FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Elaine Fitzgerald
(954) 956-8999 office
(954) 471-6704 cell
Dozens of Companies Sign On to Sponsor Greater Fort Lauderdale¹s
Inaugural A1A Marathon, Presented by Wachovia, Feb. 19
FT. LAUDERDALE / BOCA RATON, Fla. Dozens of major South Florida
companies are taking advantage of the soaring popularity of marathons by
attaching their names to Greater Fort Lauderdale's inaugural A1A Marathon
and half marathon. Topping the list for the February 19th race is
Wachovia, which has signed on as presenting sponsor. Nova Southeastern
University is title sponsor of the health and fitness expo that precedes
the race a day earlier.
The A1A Marathon will be the first marathon in Broward County since the
1970s and will qualify men and women of various age groups for the
prestigious Boston Marathon. With a 6:30 a.m. start, the USA Track & Field
(USATF) certified course will take runners through the coastal communities
of Fort Lauderdale, Lauderdale-By-The-Sea and Pompano Beach.
"Wachovia wanted to get involved for a lot of reasons," said Jorge
Gonzalez, president of Wachovia¹s 78 bank branches in Broward County. "We
believe the A1A Marathon will be a fun event that adds to the quality of
life for local residents and visitors alike, and it is a good fit with our
company¹s extensive wellness program for our employees." Wachovia has a
two-year option to continue as presenting sponsor or upgrade to title
sponsor.
Nova Southeastern University has signed a two-year title deal for the
health and fitness expo which takes place the day before the marathon.
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel signed a two-year media sponsorship. WRMF
97.9 will sponsor the Beach Place Award Celebration along with Michelob
Ultra, Official Beer of the A1A Marathon.
About 1,000 runners are expected to run the full 26.2-mile marathon, and
another 1,500 are expected to run the half marathon. The flat elevation,
Presidents¹ Day holiday weekend and February's cool temperatures are
expected to draw even more runners to the first-time event.
In 2005, some 383,000 people finished marathons across the United States,
according to statistics compiled by MarathonGuide.com. Women made up 40%
of that figure, up from 37.5% in the year 2000. The demographics make
marathons a popular choice for corporations who wish to sponsor or take
part in events with participants who are largely business professionals.
"I thought it would be fun to participate together as a company," said
Grace German of Pompano Beach. She is joining several people from her
company, Ameripath medical billing, who all signed up for the half
marathon.
Additional sponsors of the A1A Marathon and Half Marathon include:
Zephyrhills Natural Spring Water, Vista Healthplans, American Airlines
American Eagle, Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau -
sunny.org, Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty-Six, Bahia Mar Beach Resort & Yachting
Center, Blue Wave Apparel and Shoe Megastore, A1A Airport & Limousine
Services, Renaissance Fort Lauderdale Hotel, The Gallery at Beach Place,
BJs Wholesale Club, Circle K, Bahia Cabana Beach Resort, Be- better
nutrition for active lifestyles, Sun-Sentinel, Comcast/Charter Sports
Southeast, WFTL 850, ESPN 1400-AM Radio, Big 105.9 Miami¹s Classic Rock,
TradeFirst.com, YMCA, and the American Lung Association of Florida.
Athletes, volunteers, and corporate sponsors can sign up to participate by
going to www.a1amarathon.com or by calling (561) 241-3801.
Participants who wish to walk instead of run in the marathon are invited to
join the half-marathon. Athletes will check in the day before the race on
February 18 at the Broward County Convention Center, where a free running
and health Expo sponsored by NOVA Southeastern University will be held for
race participants and open to the public.
For more information about the A1A Marathon and half marathon, the course,
rules, event schedules and more, please visit www.a1amarathon.com or
contact race organizers at Exclusive Sports Marketing at (561) 341-3801.
Note to Editors: High resolution photos of A1A practice runs, event logos
and press releases can be found on the News Media page of
www.a1amarathon.com. If you would like to interview/photograph athletes
from your community who are preparing to run in the A1A Marathon, please
call Elaine Fitzgerald for a list of your local participants and some
special stories associated with them.
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