WILLAMETTE VALLEY, Ore. – Walkers, get ready. The dates and details for Oregon’s first-ever relay event designed specifically for walkers are now available and registration is open.

Wonders of Walking, LLC in Portland, the organization that is creating and managing this new walk-only relay, has announced that the first annual Willamette Valley Relay will be held July 16 – 17, 2004. Interested participants can now log onto a new Web site at www.wondersofwalking.com for details about the Willamette Valley Relay, including route and team registration information.

The Willamette Valley Relay will travel through the most scenic portions of Oregon’s Willamette Valley, from Champoeg State Park near the Donald / Aurora exit to Alton-Baker Park in Eugene, utilizing scenic, less traveled roads. The event is a walking relay event with teams of 8 to 12 participants who will cover more than 140 miles. The Willamette Valley Relay is open to walkers of all skill levels and ages.

No other relay event in Oregon is designed exclusively for walkers, and organizer Judy Heller, founder of Wonders of Walking, believes that will be a major draw. As one of the region’s foremost experts on walking and athletic events, Heller has a great deal of experience spearheading and managing events for walkers and she claims the time is right for an event of this type.

“Both recreational and avid walkers have been calling out for an event of their own for a long time,” said Heller. “The Willamette Valley Relay provides them with an incredible route, competitive and recreational opportunities, and promises to be a fun challenge. Best of all, it focuses completely on walking – no longer do walkers need to feel they are merely an afterthought of a running-focused event.”

Kicking off for the first time in Oregon in 2004, the Willamette Valley Relay is the first Wonders of Walking event. This walk-only relay is specifically created and designed by walkers for walkers of all levels. Wonders of Walking, LLC, advocates walking for well-being and pleasure, and plans to spearhead a series of walking events throughout the nation. For more information and details, log onto www.wondersofwalking.com.