FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ron Abrahamson, Board President
(763) 287-3888 ext. 12
Megan Ryan, Marketing & PR Manager
(763) 287-3888, ext. 13
TWIN CITIES MARATHON GEARS UP FOR RACE WEEKEND
Solid Event Plans and New Sponsors
Put the Organization in Best Financial Shape Ever
(Minneapolis, MN) - With less than three weeks before race weekend, the
Twin Cities Marathon (TCM) announced today that all target goals have been
met regarding participant numbers and sponsorship levels. TCM President,
Ron Abrahamson noted that "Plans are in place for the best TCM weekend in
the organization's history." In addition to record participants, TCM has
signed new Gold-level sponsors ING and Capella University to support the
Most Beautiful Urban Marathon in America ™.
While TCM volunteers can take credit for helping staff host a race that's
been termed "Best Organized Race" by Runner's World magazine, it's the
generosity of sponsors who help make for a successful event by helping to
create the full "TCM experience." "The relationship with both ING and
Capella makes a lot of sense because the core values of setting and
achieving goals - financial, educational, or personal - are a common thread
among each organization," said Abrahamson. "While it takes discipline to
run a marathon, it also takes discipline to commit to the long journey of
financial planning and education."
For their part, ING will sponsor the Twin Cities Marathon ING Health &
Fitness Expo. ING is a well-known supporter of marathons internationally
and is currently the title sponsor for the New York City, Amsterdam,
Brussels and Ottawa marathons. "The Twin Cities Marathon is one of the top
marathons in the country. Being associated with it in a meaningful way
supports our goal to help the Twin Cities community become more familiar
with ING, at the same time that it extends ING's sponsorship of major
marathons worldwide, " said Jim Gelder, President, ING Life Distribution.
TCM also announced that Capella University, an accredited on-line
university that offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in
business, technology, education, human services and psychology, will
sponsor a full mile of the marathon course. Capella University will
decorate the course with motivational messages between miles 18 and 19 as
participants prepare for "the wall."
The support provided by these and other sponsors help create the full "TCM
Experience." According to Abrahamson, "Race Weekend is not just about
putting on a race, it's also a twenty-six mile progressive block party for
the Twin Cities. We are proud to have more than 250,000 spectators along
the course, many throw block parties and provide entertainment for the
passing participants," said Abrahamson. "It's a great way for the
community to come together to connect with each other as well as supporting
the marathon field."
The 2004 Twin Cities Marathon weekend is October 1-3. The three-day
weekend celebration of fitness includes a 5K run/walk, children's fun runs,
pasta dinner, two-day health and fitness expo and a 10-mile race in
addition to the marathon. Twin Cities Marathon continues its 14th
consecutive year as the designated USATF National Masters Championship for
both men and women. Major corporate sponsors for the marathon are Cub
Foods and Seagate Technology. Twin Cities Marathon, Inc. is a non-profit
organization that directs the TCM weekend as a community service for the
Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Visit www.twincitiesmarathon.org for more
information.
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