NATCHEZ — Alcorn State University and Jackson State University put aside their rivalry on the field to champion health care Saturday morning.

“We’re fine together, except for about 30 days out of the year,” said Helen Brooks, marketing coordinator at the ASU Extension Program.

Alcorn hosted a 5K run and a health fair near the bluff. The run was to promote healthier lifestyles.

“It’s just the fact that we want to be healthier,” said Denise Clark, radio host from WTYJ 97.7, who came with her two children.

Clark said she was calling into the radio station during her run to give updates about her progress.

“They say Mississippi is the fattest state,” Clark said.  “And I don’t want to be fat.”

Tyrone Hargro, coordinator of fitness and wellness at the Walter Payton Center at Jackson State University, kept the times and helped organize the event with Alcorn.

“We came to help them, and we will in the future,” Hargro said.

Hargro said he does community events regularly with Jackson State, and also said JSU and Alcorn will host a weight loss competition closer to the beginning of football season.

“As long as I’m working for Jackson State and working in the state of Mississippi, anything Alcorn State University wants from me, I’m willing to help,” Hargro said.

Organizations such as the Mississippi Department of Health, Compassionate Care Hospice, South West Mississippi Mental Health and Alcorn’s nutrition program and health and wellness program participated, Brooks said.

“There are a lot of people out there who care about the health and wellness of the community,” Brooks said. “All that means is next year we can improve on it and that’s what we plan to do.”

The fastest time of the 33 runners was 20:50, which was earned by Charles Marsaw, Alcorn State track and field runner from Natchez.

Marsaw came back to Natchez to work over the summer, and decided to run to support his school.

The second fastest runner was Theodore Johnson III at 21:05, a cross-country runner from Mississippi Valley State University, who said he wanted to compete in a run before school started.

Austin Gibson, 16, from Cathedral High School, had the third fastest time at 22:35.

The 5k run is part of a larger initiative, said Dalton McAfee, who is the extension administrator of ASU Extension Program.

“This is part of our fitness component,” McAfee said. “Where we are making people aware of how to take care of your body through exercise. So we set up a situation where people could walk and run and get exercise.”

The other components of the program include a community garden and a nutrition component that teaches people how to prepare healthy meals and use healthy alternatives.

After an hour, nearly all the walkers and runners completed the course.

“I feel better,” Clark said. “Already, I feel a lot better.”