The 19th annual DONNA Marathon kicks off Friday. Here’s what you should know if you’re heading to the race

JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. – The 19th annual DONNA Marathon, a longtime weekend tradition in the Jacksonville area, kicks off Friday.

The DONNA Marathon is a race experience that brings together thousands of runners, survivors of breast cancer, families, and supporters from across the world.

The weekend kicks off Friday with a 3-mile run and walk, and it’s in a new location this year.

In the past, the events every year on the Friday and Saturday are usually over at EverBank Stadium, but the renovations for the Stadium of the Future have shifted all of that.

Julie Stackhouse who has run in about a dozen DONNA marathons talked about how running in events like this can be good for the body.

“The great thing about writing is it well as we talked about last week filled up your stamina. It actually does increase your immune system response to. Putting our body through hard things. Response and then we become more resilient to the things that we are susceptible to during cold or flu season,” Stackhouse said.

The DONNA Marathon Weekend is an official event of The DONNA Foundation, which was established in June of 2003 by three-time breast cancer survivor and Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan.

The goal this year was to raise $200,000 which has already been surpassed. So far, more than $226,000 have been raised, which is used to help support families and those living with breast cancer.

Here’s a breakdown of what happens over the next three days:

Friday

• The DONNA Social Shakeout Run that starts at 7 a.m. 
  • 3-mile run/walk followed by coffee in the courtyard of Southern Grounds and Company
  • Free and open to the public
• The DONNA Health and Wellness Expo opens from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • The Expo is at the new Hilton Jacksonville at the Mayo Clinic Conference Center

Saturday

• The 110 Ultramarathon starts at 7:30 a.m.
• The FIS DONNA 5K starts at 8 a.m.
• The DONNA Dash starts at 9:30. 
• All of these events start at the Sea walk Pavilion in Jacksonville Beach
• The Expo will also be open at the Mayo Clinic from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m

Sunday

• Athletes’ Village opens at 6 a.m.
• Marathon starts at 7:30 a.m. at the Seawalk Pavilion in Jacksonville Beach

For more information about the DONNA Marathon visit this website.