FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Susan Reid/Ian Monahan
Elite Racing, Inc.
(858)450-6510
P.F. Chang's and Rock 'n' Roll are here to Stay
P.F. Chang's China Bistro reconfirms support
for Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon & 1/2 Marathon
PHOENIX, Ariz., (Dec. 5, 2005) – P.F. Chang's China Bistro has agreed to
continue its title sponsorship of the Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon & ½
Marathon through 2009. The P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona will
celebrate its third annual running on Jan. 15, 2006. Terms of the deal were
not disclosed.
The foot race, which broke the record for world's largest first time annual
running event when it debuted in 2004, expects to attract 34,000 runners
and walkers between the marathon and half marathon this year. It pumped
more than $ 41 million dollars into the local economy in the first year
alone.
"Elite Racing is at the vanguard of providing world-class marathons that
appeal to both elite athletes and weekend warriors. Professional race
management coupled with broad-based community support has produced an
annual event that we are proud to sponsor," said Bert Vivian, President of
P.F. Chang's China Bistro.
"We were so fortunate to have had P.F. Chang's join us from the very
beginning," said Tim Murphy, founder and CEO of Elite Racing. We absolutely
could not ask for a better partner. Their involvement has been astounding;
it has gone over and above anything we could have imagined. The team at
P.F. Chang's is involved with this race, from the chairman and president to
the individual teams that operate each restaurant. They run, they
volunteer, and they support our primary charitable organization, The
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training program."
In July P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona received top marks as Arizona’s
best ‘Special Event’ from Governor Janet Napolitano at the 25th Annual
Governor’s Conference on Tourism. It was recognized for its "unique draw
for tourism and attracting visitors from outside the local area … an event
that stands out in the crowd because of its creative approach, distinctive
appeal, media coverage and/or enhancement of community pride."
This year the race welcomes a special guest as Haile Gebrselassie,
universally regarded as one of the world's best distance runners, will
attempt to break the world record in the half marathon. Gebrselassie, from
Ethiopia, is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, a four-time world champion
and, over the course of his career, has broken an astounding 18 world
records on the track and roads.
Following its record-breaking turnout at the inaugural event in 2004,
Arizona's musical marathon has steadily grown in participation. The
marathon and half-marathon courses run through Phoenix, Scottsdale and
Tempe, and feature a post-race party at the finish near the Arizona State
University campus. The race features an assortment of live music staged
approximately every mile of the 26.2 and 13.1-mile courses, providing
runners and spectators with continuous entertainment and motivation. In
addition to the music, local high school cheerleading squads will line the
route, cheering on participants and competing for cash and prizes. The band
Collective Soul will cap-off the weekend’s festivities at the evening
concert at Tempe Beach Park, open to the public and free to all race
participants and volunteers.
Elite Racing, Inc., based in San Diego, Calif., produces a series of
musical marathons that includes the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon™ in San Diego,
the Country Music Marathon &1/2 Marathon™ in Nashville, the Rock 'n' Roll
Half Marathon™ in Virginia Beach and the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon in San
Jose, Calif.
For more information on this event visit www.rnraz.com or contact
the P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon and 1/2 Marathon, c/o
Elite Racing, 5452 Oberlin Drive, San Diego, CA 92121 or call
800/311-1255. For information on P.F. Chang's China Bistro, contact Laura
Cherry at 602/957-8986.
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