MEN’S HEALTH MAGAZINE’S URBANATHLON & FESTIVAL A CHICAGO RACE LIKE NO OTHER! SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2010
Celebrity Host Mario Lopez—host of the popular nationally syndicated show EXTRA and New York Times Best-Selling author— to Kick off Race
Race Includes Taxi Cab & Bus Hurdles, Solider Field Stair Climb
WHO: Men’s Health and celebrity host Mario Lopez, anchor of EXTRA, kick-off the biggest Chicago URBANATHLONTM ever! Over 7,000 racers will hit the newly revamped course.
WHAT: Men’s Health URBANATHLONTM & Festival, now in its fourth year in Chicago, is a one-of-a-kind, 9+ mile competition that combines traditional road race elements with rigorous obstacles and sets them against a backdrop of iconic city landmarks. Building on the success of last year’s event, Men’s Health is taking this year’s competition to the next level with tougher obstacles and a more intense, overhauled course, providing participants with the most unique and demanding race to date. Course highlights include: tire stutter-stepping and balancing across concrete barriers at Navy Pier, navigating a “traffic jam” and climbing over marine hurdles outside Soldier Field, traversing monkey bars through McCormick Place, the Soldier Field stair climb, and, of course, the taxi cab hurdles. New this year, participants will also have to scale a bus before heading to the 8-foot wall at the finish line.
WHERE: Start Line/Finish Line: The race starts and ends at Grant Park, Upper Hutchinson Field at the Corner of South Columbus Drive & East Balbo Avenue. For turn-by-turn directions check out the course page: http://www.menshealthurbanathlon.com/course.cfm
WHEN: Saturday, October 16
Racers line up at Upper Hutchinson Field
Race start: First wave: 7:45 a.m.; Last wave: 8:12 a.m.
Free Festival open to the public at 9:30 a.m.
INTERVIEWS: 7:15 a.m. - 8:00 a.m. with Mario Lopez and athletes at starting line at Upper Hutchinson Field
9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. at finish line at Upper Hutchinson Field
Interviews with Mario Lopez must be arranged in advance. Contact Lisa Ripson (312) 952-7394 or lisa.ripson@ripsoncommunications.com with all requests.
ADMISSION: Festival admission is free. Race pre-registration is required. To register go to:
SPONSORS: Official Sponsors Include: New Balance, Powerade Zero, Gillette Odor Shield, BSN Colorado Tourism, Givenchy Play. The Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) will be the Beneficiary of the race for the fourth year in a row. Participants can sign up for the Men's Health Mission to raise funds for CAF online at the URBANATHLONTM website. Equinox joins this year’s URBANATHLONTM event as the official Fitness Partner and other partners include TimeOut Chicago & Corona Light.
***B-ROLL AND PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE***
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Lisa Ripson
lisa.ripson@ripsoncommunications.com 312-952-7394