Ultramarathon Runner Lisa Smith Batchen To "Run The Nation", Beginning Sunday, April 24 To Raise Money For Grammy Award Winning Artist Imagine Dragons' Public Charity For Children's Pediatric Cancer, The Tyler Robinson Foundation

One Goal. Break the 36-year-old 3100 Hundred Mile Overall Coast-To-Coast Foot Speed Record while raising money for Pediatric Cancer

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RUN THE NATION

Mar 29, 2016, 06:43 ET

CHICAGO, March 29, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Lisa Smith Batchen will RUN THE NATION and raise money for Grammy award winning artist Imagine Dragons' public charity for pediatric cancer families, The Tyler Robinson Foundation. On April 24, 2016, 55 Year Old, Lisa Smith Batchen will embark on a transcontinental journey starting in Los Angeles and concluding in New York City. To break the current foot speed record, Lisa will have to average 68 miles per day. The current Guinness Book of World records overall transcontinental coast-to-coast foot speed record is 46 Days, 8 Hours record set by Frank Giannino in 1980. The female record is 69 days, 2 hours and 40 minutes, achieved by Mavis Hutchinson in 1978. Lisa plans on breaking both.

Every day Lisa Smith Batchen and her team will be posting photos, commentary about the run, and documenting Lisa's progress. The national event will be produced by 1212 Group and will be streamed live on the Run The Nation website. Pre-run, Lisa will be posting updates on her training and preparations for the run on her various social media sites. Currently, the website features the countdown clock to the start of the run. When she starts the run, it will change to countdown the days of her transcontinental journey. Followers can watch Lisa's progress and see where she is heading next on the RUNTHENATION.org website.

A famous Ultramarathon runner, Lisa has competed and won some of the world's most difficult competitions including the Sahara's "Marathon Des Sables" and the United States Badwater Ultramarathon twice. She has competed in 35 ultramarathons, 90 marathons, and has completed 5 Hawaii Ironman World Championships. Her accomplishments as an endurance runner and ironman athlete have made her one of the most revered athletes in the world.

Lisa has raised millions of dollars to help women and children in need for various organizations throughout the world. Lisa will be running as a TRF Ambassador, raising money for families who are financially struggling due to their child's cancer diagnosis. Through the TRF Ambassador Program (trf.org/trfambassador), Lisa continues to use her gifts of physical endurance and mental fortitude to help TRF families. She encourages those watching and cheering her on to donate, every little bit helps.

Numerous sponsors have graciously stepped up to participate including: Gatorade Endurance, Garmin, 1212 Group, Nuu Muu, Conway Electric, Fasano Pies, Pharmanex Nu Skin, Damascus Bakery, Zensah, HOKA, Lou Malnati's, WiFi Ranger, Multisonus Audio, Tonez Audio, Selko Photo, Injinji socks Cocoa Elite, Coco5, Saltstick, Roobar, Tire Trainer, Trail Toes, Seton & Associates, Everything Smart, Crystal Wealth, Oblique, Shore Chan DePumpo LLP, Endurance Review, Gravity Pro, and USA Crossers.

The mission of The Tyler Robinson Foundation is to strengthen families financially and emotionally as they cope with the tragedy of a pediatric cancer diagnosis by providing hope, information, and relief through financial services, caring volunteers, and monetary grants. For more information or to donate directly, visit www.TRF.org.

More About Lisa…

Born on September 16, 1960 in Vicksburg, Mississippi, Lisa began her sports career at an early age. After her family moved to Deerfield, Illinois when she was 5 years old, she was introduced to a variety of sports, from hockey to ballet.

Lisa married Jay Batchen in February 2001. Soon after Lisa and Jay moved from NJ to Idaho, where they began their own family. Annabella was adopted in 2003 and Gabriella was welcomed into the Batchen family in 2006. Smith-Batchen lives in Teton Valley, Wyoming. They run Dreamchasers Outdoor Adventure Club together. In 2008, Lisa and Jay founded the non-profit company, Dreamchasers has raised and donated several million to charities

Smith-Batchen has been featured in cover stories in The NY Times, The LA Times, The Washington Post, Runner's World, Winning Magazine. She has been featured in Sports Illustrated for Women, ESPN Magazine, Outside, Ultra Runner, Trailrunner, Running Times and numerous other national and international publications. She also appears in a film about the Badwater Ultramarathon, entitled Running Under the Sun.