Athletes For A Fit Planet
Event Organizers

Follow the progress of the 2010 Marine Corps Marathon Green Team

Allison Lassoe is a veteran of 37 marathons. The Sheffield MA resident's running and environmental philosophies overlap: "Thinking about being 'green' is like thinking about running a marathon. You start training to run a marathon by getting out of the house for a 10 minute walk and you start being more environmentally active by using one compact florescent light blub," she said.

NYC resident Christopher Stephens will be taking the bus to the Marine Corps Marathon. "Buses may not be glamorous, but they use less energy per passenger mile that most other forms of transportation," said Stephens. "And while biking from NYC to DC is an enticing option, it's probably not the smartest thing to do right before running a marathon."

The Marine Corps Marathon (MCM) is one of the country's most popular marathons, selling out in a matter of hours every year. But, did you know that it's also one of the greenest events in the country? That's right, MCM earned silver certification to the Council for Responsible Sport standard in 2009, with help from Athletes for a Fit Planet.

This year, the Marine Corps Marathon and FitPlanet encourage all runners to share the responsibility and commitment to the environment by running green.

In early August, we launched the MCM Green Team Challenge and invited runners to submit a green plan on how they would integrate sustainable practices into their training and participation at the Marine Corps Marathon, October 31, 2010 in Arlington, VA.

On August 18, MCM and FitPlanet selected two Challenge entrants based on their plan for running sustainably. They are Allison Lassoe, of Sheffield, Massachusetts, and Christopher Stephens, of New York City. Both Allison and Christopher will blog about their training and racing experiences on the FitPlanet MCM Green Team Blog (see the box to the right).

In addition, the two winners receive a pair of Brooks Green Silence, a performance racing shoe made from recycled and other earth-friendly components as well as a Nathan Hydration Pak that they will wear during the Marine Corps Marathon. Brining your own bottle helps conserve water and reduce waste.

In addition, the carbon emissions from their travel to and from the race will be offset by NativeEnergy, a recognized leader in offering services that reduce carbon emissions. Other prizes include a tote made from MCM recycled banners by Prior Life and other items from MCM sponsors such as Dasani. Our hope is that the experiences of Allison and Christopher will inspire and motivate runners everywhere to become more mindful of the environment in their training and racing.