ADDING MULTIMEDIA First UnitedHealthcare IRONKIDS® SUPERFROG Fun Run Motivates Local Youth to Lead Active, Healthy Lifestyles
– UnitedHealthcare sponsors 150 military youth to participate in
the fun run –
IMPERIAL BEACH, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–This afternoon, 160 young athletes participated in the first
UnitedHealthcare IRONKIDS® SUPERFROG Fun Run at Imperial
Beach. UnitedHealthcare mascot Dr. Health E. Hound kicked-off the fun
run, joined by Kevin Kandalaft of UnitedHealthcare, and triathlete
members of Team Red White & Blue.
Local athletes, ages 3-15, had the opportunity to run along portions of
the IRONMAN® 70.3® SUPERFROG course, which takes place tomorrow. This is
the first time a SUPERFROG event offered a youth fun run. SUPERFROG
triathlons were created and designed by Navy SEALS.
UnitedHealthcare provided 150 free admissions and a $3,000 donation to
the Boys & Girls Clubs of South County to encourage participation. The
South County Club is one of over 1,300 Clubs across the country that
provides services to military-connected youth.
“The IRONKIDS fun runs give our community the opportunity to have fun
together, and end their afternoon being active and healthy. Walking and
running are exercises everyone can do to maintain a healthful
lifestyle,” said Kevin Kandalaft of UnitedHealthcare. “UnitedHealthcare
is grateful for the opportunity to partner with IRONMAN to help children
in our community live healthier lives.”
This is the fourth year UnitedHealthcare is supporting IRONKIDS as part
of the company’s commitment to help stem the rising tide of childhood
obesity through healthy lifestyles. The UnitedHealthcare IRONKIDS 2015
Series features nine one-mile fun-runs and a dip-and-dash.
“We are thrilled to have a partner in UnitedHealthcare to sponsor these
youth events as part of our IRONMAN series,” said Carola Ross, Chief
Sales Officer for IRONMAN. “The opportunity the IRONKIDS fun runs offer
young athletes is tremendous, as these races can be the catalyst for a
lifetime of exercise and healthy living.”
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. California ranks 4th in the
country with 24 percent of adults estimated to be obese.
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 more than 60 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 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, military service members,
retirees and their families, and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries,
and contracts directly with more than 850,000 physicians and care
professionals, and 6,000 hospitals and other care facilities nationwide.
UnitedHealthcare is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group
(NYSE:UNH), a diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being company. For
more information, visit UnitedHealthcare at www.uhc.com
or follow @myUHC on Twitter.
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Contacts
UnitedHealthcare
Molly McMillen, 952-931-6029
or
IRONKIDS
Mandy
Irizarry, 407-341 4362
