Saucony, Inc. has partnered with the largest grassroots running organization in the country, the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA), to support the 4th Annual National Run@Work Day, held Sept. 18. The event is designed to promote physical activity and healthy living within the workplace, local community and around the country.
Next Friday, employees of Saucony and its parent company, The Stride Rite Corporation, will log mileage during outdoor runs led by Saucony associates and by running on a treadmill located inside the company's central atrium area. In a company-wide show of support for the Annual National Run@Work Day, Saucony president Richie Woodworth will lead off the first leg on the treadmill, with Gregg Ribatt, The Stride Rite Corporation's CEO, running the day's final miles. At the end of the day, The Stride Rite Corporation will donate $100.00 per mile run by employees, with a cap of $6,000, to the Saucony Run For Good Foundation, designed to help end the childhood obesity epidemic through financial grants in support of kids'running programs.
“The goal of National Run@Work Day is to raise awareness about the benefits of running and other daily physical activity,” said Richie Woodworth, president of Saucony and the Saucony Run for Good Board of Directors. “At Saucony, a good day is when we get to run; a great day is when we inspire someone else to run. Sharing the true spirit of our brand and the benefits of running is a healthy pursuit for everyone within our workplace community,” added Woodworth.
“The RRCA is excited to have Saucony involved in promoting and hosting a local Run@Work Day event,” commented Jean Knaack, executive director of the RRCA. “Participation in the 4th Annual RRCA National Run@Work Day is an important step in raising awareness about the importance of daily physical activity. Running is one of the most affordable, accessible, and physically beneficial forms of exercise. Please join us on September 18, 2009 by making time in your busy schedule to plan and/or participate in a local Run@Work Day event.”
National Run@Work Day events are community-based events that promote and provide the opportunity for individuals to incorporate at least 35 minutes of exercise into their daily routine either before work, during lunch, or immediately following work. Incorporating exercise into one's daily routine can markedly improve one's overall physical health.
Facts on Obesity and Related Health Conditions, Costs
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) estimates that 64% of adults in America are either overweight (33%) or obese (31%), meaning they have an excess weight of 30 lbs or more. For over 20 years, the CDC has been tracking obesity trends and has reported that the rate of overweight adults in the US has increased by 18% in those 20 years.
The results of overweight and obesity can put a person at increased risks of many diseases and health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, among others. The rise of overweight and obesity and the resulting health conditions has a dramatic effect on health insurance costs across the country. It is estimated that overweight and obesity health related medical costs have reached an all-time high of $75.8 billion per year (www.cdc.gov), a cost which is being passed onto employers and healthy employees.
