillman Foundation and its Leadership Through Action™ program strives to inspire and educate young people to positively change themselves and others. The program selects “Tillman Scholars” to engage students to develop solutions to real-world problems.

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