FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Boston Athletic Association Invites the World to
Run with New, Online Platform
Boston Marathon World Run Application Encourages Runners of All Abilities
to Participate in the Athletic Spirit of the 2014 Boston Marathon
BOSTON, February 5, 2014 – The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.),
organizer of the Boston Marathon, today launched Boston Marathon World Run,
a mobile application and website that connects runners from around the
world with the 2014 Boston Marathon. In response to receiving an
unprecedented amount of inquiries from runners seeking to participate in
the 2014 Boston Marathon, the B.A.A. created a virtual experience in which
all runners, regardless of ability or geography, could run a distance of
their choosing and participate in the athletic spirit of the event.
"We've seen a tremendous outpouring of support and a high-level of interest
in participating this year," said Tom Grilk, executive director, Boston
Athletic Association. "While we were able to increase our field size by
9,000 to 36,000 runners, we can only physically accommodate so many runners
on the course and we were nowhere near meeting demand. Through technology,
we wanted to create something that engendered that same sense of community
and resiliency as the race itself, ensuring that no one would be denied the
chance to have their own 2014 Boston Marathon experience. The app does just
that."
Created in partnership with John Hancock Financial, Boston Marathon World
Run is available for Apple and Android devices and integrates with social
media networks to create a virtual running community. There is no
registration fee. It's also available in website form at
www.bostonmarathonworldrun.org. The objective is for participants to
achieve their self-determined running goals by the evening of the 2014
Boston Marathon, April 21, 2014. Users, who can participate individually or
in teams, receive digital training and finisher badges as part of the
program, as well as a bib number and finisher certificate.
"As a long-time partner of the B.A.A. and the principal sponsor of the
Boston Marathon, John Hancock is eager to support the B.A.A. in this first
of its kind inclusive global event," said Rob Friedman, head of sponsorship
and event marketing at John Hancock Financial. "No matter where you live,
or how fast you move forward, we invite you to become a Boston Marathon
World Runner. Let's show our support for the City of Boston and see how far
we can go together in 2014."
Boston Marathon World Run also encourages participants to contribute to One
Fund Boston through distance pledging and online donations. One Fund Boston
was created by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and former Boston Mayor
Thomas Menino to raise money to help the families most affected by the
tragic events that unfolded on April 15, 2013.
Lagardére Unlimited, a global consulting and sports marketing agency,
created and developed the app in conjunction with the B.A.A. The goal of
the app is to build a community of virtual runners and fans from all over
the world who can participate, donate, post pictures and videos, and
interact with one another in real time.
Additional notes on Boston Marathon World Run:
All participants will be able to begin a group or join an existing group
and invite their contacts to participate.
All runners will be able to pledge a distance, in miles or kilometers, and
may update that pledge as they progress.
Global Ambassadors, including past Boston Marathon champions and current
Boston Marathon elite athletes, will also be logging miles and uploading
photos and videos.
The number of registrants, the total miles or kilometers pledged, and the
funds raised through World Run for One Fund Boston will be updated in real
time.
Participants will be able to share their experience with the community by
uploading photos and videos. An interactive map will display participants'
content to show community activity in real time.
About the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.)
Established in 1887, the Boston Athletic Association is a non-profit
organization with a mission of managing athletic events and promoting a
healthy lifestyle through sports, especially running. The B.A.A.'s Boston
Marathon is the world's oldest annual marathon, and the organization
manages other local events and supports comprehensive charity, youth, and
year-round running programs. Since 1986, the principal sponsor of the
Boston Marathon has been John Hancock Financial. The Boston Marathon is
part of the World Marathon Majors, along with the international marathons
in Tokyo, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York City. Nearly 50,000 runners
will participate in B.A.A. events in 2013. The 118th Boston Marathon will
be held on Monday, April 21, 2014. For more information on the B.A.A.,
please visit www.baa.org.
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