Underwear-clad race coming to Mt. Adams | Health

CINCINNATI (FOX19) - This Saturday, friends and family will strip down to their skivvies to raise awareness and funds for the Children’s Tumor Foundation. This year’s Cupid’s Undies Run will take place February 11 at 2:00 p.m. when scantily clad runners will jog around Mt. Adams Business District.

The race has grown from a Washington D.C.-based race to a coast-to-coast event adding five new cities including New York, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Denver and Seattle.

Representatives from the Children’s Tumor Foundation and families affected by the disease will all be on hand to join in the festivities.

Cincinnati runners will be treated to an appearance by Jesse Markland, a local 4-year-old boy battling the disease.  Jesse's father, Rodney, has biked across the United States, climbed Mt Rainier, and done countless other grueling endurance events to raise funds and awareness for his son's disease.  Stephanie Reeve is another parent undie running in Cincinnati to support her daughter Kendal.

Participants are on pace to raise $200,000 for the Children’s Tumor Foundation – the world’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to ending Neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder that causes painful and debilitating tumors that grow on nerves throughout the body. All proceeds raised by race participants are donated to the foundation.

"Currently, there is no cure for Neurofibromatosis and very few treatment options, making events like the Undie Run important for furthering research,” said Bobby Gill, co-founder and Director of National Expansion.  “It’s humbling to see the Cupid’s Undie Run go from a group of friends to a national event. It means we are not only achieving our fundraising goals, but also our effort to raise awareness for this debilitating disease."

This year scantily clad Cincinnati joggers will be braving temps in the 30's as they race down the 1.1 mile Mt. Adams loop, which starts and ends on St. Gregory and includes streets like Hatch, Carney, Celestial, Ida and Paradrome.  Pre- and post-run festivities will be held at Longworth's in Mt. Adams. Doors open at noon with the race starting at 2:00 p.m.

To register, visit www.cupidsundierun.com.

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