KC Marathon Health & Fitness Expo Welcomes Nationally-Ranked Marathoner Dick Beardsley

Oct. 2, 2008 - PRLog -- The Expo is the prelude to the Waddell & Reed Kansas City Marathon, which follows the two-day Expo on October 18. Located in the heart of the Marathon course at Crown Center Exhibit Hall A (connected to Hyatt Regency Crown Center at Pershing and McGee), the Expo is free and open to the public.
The Expo begins at 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 16 and closes at 9 p.m. The event continues Friday Oct. 17 at 10 a.m. concluding at 9 p.m. Visitors get three free hours of validated parking at the Crown Center Exhibit Hall parking garage.
Motivational speaker and Marathon Legend Dick Beardsley will kick off the Expo, which features dozens of exhibitors representing products, services and activities which focus on the mind, body and soul. Limited booth space is available by calling 816-960-3400.
Beardsley ran the fifth-fastest time in U.S. men’s marathon history (2:08:53). He is a two-time champion (1981 & 1982) and course record holder (1981) of Grandma’s Marathon; champion and course record holder (2:16:20) of the 1987 Napa Valley Marathon; 1981 London Marathon champion and a two-time Olympic Trials Marathon qualifier—1980 & 1988.
His life has been described as “a Greek tragedy with an upbeat ending,” due to his survival of several near-fatal accidents, substance abuse and many other challenges. Now a noted motivational speaker, his autobiography Staying the Course, has been re-released in paperback. He hosts an annual marathon running camp in Waubun, MN. His website is located at www.dickbeardsley.com.  
Other speakers include experts on childhood obesity and fitness. The Waddell and Reed Kansas City Marathon shed new light on this issue with the addition of the Kansas City Kid’s Marathon. Kids trained throughout the year by logging their mileage increments in quarters, halves or miles. Then on race day, participants will complete the marathon by running the final 1.2 miles. Parents are welcome and encouraged to run with their kids. More information is available at http://www.waddellandreedkcmarathon.org/course/kidsmarath....
“When the issue of Childhood Obesity made the cover of Time Magazine earlier this year, it drove it home to us that we should focus on this critical health crisis,” said Health & Fitness Expo spokesman Alex Greenwood. “We’re thrilled to have health experts from all over the area speaking about this issue at the Expo. We invite parents, teachers, healthcare providers and anyone interested in a healthy mind, body and soul to visit the Expo.”
Seminar speakers include Shelly Summar, MSEd, RD, LD, Weight Management Program Coordinator at Children’s Mercy Weight Management Clinic, who will inform attendees about Training with their kids--how to make exercise fun for kids and how to meet their nutritional needs. Yvonne Dorsey, CEO/Fitness Consultant of FIT WITHIN will discuss fun fitness strategies for kids. Michael Zeller, Vice President of KCPT Kansas City Public Television will discuss Eat Small and other children’s health awareness and social marketing programs.
Other seminar speakers include Eladio Valdez III of Runners Edge, who will offer Kansas City Marathon final training tips and Jack Cady, MPT of Stride Mechanics, LLC. Cady will discuss the secrets of efficient runners and how to make them your own.
Entertainment will be provided by David Kiene throughout the Expo.
The Kansas City Health & Fitness Expo is produced by EventPros. Visit http://www.waddellandreedkcmarathon.org/Expo.htm or call EventPros at 816-960-3400 for a complete list of exhibitors, a seminar schedule, pasta dinner registration and more.
Kansas City Sports Commission & Foundation: The Sports Commission promotes sports and recreation throughout Kansas City.  Since 1990, the organization has had an economic impact of more than $600 million in the surrounding metropolitan area.  The Commission sponsors over 25 annual events, including youth clinics, annual community and membership luncheons and community-sponsored athletic events. For more information about the Sports Commission, call Kevin Wicker at 816.474.4652 or visit www.sportkc.org.  
Waddell & Reed Financial Inc. has been headquartered in Kansas City for 70 years. Through its subsidiaries, the company provides investment management and comprehensive financial planning services to clients throughout the United States. Visit www.waddell.com for more information.
Expo exhibitors include:
•   Animal Haven
•   American Laser Center
•   BlueCross BlueShield of Kansas City
•   Blue Green Vacations Unlimited
•   Cleveland Chiropractic College
•   Cookie Lee Jewelry
•   FCA Endurance
•   Fitness Stride
•   Fulk Chiropractic
•   Garmin International
•   Garry Gribble's Running Sports
•   Go! St. Louis Marathon
•   Gold's Gym
•   Hague Quality Water
•   Helzberg Diamonds
•   Heritage College
•   Herrera Kirby
•   Hospital Hill Run
•   irunlikeagirl
•   Juice Plus +
•   Kansas City Chiropractic
•   Kansas City Convention & Visitor's Association
•   KCMO Parks and Recreation
•   KCPT
•   Little Rock Marathon
•   Mid-America Running Association
•   Midwest Airlines
•   Olathe Marathon
•   Orenda International
•   Quintiles
•   Running Chics by abDesign
•   Santa Fe Trail Honey Farms
•   Saturn
•   Sensaria
•   Sleep Number by Select Comfort
•   SPIbelt
•   Sportables
•   Sports Medicine Store/ Metro Walk & Run
•   The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
•   The Runner's Edge
•   The Stick/RPI of Atlanta
•   UMKC School of Pharmacy
•   United States Tennis Association - Heart of America
•   Vemma Nutrition
•   Waddell & Reed
•   Walgreens
•   Waldo Chiropractic Group
•   Welk Resorts
•   World Mark by Wyndham

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