Red Lakers raise diabetes awareness at TC marathon

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Red Lake Chairman Floyd Jourdain Jr. will run in the Twin Cities Marathon Sunday to raise awareness about diabetes in Indian Country.

Jourdain and six others are part of the "Native Thunder Distance Runners" group.

They'll donate the miles they run to an initiative called Million Miles Against Diabetes -- which was started in the mid-1990s to draw attention to the disproportionate number of American Indians with diabetes. The goal is to get people moving and show how exercise and proper diet can reduce diabetes or lessen its impact.

Million Miles Against Diabetes spokesman Rob Blue says nearly a half-million miles have been run or walked since the program started. The group of runners is hoping to build some awareness this Sunday, and get even more people running for next year's marathon.