The Katie Lynch Heartbreak Hill Half Marathon inaugural race will be held at Newton South High School on May 31, 2009. The field will be limited to the first 750 runners to register online at the event’s website, www.heartbreakhillhalfmarathon.com. Online registration is now open.

The event will feature a somewhat challenging course that starts and finishes at Newton South High School. The route includes a stretch of the Boston Marathon course and specifically the infamous Heartbreak Hill. The course will be USATF certified and be open to traffic.

Race Director Tim Maul said, “We wanted to create a course that was challenging and that offered runners another race venue to run up Heartbreak Hill. Runners will experience a scenic run through Newton neighborhoods, some hilly terrain and from mile 5-6 run straight up Heartbreak Hill.”

The race hopes to raise both awareness and funds for The Katie Lynch Foundation. The foundation was established in memory of Katie Lynch who on April 16, 2001 completed her own 26.2 feet version of the Boston Marathon. The Katie Lynch Foundation seeks to fund programs which create opportunities and foster respect for individuals with disabilities, including Boston’s Children’s Hospital’s Opening Doors for Youth and Understanding Our Differences.

There is a charity runner component to the race in which runners can run to raise funds for the Foundation. The charity runners will earn a raffle tickets for each $25 they raise. The raffle features Red Sox tickets, a BWM bike ($1,000 retail value) and many other prizes generously donated by the race sponsors.

The event also features the Purple Heart Challenge which welcomes young people, with physical disabilities, ages 12-22, to set personal performance goals, train vigorously and run or walk their personal best half marathon.

For more information on how you can participate in the event as a runner, volunteer or sponsor, please visit www.heartbreakhillhalfmarathon.com.