Collection taken during Valley Forge Revolutionary 5-mile Run, April 19

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa.- Even sneakers that have run their course will find a place at this year's Valley Forge Revolutionary 5-mile Run at Valley Forge National Historical Park, April 19.

During the fourth annual run, produced by Valley Forge Convention and Visitors Bureau, old athletic shoes will be collected as part of Nike's popular Reuse-A-Shoe Program.

"We'd been tossing around different ideas for making the run green," said Rick Brennan, a member of the run committee who's coordinating the drive, adding "And, while there were a lot of good ones, this is the one that stuck."

Brennan, who requested Nike's involvement, said the Revolutionary Run was approved to collect 200 pairs of used athletic shoes, but that the race committee wouldn't turn any in excess of that away. "We'll accept as many pairs as we get," said Brennan. "We'll find them all a home."

Since 1990 Nike has collected and recycled more than 22 million pairs of shoes through its recycling program. The shoes are ground into a raw material known as Nike Grind and then used to create sports and playground surfaces. Some of it's even used in Nike products. To learn more about the program, visit www.nikereuseashoe.com.

Registration for the Valley Forge Revolutionary 5-mile Run, a Mid-Atlantic USA Track and Field-sanctioned race, costs $25. The event, which kicks off National Park Week, includes a three-mile walk for $15 and a free youth fun run. Proceeds benefit the Park's trail preservation initiatives. For more information or to register, go to www.revolutionaryrun.org.

The Valley Forge Convention and Visitors Bureau, Ltd. is a nonprofit, membership-based sales and marketing organization that aggressively promotes the Valley Forge area and Montgomery County as a convention site and leisure visitor destination by encouraging patronage of its 500-plus member hotels, restaurants, attractions and services. The Bureau's Web site, at www.valleyforge.org, serves visitors, meeting planners, tour operators and residents.

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