Iconic journalist Katie Couric, has been named the Celebrity Grand Marshal for the Sixth Annual Race of Hope, which returns to Southampton this summer as an in-person experience on Sunday, August 8th.
HDRF Founding Chair Audrey Gruss and Arthur Dunnam, both Hamptons residents, will join Couric as Co-Grand Marshals of the 2021 Race. They will lead racers on a gorgeous loop around Lake Agawam in Southampton Village. The event has continued to evolve and grow with 750 participants in 2019 and has raised over 1 million dollars for depression research since its inception in 2016.
“We’re thrilled to be able to gather in person again for this special day, especially with Katie Couric, whose warm smile is known across the world,” said Audrey Gruss. “Humans are wired to need warm social interaction. The isolation of the pandemic has taken a large toll on the nation’s mental health.”
Gruss noted surveys showing that over one third of Americans are struggling with depression and anxiety in the wake of the pandemic. She said: “As a society we are just beginning to identify the impact of the past 16 months. Understanding and developing treatments for these mental disorders is therefore critically important, and that is what this Race makes possible.”
The race will also have a virtual component this year after the success of last year’s virtual race, which attracted hundreds of participants, and runners will be able to sign up and run in their own hometowns. Participants will be able to share their stories through a special interactive live broadcast.
In-Person Registration Information:
· Go online to www.raceofhopeseries.com and register for a fee of $40.00
· Each participant will receive an ultra-lightweight vest, hat, race shirt, mask and finisher medal. (While supplies last. Gear is distributed on a first come first served basis)
· Meeting Point: The Cultural Center, 25 Pond Lane, Southampton, NY
· Date: Sunday, August 8, 2021
· Time: Check-in begins at 7:15am and the Race of Hope begins at 8:30am SHARP.
Virtual Registration Information:
· Go online to www.raceofhopeseries.com and register for a fee of $35 through July 12th (the price increases to $40 after this date).
● Participants choose their own trail and receive special Race gear in the mail (while supplies last). They can walk or run the distance on their own time and in their own hometowns.
● The special live broadcast made especially for their virtual racers will begin on Sunday, August 8, 2021 at 8 AM. The broadcast will be hosted by HDRF’s Race Director and Executive Director. They will welcome viewers, show messages of hope from participants across the country, and then blow the starting gun at 8:30 am ET. Any racers who want to complete their courses at the exact same time as the actual race in Southampton can do so with the live broadcast!