Sports Backers announced the official starters of the November 13 SunTrust Richmond Marathon, McDonald’s Half Marathon, and HCA Virginia 8k.

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John Ivins, husband of former Sports Backers board member and SunTrust Richmond Marathon runner Kathy Ivins, and their two sons Jack and Jim will be the official starters of the SunTrust Richmond Marathon. Kathy lost her battle to cancer over the summer at age 54. The Ivins family will be at the Health & Fitness Expo handing out Team Kathy t-shirts and wristbands to those that wish to wear one in the November 13 races.

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Christopher Nalley grew up with Cystic Fibrosis, was malnourished and on the edge of death when a double lung transplant at the University of Virginia saved his life in 2006. Chris is running the McDonald’s Half Marathon with the surgeon who performed his lung transplant, Mark Robbins, MD. For 13.1 miles, Dr. Robbins will hear the lungs that he once held in his hands operating at full capacity.

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David Edmondson participated in the 8k in 2008 in the wheelchair division while on the waiting list for a heart. In 2009, he stood with the Donate Life team on the sidelines as a recent heart recipient. Now he is stronger and able to participate once again in the 8k, this time without the wheelchair.

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This year, at The National Kidney Foundation U.S. Transplant Games where he won a bronze medal in table tennis, David

met Meghan Hodgins and her 12-year-old adopted daughter, Kendall, who is a kidney recipient. Seven whirlwind weeks

later, David and Meghan are engaged to be married. On race day, the three will act as starters for the HCA Virginia 8k

and then participate in the event together.

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Donate Life Virginia is the official race beneficiary of the SunTrust Richmond Marathon. Organ, eye and tissue donation

saves and enhances lives. Every Virginian can choose to become a donor by registering at the DMV or online at

www.DonateLifeVirginia.org. “Donate Life Virginia is proud to partner with Sports Backers and the SunTrust Richmond Marathon to help raise

awareness across the state that every Virginian has the power to register to give the gift of life,” said Cindy Speas,

President of Donate Life Virginia.

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Online registration for the SunTrust Richmond Marathon, McDonald’s Half Marathon and HCA Virginia 8k is available at www.richmondmarathon.org until 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, November 10. Walk-up registration will be available at the Health & Fitness Expo at the Arthur Ashe Center on Thursday, November 11 from 5 to 9 p.m. and Friday, November 12 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. There is no race day registration or packet pick-up.