FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: JEN MCNEILL
Carey O'Donnell PR Group
(561) 832-3231
Marathon of the Palm Beaches Announces Presenting Sponsor,
Final Race Course and Expanded Weekend of Events
Second annual event to take full advantage of the Intracoastal Waterway and
offer more diversions for runners, their families and the local community.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (June 15, 2005) - On the heels of the highly
successful inaugural Marathon of the Palm Beaches, the Chamber of Commerce
of the Palm Beaches announced today its plans to enhance the second annual
event with new features and events designed to take full advantage of the
area's Intracoastal waterfront vistas and attract more participation from
the national running community and local residents. The enhancements
include alterations to the race course, a retailored Sports & Fitness Expo
and the addition of a 5k and 5k Team race; a Ronald McDonald's Kids K and
Kids Marathon Mile; a "Get Out Get Active" fitness program; and a post-race
party for runners and volunteers. West Palm Beach-headquartered Jacuzzi
Brands, a leader in the manufacture and marketing of whirlpool baths,
spas and commercial plumbing products, will serve as the presenting sponsor
for this year's event.
The focal points of the race weekend will be the 26.2-mile marathon and
13.1-mile half marathon that will unfold along the event's signature flat,
waterfront course. The race will be held Sunday, Dec. 4 from 6:30 a.m. to
12:00 p.m., and registration will be limited to 5,000 runners total for
both events. Dave McGillivray, race director of the world famous Boston
Marathon, returns as the race director for the Palm Beach County event.
"The second year is the most crucial to the overall success of a marathon,"
said Dennis Grady, president of the Chamber of Commerce of the Palm
Beaches. "Dave and the City of West Palm Beach have provided tremendous
support to help us make necessary changes that will increase participation
levels throughout the weekend, attract more runners and visitors to the
area and create a rewarding experience for everyone involved. We had
remarkable success in our first year, setting a high standard for us to
surpass. We think we've put a program in place that will demonstrate to
the local community and running world that our event has the growth,
staying power and quality to become a heralded race on the marathon
circuit."
New Race Course for 2005
The new race course for the full and half marathons has received
certification from USA Track and Field (USATF) and will again serve as a
qualifier for the Boston Marathon. Last year, 77 participants qualified to
run in Boston.
The course has been altered to maximize the safety, scenery and enjoyment
for the runners. Race officials have eliminated portions of last year's
routes that extended west of Flagler Drive, opting instead to bring the
entire course further east, following the scenic, serpentine route of the
Intracoastal Waterway. This has increased the waterfront vistas from
roughly 50 percent of the course in the first year to 70 - 75 percent. By
redesigning routes along the long stretches of waterfront, race officials
have also created a course that will enable a larger amount of spectators
to line the entire route from start to finish.
Both the 26.2-mile and 13.1-mile races will start and finish adjacent to
the waterfront Meyer Amphitheater in Downtown West Palm Beach, with the
half-marathoners in the west lanes of Flagler Drive and the marathoners on
the east lanes. All runners will head south along the waterfront into the
City of Lake Worth. This year's course extends a few blocks further south
into Lake Worth before looping back to the north. Runners will pass
through the historic West Palm Beach neighborhoods of South End, Southland
Park, Monceaux/Prospect Park, El Cid, and then the half-marathon
participants will return to the Meyer Amphitheater. The full marathon
course will continue north along the Intracoastal Waterway passing Currie
Park and extending through the historic neighborhoods of Old Northwood,
Northwood Harbor and Northwood Shores, before making the final turnaround
at the north end of the Skypass Bridge in Riviera Beach, which overlooks
the Port of Palm Beach and Peanut Island. On the return south to the Meyer
Amphitheater, runners will pass through the Northwood Shores and Northwood
Park communities, back to the Intracoastal Waterway.
"This year's route will continue to take advantage of the area's
magnificent, tree-lined historic neighborhoods, while bringing the focus
back to the waterfront, which is one of the best selling points for our
marathon," said McGillivray. "One of the most frequent questions we get
from out-of-state runners is 'what is the elevation of the course?' The
answer is sea level. You couldn't ask for a faster, flatter course! The
changes we made this year will only add to the speed of the runners, as
we've eliminated potential problem areas that could involve traffic flow
and construction issues. I think we've revised the course in a way that
will elevate the experience for everyone involved."
Enhanced Weekend of Events, Dec. 2 - 4
The weekend of race-related activities kicks off with the two-day Sports &
Fitness Expo at the Harriet Himmel Theater at CityPlace. It provides a
more intimate, dynamic and interactive environment that fits with the size
of the race itself. The Harriet will serve as the site for runner
registration and packet pickup, plus feature approximately 40 exhibitors
with fitness-related displays, lectures and clinics that will be held
inside the theater and outside on the CityPlace plaza. The expo runs from
Friday, Dec. 2 from 12:00 to 8:00 p.m. to Saturday, Dec. 3 from 9:00 a.m.
to 3:00 p.m., and is free and open to the public.
