FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Kellie Leonard
Nike, Inc.
503-671-6171
Jon Garbo
The Leukemia &
Lymphoma Society
914-821-8969
Nike Brings Marathon for Women to San Francisco
The Nike 26.2 Marathon and Half-Marathon for Women Will Benefit
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
SAN FRANCISCO, March 15 -- Nike today announced the Nike 26.2,
a marathon and half marathon for women to be run in San Francisco on
October 24, 2004. The event will benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Participants can train for the marathon through the Society's Team In
Training(R), the world's largest sports endurance training program. This
race will be an annual event and will be the first marathon in the United
States for women runners and walkers of all ages.
Both the marathon and half marathon will start and finish on the Great
Highway outside Golden Gate Park and will run through the city of San
Francisco ending along Ocean Beach, allowing runners and walkers to enjoy
both the city and the coast line during the race. Running legend Joan
Benoit Samuelson and CSI Miami actress Emily Procter will serve as
ambassadors for the Nike 26.2 Marathon.
"It is great to join Nike in celebrating another first in women's running.
Women will love to run together in the beautiful host city of San
Francisco," said Benoit Samuelson.
"The Nike 26.2 exemplifies the trend of more and more people participating
in marathons for a good cause," said Greg Elfers, Senior Vice President,
Campaign Development for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. "For the hundreds
of thousands of patients and families battling leukemia, lymphoma and
myeloma, the fact that women from across the country are coming to San
Francisco to help in the battle to cure these cancers sends a clear message
of hope."
Emily Procter, CSI actress and sports enthusiast is also looking forward to
the race. "I am thrilled that Nike has invited me to be part of this
event," said Procter. "It's an honor to join this group of women who share
a common purpose and to support an organization, whose work is so close to
my heart."
The Nike 26.2 marathon is inspired by the 20th anniversary of Joan Benoit
Samuelson's historic win in 1984 in Los Angeles. Joan is currently training
for the women's marathon trials on April 3 and hopes to qualify for the
summer marathon in Athens.
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training program is recruiting
runners and walkers through its 63 chapters nationwide. To register with
Team in Training, log onto www.teamintraining.org/nike262 or call
1-800-482.TEAM. Runners and walkers are also invited to register to run the
race on their own at www.nikemarathon.com.
The Nike 26.2 will be the culmination of a weekend celebration in October.
Events and activities are expected to include a race expo at Union Square,
featuring health and fitness features for active women. Guest speakers, as
well as fitness classes for strength training, Pilates, natural medicine
and meditation will be available for Expo attendees.
About Nike
Nike, Inc. based in Beaverton, Oregon is the world's leading designer,
marketer and distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment
and accessories for a wide variety of sports and fitness activities. Wholly
owned Nike subsidiaries include Converse Inc., which designs, markets and
distributes athletic footwear, apparel and accessories; Bauer NIKE Hockey
Inc., a leading designer and distributor of hockey equipment; Cole Haan(R),
which designs, markets, and distributes fine dress and casual shoes and
accessories; and Hurley International LLC, which designs, markets and
distributes action sports and youth lifestyle footwear, apparel and
accessories.
About Team In Training
Team In Training is the world's largest endurance sports training program.
The program provides training to run or walk a whole or half marathon or
participate in a triathlon or century (100-mile) bike ride. Participants
raise funds for leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma research and patient
services in exchange for training, support, and lodging and airfare to the
event of their choice. Since TNT's inception, more than 200,000
participants have raised more than $470 million.
About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society(R), headquartered in White Plains, NY, is
the world's largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding
blood cancer research and providing education and patient services. The
Society's mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and
myeloma, and to improve the quality of life of patients and their families.
Since its founding in 1949, the Society has provided more than $360 million
for research specifically targeting leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. Last
year alone, the Society made more than 441,000 patient contacts through
services provided at its home office and by its 63 chapters nationwide.
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