Record numbers for heart health fun run

BIG DAY: Enthusiastic participants at the best-attended Jennian Homes Mother's Day Fun Run and Walk hit the track.

Perfect weather greeted an enthusiastic turnout of mothers and their families eager to tackle the fourth annual Jennian Homes Mother's Day fun run and walk on May 10.

It is a nationwide event that supports the Heart Foundation's Go Red for Women campaign, which aims to improve the heart health of New Zealand women.

More than 250 registered this year, a record turnout.

After a warm up by City Fitness, heart health advocate Kit Cohr from the Heart Foundation Wairarapa, shared information about the organisation and the importance of heart health.

"Along with healthy eating and not smoking, physical activity improves your heart health significantly," he told participants.

Jennian Homes is committed to working with the Heart Foundation to reduce heart disease statistics, said Gareth Norris of Jennian Homes Wairarapa.

"We've gained a loyal and growing following for the Mother's Day fun run/walk, with three generations turning out in some cases and many familiar faces returning each year."

He said this year's event was "a great success".

Heart disease is the single biggest killer of New Zealand women, taking the lives of 48 women on average per week.