The rising popularity of 5k races across the country prompted race
officials to add a 5k Race and 5-Person 5k Team Race on Saturday, Dec. 3 at
8:00 a.m. The 3.1-mile race will begin and end along the waterfront Meyer
Amphitheatre north to Currie Park and back. In the 5k Team Race, five
members race together, with the final score compiled from the finishing
times of each member. The race is open to all groups, including corporate
teams, and replaces last year's marathon team relays. Registration for the
5k and 5k Team Race will be limited to 1,000 runners.
Also scheduled for Saturday Dec. 3 is the Ronald McDonald Kids K and the
Kids Marathon Mile, presented by Ronald McDonald House Charities of
South Florida.
The Kids Marathon Mile is the conclusion of the "Get Out Get Active"
Fitness Program, a partnership launched by the Marathon of the Palm
Beaches, the School District of Palm Beach County and Palm Beach County
Commissioner Jeff Koons to bring fitness awareness to children at an early
age. Physical education teachers at elementary schools will monitor, train
and encourage students to run a full, 26.2-mile marathon in increments,
leading up to the Marathon of the Palm Beaches race weekend. Students log
the miles as they go and complete their final mile during the Kids Marathon
Mile, the first of the day's events on Saturday, Dec. 3 beginning at 9:00
a.m. on Flagler Drive in Downtown West Palm Beach. Registration is $5 and
includes an official Kids Marathon Mile t-shirt, medals and other prizes.
The program is open to all Palm Beach County elementary school students,
and marathon officials hope to extend the program in future years to Palm
Beach County middle schools.
The Ronald McDonald Kids K will also occur on Flagler Drive, starting at
9:30 a.m. The race features 10 - 12 heats for children up to the age of 12.
Registration is $5 per child and is limited to 750 runners. As part of the
effort to promote the race and encourage children in the local community to
participate, McDonald's is launching a contest where children age six to 12
will have the opportunity to create the design for the official Kids K
t-shirt. Contest forms will be available in every McDonald's restaurant in
Palm Beach County by July, and the illustrations submitted will be judged
by members of the Marathon Committee, School District of Palm Beach County
and public officials. The winner of the contest will be announced in
September and will receive special prizes and free entry into the Kids K.
Rounding out the weekend events is the post-race party at the Meyer
Amphitheater hosted by Columbia Restaurant. The historic,
Spanish/Cuban-style restaurant will provide black beans, rice and Cuban
bread to all participants and volunteers. Vendors will also be on site to
provide food and refreshments for spectators. The post-race party is from
11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
About the Marathon of the Palm Beaches
Registration for the inaugural Marathon of the Palm Beaches, held in
November 2004, reached capacity two weeks prior to the race with over 3,600
runners from 42 states and 17 countries participating, including 19 elite
athletes from Kenya, Ethiopia, Russia, Australia, the Netherlands, Peru and
Great Britain. More than 700 community volunteers provided valuable
support and the weekend of race events helped bring approximately $8
million into the local economy.
The 2nd Annual Marathon of the Palm Beaches, presented by Jacuzzi Brands,
will be held on Dec. 4, 2005 from 6:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The event is
managed by DMSE (Dave McGillivray Sports Enterprises) and co-sponsored by
WPBF Channel 25, 97.9 fm WRMF, ESPN Radio 760 AM, The Palm Beach Post,
Carey O'Donnell PR Group, Marriott West Palm Beach, Wilesmith Advertising &
Design, The City of West Palm Beach, Columbia Restaurants, Wachovia, Ruth's
Chris Steak House, Palm Beach County Convention & Visitor's Bureau, Brooks
Sports, Inc., Thorlos, Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Florida,
Palm Beach County Sports Commission, CityPlace, Dr. David W. Feld, Palm
Beach County Commissioner Jeff Koons, Tourneau, The Pepsi Cola Bottling
Company and Gatorade, Signs by Tomorrow, Florida Sun Waterfront Fitness,
Brightroom Photography, BellSouth, Forte Interactive, The Leukemia &
Lymphoma Society's Team in Training and Team DMSE.
For more information or to register online as a runner or volunteer, visit
www.marathonofthepalmbeaches.org, or call (561) 833-3711, ext 225.
About Jacuzzi Brands
Jacuzzi Brands, Inc. (NYSE: JJZ), through its subsidiaries, is a global
manufacturer and distributor of branded bath and plumbing products for the
residential, commercial and institutional markets. These include whirlpool
baths, spas, showers, sanitary ware and bathtubs, as well as professional
grade drainage, water control, commercial faucets and other plumbing
products. Products are marketed under a portfolio of brand names, including
JACUZZI(R), SUNDANCE(R), ZURN(R) and ASTRACAST(R). Learn more at
www.jacuzzibrands.com.
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