Runners, walkers and wheelchair athletes of all ages and levels of ability are cordially invited to participate in the inaugural Heart & Sole 5 Kilometer Run on Sunday afternoon, August 29, starting and finishing at the Plainview-Old Bethpage Middle School on Southern Parkway in Plainview. The starting gun will go off promptly at 5 p.m.

The Run/Walk is to benefit and support Community Hospital MRI Programs at three North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System facilities - North Shore University Hospital at Plainview, North Shore University Hospital at Syosset, and Franklin Hospital Medical Center - Valley Stream.

Everyone who enters will receive a high quality commemorative "Heart & Sole" T-shirt and great post-race refreshments, as well as a chance to win one of a host of valuable door prizes. All entrants are eligible to win one of the competition awards that will be presented to the top male and female open and masters finishers overall, the top wheelchair finishers, and the top three male and female finishers in each of fifteen age groups ranging from 12 and under to 75 and over. There will also be special awards presented to the top three male and female North Shore-LIJ Health System employees.

The Run is USATF sanctioned over a USATF certified 3.1 mile course covering a flat and pleasant course through the roads of Plainview, the same course that local runners have enjoyed in the past during the "Kids Helping Kids" Runs held in Plainview several years ago. Race administration will be handled by the Greater Long Island Running Club. Timing and scoring will be handled by JMS Racing Services using the new AMB Elite Timing System.

Heading the list of the commercial organizations who have offered their support to the event are Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical, Inc. and Pfizer/Parke-Davis.

The entry fee is $17 for those who sign up in advance, and $20 for those who wait till the day of the Run/Walk to register. Participants under the age of 16 who pre-register are entitled to a 50 percent discount.

"We are pleased to be able to offer the Heart & Sole 5 Kilometer Run to local runners, walkers and wheelchair athletes," observed Race Chairman Dr. Alan Mensch of North Shore University Hospital at Plainview. "This is an excellent opportunity to enjoy a late summer afternoon/evening of fun and fitness while you help us continue to provide the highest quality of care in our Long Island communities."

Late afternoon/evening races are a great way to cap a lazy summer weekend, and the inaugural "Heart and Sole 5 K Run" in support of the Community Hospital MRI Programs promises to be a great way to wind up the last weekend in August! For entry forms or more information, contact Linda at the Greater Long Island Running Club at 349-7646, or sign up on-line at www.glirc.org.