Dr. Mark Cucuzzella, a physician at WVU Harpers Ferry Family Medicine and Associate Professor for WVU School of Medicine, will be conducting a free community seminar at the WVU Health Sciences Center in Martinsburg on Tuesday, July 28, at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium. This seminar is for runners and walkers of all ages and abilities.

The objectives of the seminar will be to learn the principles of aerobic fitness, how to

comfortably and safely improve your fitness, principles of fitness for life and healthy aging, efficient running form, and tips on event specific training.

This is an opportunity to learn about running from an expert and national caliber runner who is from our community. Cucuzzella is a National Level Masters Marathon Runner, and is currently the Captain and Coach of the US Air Force Running Team and winner of the Masters division for the 2006 and 2008 Marine Corps Marathon and 2008 JFK 50 mile run. He is a national speaker on running and fitness, a researcher on running biomechanics, and has had articles published in Runner’s World and Running Times.

Cucuzzella’s passion is engaging both adults and youth in fun outdoor physical activity. He is the Race Director for the inaugural Freedom’s Run coming this fall (www.freedomsrun.org). Five events welcome runners and walkers of all abilities spanning four National Parks Harpers Ferry, the C&O Canal, Antietam Battlefield, and Potomac Heritage Trail. The events allow runners and walkers to explore our land in a challenging and scenic marathon connecting all the National Parks of great consequence; a half marathon through Antietam and the C&O; a 5k and 10k crossing the Potomac and coursing the C&O; a kids one mile fun run touring historic Shepherdstown. Races finish on Shepherd University football field. This event is administered through the non-profit Eastern West Virginia Area Health Education Center.