Join us this summer as we Run with Siobhan to raise funds for Down syndrome research!

Research Down Syndrome is ready to go the distance. We’ve got ultra-marathoner Siobhan Pritchard on our side! True, this woman has a difficult Irish name (pronounced “Shi-VON”), but she’s got an even more difficult goal: to run a 100-mile race in the Rocky Mountains at an altitude between 9,000 and 13,000 feet. On top of all that, she has to finish within 30 hours.

Why would ANYONE do anything that crazy? Siobhan’s beautiful baby boy James has Down syndrome and she is pushing the limits of human endurance to give her son and thousands like him a future of enhanced life opportunities. People with Down syndrome experience cognitive delays as well as an increased risk of Alzheimer’s as early as in their 40s. However, exciting research is being conducted that offers new hope for improving memory, learning, and communication in people with Down syndrome.

Don’t worry—we’re not asking you to run 100 miles. This is a solidarity fundraising movement. Here are some ideas for how you can Run with Siobhan:

1) Create or join a team here on Crowdrise. Invite friends and family to do the same!

2) Run! In a race or all over the place. A 5k, 10k, Half-or-Full marathon, or just a casual jog...even down the block. Whatever you can handle.

3) Take on the Siobhan Challenge: Try to run a total of 100 miles between Now-August 18th! Have a big team or feeling ambitious? See how many hundreds of miles you can run together.

4) Have your kids join with their friends to form a fundraising team. Groups of friends, clubs, or sports teams could have car washes or organize a run around the track—the sky’s the limit!

5) Spread the news on Facebook. Hit the share button on our video! Tweet your support by following Research Ds on twitter or tweeting with #RunwithSiobhan.

Got it? Siobhan runs her race from August 17-18—let’s see how much we can raise by then!

Follow Siobhan’s blog: http://co-running.blogspot.com/

More info on Research Down Syndrome: http://www.researchds.org/

You can now purchase your Run with Siobhan shirts here: http://www.researchds.org/rds-runners/run-with-siobhan-shirts/

Questions? Email mwerner@researchds.org.