A cool Saturday in the 30s didn't keep about 40 Fall River Fitness Challenge participants from following 2008 & 2010 Challenge winners Daryl Parrent and Cliff Read up the Seven Hills of Fall River on February 26, 2011. The fourth Challenge event of the series involved either walking or running the mile and a half course from Community Development Recreation (CD-REC) headquarters on Bank Street to the top of President Avenue along North Park. Taking the lead the whole way, first-year participants Stacy Cabral and Jennifer Roderigues traversed the course dressed only in light clothing. "I had a good time!," stated Cabral when she returned to Bank Street. "It's fun; it's worth it." She and other runners and walkers gathered in the gym following the event to draw from raffle tickets for prizes. Sponsored by the Diabetes Association, Inc. (DAI), CD-REC, the Fall River YMCA, General Fitness and Healthy City Fall River, and supported by grants from the United Way of Greater Fall River and Partners for a Healthier Community, the Challenge offers low cost opportunities for those who live, work or attend school in Fall River to get fit. Click here for the video of the event. Click here for photos of the first Challenge event, here for the second, and here for the third. Go to FallRiverFitnessChallenge.com  or call 508-679-0922 to learn more..

(Top row, left) WIC Program dietitian and CD-REC staffer Robert O'Melia help Samantha Desrosiers and Sonya Bothelho with weigh-ins and registration. (Top row, center) 2010 Challenge winner Cliff Read and 2008 winner Daryl Parrent congratulate Stacy Cabral as the first one to return to CD-REC headquarters after the 3-mile event. (Top row, right) Daryl cheers on one of the participants who decided to run part of the way with him. (Middle row, left) Jennifer Roderigues and Stacy Cabral head up President Avenue along North Park. (Middle row, right) Samantha Desrosiers reaches the summit of the Seven Hills at Highland Avenue before returning. (Bottom row, left) Cliff and Daryl join two other walkers on the way back. (Bottom row, right) Walkers reach the United Way office on North Main Street, one of the two sponsors of the event this year.