2020 Eversource Hartford
Marathon & Half Marathon
to be Staged as
Communitywide Fundraising Movement
Race
events will take place virtually from October 8-11
The Hartford
Marathon Foundation (HMF) will create a large-scale community
movement this October to raise funds for local charities and bring thousands together
virtually for a shared purpose. The 2020
Eversource Hartford Marathon and Half Marathon will take place from October 8
through 11 as a virtual event and include a new 10K race distance, the 5K race
and three new multi-distance race challenges to engage widespread
participation. Every dollar in
registration fees will be donated through the new HMF GIVES initiative to
benefit the event's official charities, which support urgent local needs.
In consideration of financial hardships many are
experiencing, registration will be $25 for all individual race events. The fee - a steep discount from traditional
race events - was set to encourage participants who are able to donate further
and to support local business with purchases of goods and services around the
event.
Through the financial support of sponsor partners led by
Eversource, all race participants will still receive a finisher medal and
long-sleeve technical shirt to commemorate their race. While the event will be virtual - meaning all
participants run their race at a location of their choice - participants will
receive training support materials and event experiences digitally, including
race bibs, finisher certificates and custom race day playlists. Participants also have the option to submit
verified results following their race and appear in race results online.
Competitive runners and those looking for some extra
motivation can elect one of three multi-distance challenges in the Sam Adams
Challenge Series: the Tenacious 2 (5K and 10K), the Driven by Purpose 3 (5K,
10K, half marathon) or the Grit & Gutsy 4 (5K, 10K, half marathon and full
marathon). Participants who opt to add a
challenge ($10 fee) will receive a special custom finisher medal for the
challenge.
“While it's not possible to stage
the Eversource Hartford Marathon in the exact same way this fall, it remains
crucial for this cherished race tradition to have purpose and benefit
participants, charity causes and the local economy as it has for the last 26
years," said Beth Shluger, CEO of the Hartford Marathon Foundation and
Race Director of the Eversource Hartford Marathon and Half Marathon. "We are
committed to making this an amazing experience that is uniquely special for the
unprecedented times we're in. We will
continue to give runners and walkers of all ages, experiences, backgrounds and
abilities positive goals to aspire to, we'll support them along their journey
and celebrate them for their achievements.
Every single person involved will know they made a positive difference
by participating in the 2020 Eversource Hartford Marathon."
“As our communities continue to face unprecedented challenges
during the pandemic, we’re grateful for the opportunity to partner with the
Hartford Marathon Foundation for our seventh year of this signature event that
raises hundreds of thousands of dollars to empower local non-profit
organizations,” said Eversource Foundation President Theresa Hopkins-Staten.
“Our employees are looking forward to coming together virtually to give back to
the organizations that are there for our customers and communities, now more
than ever, and to celebrate the achievements of all the athletes
participating.”
HMF consulted state and local officials and event safety and
medical experts at length and assessed multiple event scenarios to align with
current COVID-19 public safety protocols and anticipated considerations for the
fall. The community fundraising movement
and virtual races ensure the health of participants, volunteers, spectators and
partners remains top priority and that public safety and medical resources will
not be diverted for a live event should urgent COVID-19 response needs surge in
October.
Please visit www.HartfordMarathon.com, Facebook at HMF
Events, Twitter at @RunHMF or Instagram at HMF_Events to learn more.
About the Hartford Marathon Foundation
The Hartford Marathon Foundation, Inc. is a nonprofit
organization founded in 1994 to create and manage fitness events that inspire
people to be healthy and fit. Located in
Glastonbury, Connecticut, the Hartford Marathon Foundation organizes more than
30 annual athletic races, including the Eversource Hartford Marathon and Half
Marathon, and training programs for youth runners. For more information, visit http://www.HartfordMarathon.com
and on Facebook at HMF Events, Twitter at @RunHMF
and Instagram at HMF_Events.
About
Eversource
Eversource (NYSE:
ES), celebrated as a national leader for its corporate citizenship, is the
#1 energy company in Newsweek’s
list of America’s Most Responsible Companies for 2020 and recognized as one of
America’s Most JUST Companies and the #1 utility by Forbes and JUST Capital.
Eversource transmits and delivers electricity to 1.25 million customers in 149
cities and towns, provides natural gas to 237,000 customers in 74 communities,
and supplies water to approximately 198,000 customers in 52 communities across
Connecticut. Eversource harnesses the commitment of approximately 8,300
employees across three states to build a single, united company around the
mission of safely delivering reliable energy and water with superior customer
service. The #1 energy efficiency provider in the nation, the company is
empowering a clean energy future in the Northeast, with nationally-recognized
energy efficiency solutions and successful programs to integrate new clean
energy resources like solar, offshore wind, electric vehicles and battery
storage, into the electric system. For more information, please visit eversource.com,
and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram,
and LinkedIn.
For more information on our water services, visit aquarionwater.com.
Contact:
Elizabeth Cowles
CJ Public Relations
860-770-4622
ecowles@cjpr.com