The 2017 Warrior Run drew a record crowd yet again this year. Nearly 3,000 participants enjoyed the picturesque views and a crisp fall evening participating in the 5K run/walk in Cincinnati’s historic Mariemont Village, which took take place Saturday, September 30th, followed by a family-friendly after-party to raise awareness for mental illness and suicide prevention. The Warrior Run: The Race for Life benefits Surviving the Teens, a Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center program and also funds in-school mental health programs at five area colleges and 16 high schools.

The USATF-sanctioned 5K Warrior Run and untimed one-mile walk began at the Mariemont Bell Tower on Pleasant Street and the course winds through the tree-lined streets of the Village. The one-mile walk began at 5:15pm, with the 5K race starting at 5:30pm. The race was followed by a night of music, Bid-n-Buy auction, carnival-style kid’s games, and food available from LaRosa’s Pizza, City BBQ, UDF ice cream, as well as homemade chili, grilled cheeses, hot dogs, hamburgers, and desserts. At dusk, the event concluded with the family movie Sing in the center of the Bell Tower Park.

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center program, Surviving the Teens, has helped over 70,000 teens and their families facing the threats of mental illness.

The program teaches students depression and suicide prevention, providing adaptive ways to cope with stressors, ways to connect and positively communicate with parents, how to help themselves or others who may be depressed or suicidal, and how to access referral sources. Surviving the Teens is currently in 24 schools in the area; however, by January of 2018, it is anticipated that this program will be implemented in 75 local schools. In 2014, 1N5 was able to expand its reach to include funding for in-school mental health programs at five area colleges and sixteen high schools.

“Each year suicide takes about 4,600 young lives, making it the second leading cause of death in children ages 15-24 according to the National Institute of Mental Health,” said Nancy Miller, Founder, 1N5. “A nationwide survey showed that thirty-eight percent of high school students have had serious suicidal thoughts and/or attempted to take their own life. Twenty percent of kids ages 13-18 are living with a mental health condition. Our youth are in crisis.”

Established in 2008 as the James W. Miller Memorial Fund to honor race director Nancy Miller’s late husband, who died by suicide that year, is now known as 1N5, inspired by the statistic that one in five teens and adults suffer from mental illness.

The organization facilitates two events with one purpose, The Warrior Run and the Spring4Life gala event.

Since 2008, 1N5 has raised over $865,000 and impacted 75,000 university students and 10,500 high school students.

For details about donating to 1N5, please go to www.1N5.org.

For info about Surviving Teens: www.cincinnatichildrens.org/surviving-teens.