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PITTSBURGH, PA  – The Pittsburgh BACK Half Marathon, exclusive to the first 500 charity runners who raise $1,000 or more, will return again this year to celebrate the achievement of charity runners. The 13.1-mile event starts in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, which is the midway point of the 26.2 mile marathon course. Participants will enjoy a full red carpet experience, unique medal and special race day bib. New this year, those eligible to participate also can invite a friend or family member to join them.  

Kyle Conway is participating in the Run for a Reason Charity Program, presented by Microsoft, for the first time this year and is raising money for the UPMC Children’s Hospital Foundation. Born with a congenital heart condition, Conway had open-heart surgery at the age of four and was monitored throughout his childhood. In 2020, he underwent a successful valve-sparing root replacement procedure at UPMC Shadyside. Last year, Conway’s three-month-old son Kaden was admitted to Children’s Hospital for a two-day stay filled with MRIs, x-rays and blood tests to look for potential tumors along Kaden’s sympathetic nerve chain. Fortunately, the tests found no presence of tumors. After experiencing the incredible care from the doctors and nurses, Conway wants to give back this year and has a goal of raising $5,000.  

“As a child patient and the parent of an infant patient, I’m grateful to UPMC Children’s Hospital and am running to raise money to support the incredible and life-changing work they do,” Conway said. “I hope that everyone who has donated to my fundraiser knows what an impact their contributions have on the lives of families in our area.”  

Conway, who has run the DICK’S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon four times and the UPMC Health Plan Pittsburgh Half Marathon three times, is looking forward to experiencing the Pittsburgh BACK Half Marathon for the first time.  

“The back half course goes right by our house in Bloomfield, so my son and wife will be there to lead the cheer squad right from home,” Conway said.  

Since P3R launched the Run for a Reason Charity Program in 2009, participants in the DICK’S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon Weekend of Events have raised more than $15 million for local, national and global causes. This year individuals who participate in the program can choose from more than 30 official Run for Reason charity partners and participate in any of the seven events during the 2023 race weekend, scheduled for May 5-7. More than 2,500 charity runners are expected to raise more than $1 million for the program this year.  

“During the 15th anniversary of the DICK’S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon Weekend of Events, we are celebrating all the ways this event changes lives, and the Run for a Reason program is a big part of that,” said Troy Schooley, P3R CEO. “We are proud of what our charity partners and runners have accomplished in the past 15 years.”  

For more information or to register for the 2023 DICK’S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon Weekend of Events, visit www.thePittsburghMarathon.com.     

About the DICK’S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon Weekend of Events  

The Pittsburgh Marathon was held annually from 1985-2003. After a five-year hiatus, the DICK’S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon was relaunched in 2009 and debuted with a sold-out field of 10,000 participants. It has grown each year since, evolving from a single race day into a weekend of events for the whole family that annually attracts nearly 40,000 runners. Read more at: ThePittsburghMarathon.com   

FACEBOOK: DSGPM TWITTER: @PghMarathon         INSTAGRAM: pghmarathon  

About P3R  

P3R is the engine behind Pittsburgh’s greatest races. We strive to inspire any and all to move with us. Best known for organizing the acclaimed annual DICK’S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon, P3R runs a variety of other high-quality races, events, and health and fitness programs throughout the Pittsburgh region. While many of our races attract some of the nation’s highest-profile professional athletes, we offer activities for all ages and ability levels. Anyone and everyone is invited to #RUNwithP3R! Read more at: P3R.org  

FACEBOOK: RUNwithP3R        INSTAGRAM: RUNwithP3R     TWITTER: @RUNwithP3R