FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Hartford Marathon Foundation and ING Continue
Marathon Partnership Through 2013
Event To Bring Thousands of People to Hartford in October
March 26, 2012, Glastonbury, Conn. – The Hartford Marathon Foundation is
pleased to announce the continued partnership with ING U.S. for
Connecticut's premier running event, the ING Hartford Marathon and Half
Marathon. ING, title sponsor of the Marathon since 2008, has extended its
commitment through 2013. Together, the Foundation and ING have catapulted
the Marathon to become nationally recognized. The Foundation is thankful to
ING for its ongoing support and dedication; the 2012 event will take place
on Saturday, Oct. 13 in Bushnell Park. For information, visit
www.INGHartfordMarathon.com
Since joining forces, race participation for the event has grown 113%, and
14,000 individuals are expected to compete this year. Each October,
Hartford and the surrounding communities are bustling with more than 45,000
runners, spectators and volunteers. Since the Marathon's inception in 1994,
the event has pumped an estimated $55 million into the local economy.
"Our continued partnership with ING is truly an honor for the Hartford
Marathon Foundation. With ING's support, we've added new programs to ING
Hartford Marathon events and have gained national exposure in the sports
world," said Beth Shluger, Executive Director of the Hartford Marathon
Foundation. "We are dedicated to helping athletes meet their fitness goals
by creating a race atmosphere and resources that are inspiring and promote
safety and wellness."
"The ING Hartford Marathon and Half Marathon has become one of the best
running events in the Northeast, and we're thrilled to extend our role as
title sponsor," said Ann Glover, Chief Marketing Officer of ING U.S. "With
a major presence in the region, the Marathon represents a wonderful
opportunity to support Greater Hartford while enabling our employees to get
involved in the community."
In 2011, the Hartford Marathon Foundation established the inaugural ING
Elite Inspiration Team to recognize the many inspiring personal journeys
that compel participants to run ING Hartford Marathon events. With the
shared commitment to health and well being, ING was named presenting
sponsor of the Team and helped to honor and recognize the 11-member group
during race weekend festivities. The program was a huge success and will
continue going forward.
Both ING and the Foundation are dedicated to children's fitness. New for
2012, the Foundation will provide additional events for 2-17 year olds,
specialized youth training guides and resources and information for parents
in a dedicated new website, HartfordMarathon.com/FitKids. The ING Hartford
Marathon events feature a Kids K on race morning, and the ING Run For
Something Better program, which engages thousands of Hartford-area middle
school students in running their own half marathon leading up to marathon
weekend. The program culminates with a race event at Bushnell Park on the
Friday before Marathon weekend.
About the Hartford Marathon Foundation
Founded in 1994, the Hartford Marathon Foundation was created to bring
large-scale athletic events to the city of Hartford and state of
Connecticut. Now in its 19th year, the Foundation organizes over 50 runs,
triathlons and training programs for adults and children. Annually, over
43,000 athletes and 60,000 spectators participate in Foundation events.
HMF has been awarded numerous accolades for their eco-friendly initiatives
and commitment to organizing programs that promote health, fitness and
enjoyment for all participants. For more information, please visit
HartfordMarathon.com
About ING U.S.
ING U.S. constitutes the U.S.-based retirement, insurance and investment
management operations of Dutch-based ING Groep N.V. (NYSE: ING). In the
U.S., the ING family of companies offers a comprehensive array of financial
services to retail and institutional clients, which includes life
insurance, retirement plans, mutual funds, managed accounts, alternative
investments, institutional investment management, annuities, employee
benefits and financial planning. ING holds top-tier rankings in key U.S.
markets and serves approximately 15 million customers across the nation.
For more information, visit http://ing.us.
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