FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Garden Spot Village Marathon Goes Green in 2013
Stewardship is Among the Organization's Core Values
NEW HOLLAND, Pa. - March 11, 2013 - The organizers of the Garden Spot
Village Marathon are taking steps to help participants maintain healthy
levels of hydration while reducing the waste stream. Runners, walkers and
relay team members who take part in the fifth annual event, scheduled for
Saturday, April 6, 2013, will receive a HydraPouch® that they can fill
quickly and easily at the eight water stations along the 26.2-mile course.
The reusable pouches will reduce or eliminate the use of thousands of
disposable paper cups.
"Stewardship is one of the core values at Garden Spot Village, so for the
marathon's fifth anniversary, we chose a green theme," said Scott Miller,
race director and the community's chief marketing officer.
Coolers at the water stations will feature special high-speed valves that
enable runners to fill the pouch on the go, with one hand. Runners can sip
from the HydraPouch without spilling and refill it at the next station.
"At Garden Spot Village, we're always looking for ways to reduce our impact
on the environment," Miller said. Other green initiatives on the campus
have included replacing incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs,
using biodegradable plates and bowls for catered events that call for
disposable items, and using Green Seal-certified products for cleaning.
The keynote speaker at the pre-race pasta dinner on Friday, April 5, is
Rima Chai, known in marathon circles as Tyre Girl, who drags a tire behind
her as she runs to raise awareness for conservation and sustainability.
Garden Spot Village is also reinforcing the marathon's green theme with
green race shirts.
Participants in the marathon or half marathon may pick up their race
packets, including the HydraPouch, at the pre-race pasta dinner or
beginning at 6:30 a.m. on the day of the race.
The race starts at 8 a.m. The USA Track & Field (USATF)-certified, Boston
Marathon qualifier course starts near the Legacy Garden at Garden Spot
Village, and then winds through the scenic Amish farmlands at the foot of
the Welsh Mountain before looping back to the campus at 433 S. Kinzer Ave.
in New Holland. All participants have access to massages, showers, a pool
and a hot tub after the race.
The marathon is unique in that the masters' cash awards are the same
amounts as the overall awards. Cash awards will be given in four marathon
categories: Men Overall, Women Overall, Men 50-plus and Women 50-plus. In
each category, awards are $500 and a trophy for first place, with trophies
for second and third place. In addition, there will be first, second and
third place awards for men and women in age categories, in five-year
increments ranging from ages 13-19 to age 80-plus. All finishers receive a
medal.
Proceeds from the marathon benefit the Garden Spot Village Benevolent Fund,
which helps support residents who need financial assistance.
For more information, or to register for the race, visit
www.gardenspotvillagemarathon.org or find us on Facebook.
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