Making an Impact

Since its inception in 2001, the Blast's mission has been to produce one of the city's favorite fitness and fun events, while raising money and increasing awareness of the cancer-related and community benefactors of the event. The Blast, open to runners and walkers of all abilities, receives support from sponsors, participants, volunteers and the local community. By raising funds and raising awareness, the Blast has helped more Cincinnatians join the search for finding a cure to the Blast's cancer-related diseases and join the efforts to make Hyde Park and Cincinnati in general a better place to live, work and play!

The Hyde Park Blast

The Hyde Park Blast was started in 2001, when two Hyde Park friends, Chad Sims and Cheryl Koopman, decided that the Hyde Park community needed a fun run to add to the July 4th festivities. They thought that a fitness-based event would be the perfect way to bring people to the Hyde Park area, while raising money and awareness for their favorite charities, The Leukemia Society, the Wellness Community, and the recently added CancerFree Kids and Give Back Cincinnati. Chad and Cheryl also decided they didn't want just any race, they wanted the coolest and most talked about event in Cincinnati! During the first year, the run exploded when over 1,200 participants showed up! Over the next five years of the Blast, they've added a block party, a kid's fun run and bike race, and a criterium bike race that have added to the overall success and presence of the event! To date, the Blast has given over $100,000 to charities.