In recognition of National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino and Saucony, Inc., announced that Boston Moves for Health, the Mayor’s ambitious initiative to improve the health and fitness of the city, will partner with the Saucony Run For Good Foundation and its Run4Good App to inspire even more Bostonians, including the city’s youth, to get moving.
Joining the Mayor at The Rose F. Kennedy Greenway, were members of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Team who led a group of students from Timilty Middle School of Roxbury on a run as Mayor Menino proclaimed the day as Saucony Run For Good Day in Boston. In celebration, the Saucony Run For Good Foundation presented a grant to the American Diabetes Association New England to launch a running program for overweight youth in the city.
“Boston Moves for Health is all about inspiring lots of little changes in people’s lifestyles that add up to better health for individuals and our city as a whole,” said Mayor Menino. “We're grateful to have a partner like Saucony that understands that the community’s health is just as important as the health of their business. We have a responsibility to do everything we can to make sure today’s youth grow up to be healthy adults, and I’m excited that this partnership will take our efforts to the next level.”
Launched in April, Boston Moves for Health is working to increase access to free and low-cost physical fitness resources for people that live and work in the city. Free exercise classes on City Hall Plaza, new programming at community centers and schools, and partnerships to build healthy environments in childcare settings are just a few examples of the city’s efforts to date. As part of the initiative, Mayor Menino has challenged the city to come together to lose 1 million pounds and move 10 million miles collectively.
“Studies show that a child who is obese between the ages of 10 and 13 has a 70% chance of becoming an obese adult,” said Richie Woodworth, president of the Saucony Run For Good Foundation Board of Directors and Saucony, Inc. “At the current pace, research estimates that a majority of American adults will be obese by 2030: Those adults are today’s children.”
“At Saucony, our brand mission is to inspire others to run, and more than ever, that must include our kids. Partnering with Mayor Menino’s Boston Moves for Health initiative to encourage even more residents to join the Mayor’s 10 million mile challenge with the support of the Saucony Run4Good app is an impactful way for people to connect as a community and join the battle against childhood obesity. Using the Run4Good app is easy: by tracking miles ran or walked with the app, the community is helping Saucony donate to organizations that keep kids active and healthy,” added Woodworth.
Three members of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Team, all Saucony sponsored athletes, were on hand for the announcement: DeeDee Trotter, 2012 Olympic gold and bronze medalist (4x400m relay and 400m); Lauryn Williams, 2012 Olympic gold medalist (4X100m relay); and Providence, R.I. resident Molly Huddle (5000m). During the ceremony, Trotter addressed the students, encouraging them to “find your strong through daily physical activity-dancing to music, riding a bike or getting involved in activities like running, swimming or playing sports.”
Saucony is appealing to Boston runners and walkers to download the free Saucony Run4Good app, join the Boston Moves for Health team on the app and hit the roads. The GPS-enabled app will track and accumulate runners’ and walkers’ mileage. When Mayor Menino’s 10 million miles challenge goal is reached, Saucony will award a Run For Good grant to a Boston youth running program. So far, Bostonians have helped register over two million miles at www.BostonMovesForHealth.org. The Run4Good app can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or by going to saucony.com/run4good.
Further underlining the spirit of the day, Saucony’s Woodworth presented a Run For Good grant to the American Diabetes Association’s Greater Boston Chapter. Al Whitaker, Community Programs Director for the ADA accepted the grant, saying: “On behalf of the ADA, thank you Saucony for this generous grant to support the launch of Run for Your Life!, a clinical weight loss program for overweight and obese youth in the Greater Boston area.”
Since 2006 the Saucony Run For Good Foundation has awarded nearly $1 million in grants to youth running programs nationwide getting kids on the fast track to health. In the wake of newly released research forecasting a dramatic rise in obesity rates and the likely resulting rise in obesity-related health care costs, Saucony is ramping up its fight against childhood obesity with the Run4Good app, the industry’s first-ever iPhone app dedicated to preventing childhood obesity.
“This is an extraordinary opportunity for the Boston community to do good just by going out for their daily run or walk,” said Woodworth. “Reversing the childhood obesity crisis is at the core of the future health of our country. Boston Moves for Health, Saucony Run For Good and the Run4Good app together open the door for more residents to join the cause simply by running or walking, with Saucony making the critical contributions that will ensure a healthier future for our most important resource: our children.”
For more information on how the Saucony Run For Good Foundation can help local youth communities nationwide, visit www.sauconyrunforgood.com.
