On your mark, get set, GO! This spring you don’t have to wait until the weekend to be healthy. Join other Huntsvillians at great outdoor events like the Double Helix Dash, which takes place Tuesday, April 10, 2012, at HudsonAlpha. The Dash is a twilight, weekday run that aims to illustrate how easy it is to exercise daily. From serious runners, to those just beginning the journey to a fitter lifestyle, the Double Helix Dash is open to all skill levels.

HudsonAlpha & The Dash

Last September this blogger went behind-the-scenes at HudsonAlpha courtsey of the Huntsville Young Professionals. What I saw there was a world-class research facility in my backyard. Gazing across the former cow pasture fields that surround HudsonAlpha’s über-modern structure, I could very well have been in Palo Alto rather than Alabama. In a small group session, I spoke with scientists at the facility and learned they study the way genetic variations relate to causes of human disease like Alzheimer’s, depression, and — wait for it — obesity diseases, like Type II diabetes.

The institue is a shining star in our community. With their larger goal of studying and changing the way we approach human disease, it only makes sense that their local goal is to change the way Huntsville citizens approach the rising rates of obesity and diabetes in our community.

Whether it’s through initiatives like the Dash, or through research performed in their labs, HudsonAlpha is here to improve human health. Help them do so — AND help yourself — by doing The Dash this April.

This event is part of the Healthy Huntsville initiative. Participants can either run the inaugural Double Helix Dash 5K, or embark on the 1-mile route through the distinctive double-helix running path of McMillian Park.

The Double Helix

The double-helix in McMillian park opened to the pubic nearly one year ago, and is enjoyed by walkers, runners, bikers, and skaters alike. The outer, paved loop makes a 1.2 mile course while the complete circuit on the double-helix path is 1.32 miles. Adding to the functionality of the space are more than 500 trees planted in the park that range from maple, to cypress, to linden.

Way to rock our valley HudsonAlpha!

Healthy Huntsville 2012

Fellow blogger Jeidi Pippins previewed ‘Healthy Huntsville 2012’ for Our Valley Events readers in January. To recap, the Healthy Huntsville initiative is a partnership between the City of Huntsville, local businesses, and organizations to make our valley residents healthier in 2012.  Specifically, the group focuses on core concepts of nutrition and exercise while encouraging local residents to embrace healthy lifestyles.

On their website the group estimates that nearly a third of adults in Madison County are obese, and they paraphrase Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle as “hoping the Healthy Huntsville initiative will change that statistic.”

From the group we have already seen myriad events at scenic locales like the Land Trust and the Hays Nature Preserve. Premiere future offerings from the group include the Double Helix Dash, Alabama’s largest yoga class at The Botanical Gardens, and the Mayor’s Bike Ride in May. For more information visit their website or use this QR code (pictured on the left) to find a wealth of valley-specific health information.

Off To The Races

All race participants will receive a race T-shirt. Register by clicking here and like their Facebook page too. HudsonAlpha is a nonprofit educational and research center and biotech business incubator located at 601 Genome Way in Cummings Research Park. Proceeds from registration and sponsorship gifts will help support HudsonAlpha, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

5K Race Description:
Race begins at Genome Way entrance to McMillian Park. Go through McMillian Park. Right on Explorer Boulevard. U-turn at Mark C. Smith Drive. U-turn at Farrow Road. Right at McMillian Park. Race ends where it began at Genome Way entrance to McMillian Park.

1-Mile Race Description:
Race begins at Genome Way entrance to McMillian Park. U-turn at Explorer Boulevard and return through park. Race ends where it began at Genome Way entrance to McMillian Park.