GORUCK and the American Heart Association hosted a fitness fundraiser at GORUCK’s Jacksonville Beach headquarters Saturday in support of Go Red for Women, a movement focused on women’s heart health and prevention.
The gathering included a yoga class and a rucking exercise course. Rucking involves walking with weight, and GORUCK said the event was designed to bring people together for heart-healthy activities as well as raise money and awareness.
Participants were asked to wear red for the cause. The event drew people of different ages, according to attendee Carri Kuppart, who shared that heart disease has affected several members of her family and that she was diagnosed with heart disease four years ago.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women in the United States and globally, according to the American Heart Association. Dr. Amy Pollak, a cardiologist at Mayo Clinic who attended the event, encouraged people to understand their heart-disease risk and make time for manageable activity, such as taking a 10- or 15-minute walk with a friend, neighbor or loved one.
GORUCK said it aims to continue building fitness community in Jacksonville Beach beyond the one-day event.
