Pace Setter : March 2024

Don’t Forget To Sign Up for the USATF Grand Prix Race - Firefighters Run 4 Your Life 5k

                                          Awards from the 2023 Firefighters Run 4 Your Life 5km

           Runners prepare to race at the starting line of the 2023 Firefighters Run 4 Your Life 5k

Run 4 Your Life announces Major National Sponsorship!

The 2024 Run 4 Your Life has a new “Presenting Sponsor” in DeathWish Coffee. This year the sponsor will be present to warm and ready runners for a fun and fast 5k in Schenectady’s Central Park. The R4YL is the main fundraising event for the Schenectady Firefighters Cancer Foundation. The Foundation works to provide education, advocacy, and support for firefighters affected by cancer. This year the Foundation will using the funds raised by the event to provide full body screenings to ALL it’s members to help in the early detection of firefighter-related cancers. When this service was provided two years ago, over 70% of those screened had what is called an “actionable finding”. Of those findings, four screened firefighters were able to have masses treated or removed without long term negative health effects. This life-saving service is provided free of charge to members thanks in large part to wonderful corporate sponsors such as DeathWish.

Race Director John Daniel Falotico, certified through Road Runners Club of America, says “Sponsorships have always been the core of our fundraising efforts. Partnerships with a national brand such as DeathWish will help us not only attract more participants to the event, but overall bring the awareness of the cause to more people. Until the time comes that the Foundation is no longer needed - the more awareness and education we can obtain, the better!”.

In addition to DeathWish, we are thrilled to announce a continued partnership with Best Fitness, Ellis Medicine, Adirondack Beverage, Marino’s Pizza, Police and Fire Insurance Agency, and Marshall and Sterling. This year we are very happy to have a new sponsor in UpstateCanna Co. Upstate Canna is a local cannabis dispensary located in the beautiful upper union street neighborhood and only 3/10th of a mile from our starting line!

A 3.1 mile double loop course traces the beautiful Central Park in Schenectady, New York. This event is open to all runners and will see both blistering paces as well as families walking together; all in support of the Schenectady Firefighters Cancer Foundation. Serving as the largest fundraiser each year for the Foundation, the R4YL allows the Foundation to provide preventative screenings, decontamination cleansers, and various types of Personal Protective Equipment to its members. For those who choose not to run, opportunities for spectators to attend ChowderFest and the post-race awards party ensure that everyone will be a part of the fun and magic that is the R4YL. The event course is USATF Certified. Sanctioned by USATF, RRCA. USATF ADK Grand Prix

John D. Falotico, Race Director (518) 755-2811 jdfalotico@gmail.com
Aimee Keough, Executive Director (518) 227-6601 keough.aimee@gmail.com
Website: www.neverfightalone.org

                       And they’re off! Runners take off from the start of the 2023 Run 4 Your Life 5k.

   Participants in the children’s fun run make their way off the starting line.

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