Four thousand runners hit the streets for the 3rd Annual Erlanger Chattanooga Marathon/Half Marathon Race on Sunday, March 4th. The non-profit event, presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee and sponsored in part by The Vein Institute and many others, benefits Hamilton County and the City of Chattanooga. Focusing on our area’s thriving businesses, vibrant entertainment scene, family-friendly communities, and idyllic outdoor lifestyle location, event organizers hope to increase corporate participation in city and county development and promote healthy living.
Atlanta’s Packway Handle Band kicked off the festivities Friday night at the Tennessee Pavilion, which also featured food from local vendors and a free public expo of products and services promoting health and well-being. Live local music accompanied Saturday’s Classic 150 5k race and the Erlanger Kids Fun Run, creating a weekend of fun for everyone. On Sunday, runners took off from Broad Street near the Tennessee Aquarium to trek a 13.1-mile city loop through the Southside, Riverfront, North Chattanooga, Fortwood, Highland Park and Main Street areas en route to the Tennessee Pavilion finish line. Athletes completing the full 26.2-mile marathon journey took a second pass on the same course.
The Vein Institute was on hand passing out swag bags including to participants that included information for free vein screenings, compression hose fittings, and product discounts. The Institute’s Dr. Vincent Garnder provided athletes with expertise on venous disease symptoms, possible prevention, and overall vein health maintenance. Dr. Gardner, an ardent advocate of compression gear usage, also encouraged athletes to be vigilant regarding vein health and disease prevention to ensure their veins can “run” healthy for years to come.
Whether you completed this year’s Chattanooga Marathon, are training for a future race, or a relative newcomer to running, The Vein Institute can serve as a valuable resource for vein disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment in the coming weeks, months and years. Check out our series on runners for helpful tips and information on the warning signs, symptoms, treatment and prevention of venous diseases for runners and set up a free vein screening today!