Runners and walkers in the Lynch Creek Run this Saturday will be doing it for their own health and possibly to help save the lives of people they might never hear about. The fourth annual event, started by local resident Brandon Williams as a way to help fight sudden cardiac arrest, is scheduled for June 1 in Eatonville on a picturesque course with views of Lynch Creek, meadows and woods. Depending on what they feel up to, runners can choose a 10k or 5k jaunt that will begin at 8:30 and 9 a.m., respectively. Non-runners will be offered the 5k course, also starting at 9. More information is available at www.lynchcreek5k.com. As in past years, the event will be a fund-raiser for the Tacoma-Pierce County chapter of Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association (SCAA). The association is working on having all schools in the county equipped with automated external defibrillators, also known as AEDs. The devices can be used to apply an electric shock to victims of cardiac arrest to restart their hearts. Sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death in the U.S., claiming more lives each year GÇô about 350,000 annually GÇô than breast cancer, lung cancer, HIV/AIDs and car accidents combined. It can happen to people of all ages, including school-age athletes, which is why AEDs are advocated for schools. SCAA, which is governed by a board of directors, is on the same mission as the National Center for Early Defibrillation GÇô to broaden public access to early defibrillation and expand public awareness of sudden cardiac arrrest, its prevention and treatments. Williams started the Lynch Creek Run in 2010 as a way to encourage physical activity among the community and to help SCAA. He chose that cause because a nephew of Joey Taylor, a former classmate of Williams in school, has a medical condition that can cause sudden cardiac arrest if it isn't regulated. "The spirit" of Riley Taylor, the nephew, "is very contagious, and they are a local family," Williams said. "I also had heart problems as a kid, so it kind of touched home with me." The run has grown from 50 entrants the first year to about 250, and has raised more than $2,000 for the Tacoma-Pierce County chapter of SCA, Williams said. For runners, the course is a USATF certified run. The 10k is being offered for the second year. The 5k has a slight climb on the outbound leg, according to event organizers.
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