The National AIDS Marathon Training Program will debut on April 26 in the Chicago area. The program1s focus will be to raise funds for HIV/AIDS services throughout the city. Produced by Walk-The-Talk Productions, it will benefit the AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC).

"The National AIDS Marathon Training Program has inspired thousands of people across the country to raise funds and awareness for HIV/AIDS," said Mark Ishaug, AFC executive director. "We brought this program to Chicago because it is unlike any other event held in the area that supports HIV/AIDS services, and it1s geared specifically toward both beginners and experienced runners alike."

Developed by Olympic athlete and world-renowned marathon trainer Jeff Galloway, the training program combines running and walking to prepare participants to go the 26.2-mile distance at The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon or the Dublin Marathon in Ireland.

Program staff and professional coaches will host weekend training runs at five sites throughout the city and suburbs that will also include information on nutrition, gear, and exercise. In exchange for the specialized training and support, participants raise funds to benefit prevention and care services funded through the AIDS Foundation of Chicago1s grant program.

"For many, running a marathon is the challenge of a lifetime. This program offers a new way for people to get involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS while accomplishing their personal goal of completing a marathon," Ishaug said.

Informational meetings will be held during the last half of March and into April at various locations throughout the Chicago area. For more details, call 312-765-0210, or visit www.aidsmarathon.com.

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The National AIDS Marathon Training Program was developed by Walk-The-Talk Productions in 1998 to raise money for urgently needed HIV/AIDS services. In the past five years, nearly 11,000 people have successfully completed the training program and raised $35 million for the fight to end HIV/AIDS.

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AFC is the Midwest's largest AIDS service organization and Illinois' principal advocate for people living with and at risk for HIV infection. Through its private grantmaking program, AFC supports AIDS prevention, care and advocacy projects throughout metropolitan Chicago. Since 1988, AFC has provided nearly $12 million to agencies working on the frontlines of the HIV epidemic.