New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc. recently signed on as the official footwear sponsor of the Mens Health Urbanathlon & Festival on October 1, 2006. This unique, physically demanding athletic competition will incorporate a run, stair climb, marine hurdles, and an urban agility course into a three-leg race played out on the streets and landmarks of New York City.
“We are honored to be a part of this one-of-a-kind athletic event, which not only reflects our commitment to grassroots athletics, but also celebrates the spirit of competition and personal achievement,” says Kevin Milhomme, senior integrated marketing associate at New Balance. “This event is an exciting way for New Balance to reach out to the fitness enthusiast consumer with our performance and fit messages and introduce our innovative footwear to more athletes.”
As the official footwear sponsor, New Balance will outfit Mens Health Urbanathlon & Festival event staff, provide merchandise giveaways, and age-group winners will receive New Balance products as prizes. The company will have pre-race and race-day signage (including motivational and informative messages along the stairwells of 7 World Trade), and New Balance will outfit members of the Challenged Athletes Foundation team. New Balance will also host an interactive booth at the race-day festival, featuring the M/W1000 a mens and womens running shoe with premium Abzorb® EX cushioning for superior comfort, durability, and stability.
The event will include a 52-floor stair climb to the top (and back) of 7 World Trade Center, marine hurdles aboard the flight deck of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, a run along the West Side bike path, an obstacle course at Chelsea Piers, and an urban agility course in Central Park.
