FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: John Clark
865-974-5186
Covenant Health Sponsors Knoxville Marathon
Covenant Health will be the official presenting sponsor of the
inaugural Knoxville Marathon in 2005, Knoxville Track Club President Carl
Sexton announced Nov. 17.
"We are excited to welcome Covenant Health as presenting sponsor of
the Knoxville Marathon," Sexton said. "Covenant's support of this event
reflects the organization's commitment to the community at large, to
promoting healthy lifestyles and to the local sport of running."
Tony Spezia, Covenant Health president and CEO, said the
organization's sponsorship supports Covenant Health’s mission to improve
the health and quality of life in East Tennessee.
"It is also because of our commitment to the community that we sought
to sponsor the Knoxville Marathon," Spezia said. "We are excited about the
opportunity to contribute to the success of the marathon and to assist the
Knoxville Track Club in presenting a first-class event.
"The marathon will increase community interest in running and
fitness, and motivate people to start walking or jogging. We'll offer
special programs for beginners, and our orthopedic physicians, sports
medicine specialists and physical therapists have programs to help
individuals improve upon an exercise regimen and to assist runners in
training."
To generate interest in running and the marathon, Covenant Health
will train nine individuals for the marathon and report their progress in a
weekly film segment on WBIR Channel 10. The "Covenant Health Knoxville
Marathon Minute," featuring fitness guru Missy Kane as team coach, will air
during the Wheel of Fortune on Tuesdays evenings beginning Nov. 30.
The Knoxville Marathon Organization, in conjunction with the
Knoxville Track Club, the University of Tennessee, the City of Knoxville,
and Knox County, will host the inaugural Knoxville Marathon on Sunday,
March 20, 2005.
The multi-faceted weekend will include a pre-race EXPO on Saturday,
March 19, and multiple races on Sunday, March 20: a full marathon, a half
marathon, a 5k run, and a kids' 1.2 mile run. All participants will finish
in UT’s Neyland Stadium Click Here, one of the country’s most impressive
collegiate athletic facilities, and will be featured on the JumboTron, a
massive outdoor LED video board that is 51 feet high by 132 feet wide.
Up to 5,000 runners are expected with participation capped as
follows: marathon: 1,000 (including relay teams); half marathon: 2,000; 5K:
1,500; and Kids' run: 500.
The Knoxville Marathon will be a premier event organized by the
Knoxville Track Club, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the
encouragement of physical well being through running, jogging, competitive
road racing, racewalking, fun runs, cross country, and track & field. The
KTC is approximately 2,000 members strong.
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