UnitedHealthcare is teaming up with IRONKIDS for the
UnitedHealthcare IRONKIDS® Las Vegas Fun Run to inspire and
motivate young people to lead active, positive and healthy lifestyles.
Young athletes cross the finish line with UnitedHealthcare mascot Dr. Health E. Hound at the 2013 UnitedHealthcare IRONKIDS Las Vegas Fun Run (Photo: Bryan Steffy).
The UnitedHealthcare IRONKIDS Las Vegas Fun Run will begin at 9 a.m. at
Henderson Pavilion - 200 South Green Valley Parkway in Henderson.
Participating children and their families are encouraged to arrive
early. Onsite registration and pre-event activities begin at 7:45 a.m.
and include healthy snacks, games, arts and crafts, educational
materials and warm-up exercises.
UnitedHealthcare mascot Dr. Health E. Hound will lead warm-up exercises
and join the kids at the starting line to officially kick-off the race.
Families, community leaders, UnitedHealthcare employees and IRONMAN
supporters will line the course to cheer for the young runners on their
quest to be “IRONKIDS.” Runners will receive race bibs, T-shirts and
medals at the finish line.
Las Vegas and Henderson-area kids and families are invited to
participate. The cost for registration is $15 for kids ages 3 to 15.
Registration details are available at www.IRONKIDS.com.
This is the second year UnitedHealthcare is sponsoring the one-mile Fun
Run in Nevada. The one mile fun run course for “triathletes to be” will
take place along portions of the 2014 IRONMAN® 70.3®
Silverman race course, which begins the next day.
UnitedHealthcare and IRONKIDS are providing 100 free registrations to
the Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas, and will donate $15 for each
registered runner, up to the first 200 participants. The donation will
support the Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas’ after-school health
programs.
“This IRONKIDS Fun Run is a great way for children and families in
Nevada to enhance their health and well-being,” said Don Giancursio,
CEO, UnitedHealthcare of Nevada. “We are grateful for the opportunity to
partner with the Boys & Girls Clubs and inspire young people to be
active and stay healthy.”
This is the third year UnitedHealthcare is supporting IRONKIDS as part
of the company’s commitment to help stem the rising tide of childhood
obesity through healthy lifestyles. Obesity among children and
adolescents has almost tripled since 1980, with nearly one in every
three children being overweight or obese, according to the U.S. Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Children from low-income and low-education households are three-times
more likely to suffer from obesity, which is a leading risk factor for
diabetes, heart disease and many cancers, according to America’s Health
Rankings®, an annual comprehensive assessment of the
nation’s health on a state-by-state basis.
The 2014 UnitedHealthcare IRONKIDS North American Running Series
features nine Fun Runs and a dip-and-dash, as well as music and health
expos, and the opportunity to watch IRONMAN® and
IRONMAN® 70.3® events with hundreds
of spectators.
“We are thrilled to have UnitedHealthcare team up with IRONKIDS to
sponsor these youth events across the country as part of our IRONMAN
series,” said Carola Ross, Chief Sales Officer for IRONMAN. “The
opportunity these Fun Runs give children in these communities is
tremendous, as these races can be the catalyst for a lifetime of
exercise and healthy living.”
About IRONKIDS
After being
acquired from the Sara Lee Corporation, which owned the event series
since 1985, IRONKIDS® launched in 2009 with
nine events in the IRONKIDS® National Triathlon
Series. Since the inaugural year, IRONKIDS has seen more than 60,000
participants and has grown to over 40 events worldwide including races
in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and North America. The brand
represents a multi-dimensional approach to creating positive experiences
for athletes, families and communities as, as well as embodies
achievement and determination while fostering self-esteem. The IRONKIDS
mission is to inspire and motivate through the sport to live an active,
positive and healthy lifestyle. For more information visit www.ironkids.com.
About UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare
is dedicated to helping people nationwide live healthier lives by
simplifying the health care experience, meeting consumer health and
wellness needs, and sustaining trusted relationships with care
providers. The company offers the full spectrum of health benefit
programs for individuals, employers and Medicare and Medicaid
beneficiaries, and contracts directly with more than 800,000 physicians
and care professionals, and 6,000 hospitals and other care
facilities nationwide. Globally, UnitedHealthcare serves more than 45 million
people in health benefits and is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth
Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being
company.
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