UnitedHealthcare has announced it will once again team up with IronKids for the 2013 UnitedHealthcare IronKids National Race series across the US. Through the extended partnership, UnitedHealthcare and IronKids aim to inspire and motivate young people to lead active, positive and healthy lifestyles. UnitedHealthcare will sponsor 10 youth events – nine running races and a triathlon – in seven US states.
Open to participants aged 3 to 15, the UnitedHealthcare IronKids 2013 Running Series features age-appropriate health activities such as the one-mile walk/run as well as music and health expos, and the opportunity to watch Ironman and Ironman 70.3 events along with hundreds of spectators.
“We are thrilled to once again have UnitedHealthcare team-up with IronKids to sponsor the 2013 UnitedHealthcare IronKids National Race Series,” said Carola Ross, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Ironman North America. “The opportunity that it affords thousands of youth in these communities is a fun way to get up and be active while educating on the importance of living a healthy lifestyle.”
UnitedHealthcare employees will also be on hand at the races to cheer youth participants and lead healthy, hands-on activities such as games and exercises, as well as distribute educational materials. The company will award each runner with water, healthy snacks, t-shirts and medals.
This is the second year UnitedHealthcare is supporting IronKids races and is part of the company’s overall commitment to help stem the rising tide of childhood obesity through healthy lifestyles. Obesity among children and adolescents in the US has almost tripled since 1980, with nearly one in three children being overweight or obese, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Children from low-income and low-education households are three-times more likely to suffer from obesity, which is a leading risk factor for diabetes, heart disease and many cancers, according to America’s Health Rankings, an annual comprehensive assessment of the US nation’s health on a state-by-state basis. Texas ranks 40th among all 50 states in obesity; more than 30% of Texans have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher.
The first event will kick off on 6 April in Galveston, the coastal city in Texas, at the UnitedHealthcare IronKids Galveston Fun Run. Here, hundreds of young people, aged 3 to 15, will participate in a one-mile race to raise awareness about obesity and living healthily. UnitedHealthcare mascot ‘Dr. Health E. Hound’ will participate in the event, helping kids and their parents with warm-up exercises and joining the kids at the starting line to officially kick-off the race.
UnitedHealthcare and the Galveston Boys & Girls Club, which works with youth in underserved communities, will sponsor more than 50 runners. The company will provide complimentary entry fees for the race and weekend-long activities, enabling youth who often face barriers to good health, such as the cost of participating in athletic events, to compete in a running event.
“These IronKids races are creating an inspirational environment where children, young adults and families can learn how healthier living can enhance their well-being and inspire the athlete in all of us,” said Steve Nelson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Community & State.
“Children can enjoy a lifetime of good health and wellness by learning about the benefits of healthy lifestyles at an early age, and how exercise can take them across finish lines they had never imagined.”
The UnitedHealthcare IronKids National Race series schedule includes 10 events in seven states beginning on 6 April and ending on 16 November. Cities and dates include:
- Galveston, Texas, 6 April
- Haines City, Florida, 18 May
- Syracuse, New York, 22 June
- Lake Stevens, Washington, 20 July
- Lake Placid, New York, 26 July
- Las Vegas, Nevada, 7 September
- Madison, Wisconsin, 7 September
- Panama City Beach, Florida, 1 November
- Tempe, Arizona, 16 November
All the events are one-mile ‘fun runs’ with the exception of Haines City, Florida, which will include a triathlon.
IronKids is owned by Ironman brand owner World Triathlon Corp (WTC). After being acquired from the Sara Lee Corporation, which owned the event series since 1985, IronKids relaunched in 2009 with nine events in the IronKids National Triathlon Series. Since the inaugural year, IronKids has seen more than 60,000 participants and has grown to over 40 events worldwide including races in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and North America.
The brand represents ‘a multi-dimensional approach to creating positive experiences for athletes, families and communities as, as well as embodies achievement and determination while fostering self-esteem.’ The IronKids mission is to inspire and motivate through the sport to live an active, positive and healthy lifestyle.
www.ironkids.com
www.uhc.com
www.ironman.com
