All the News That’s Fit

I am very excited to be part of the MCM Green Team Challenge. Although I am always trying to be “green” sometimes the excitement of a marathon takes me out of my best green routine. For the 2010 Marine Corp Marathon I am ready to go for a “Green PR”.

My personal environmental initiatives involve bicycling for transportation as much as possible. Even though I live in a rural part of the Berkshires in Western Massachusetts I can go for a week without driving my car. I do all the easy green things like recycle and use compact florescent light blubs. I had an energy audit of my house, which inspired me to get a more energy efficient refrigerator cutting my energy use by a third. I also hang my clothes outside to dry all year long and I carry a reusable water bottle to fill up when needed.

Recently I donated all my marathon metals to Medals4Mettle. It was harder than I thought to part with them, but it felt good to know they were going to people who have struggles that they overcome on a daily basis and don’t get medals. When a race has a shoe recycling program I make a point of bringing in my old shoes. Again these are simple things runners can think about doing.

When I train I never drive my car to run or to bike. I have run over 37 marathons and that has upped my carbon footprint. Although I would love to run in more places I have tried to limit the number of plane trips I take to marathons. To travel to the MCM I will be biking, taking trains, or other public transportation.

When running I always carry a hydration pack, and supplement with some water cups on the course. But for MCM I will only be using a hydration pack and refilling as needed.

As I mentioned I have run 37 marathons to date and have more planned before the end of October. I ran my first marathon in 2002, but in the past two years I have run a marathon a month, with the goal of having a Boston Qualifying time as often as possible, I think I have run 21 qualifying races. I am also trying to run marathons I have not run before. Luckily there are a lot of great choices within driving distance.

I have found that only running three days a week and cross training three days has made me a stronger runner and less prone to injuries. I follow the FIRST Train Plan. Also getting to bike three days a week allows me to run errands on my bike while getting in a workout.

I am a proud member of the Marathon Maniacs and have enjoyed being part of a great running community. Running a marathon is a great achievement and the Marine Corp Marathon, being the “People’s Marathon,” is certainly a marathon highlight for anyone.

I am proud to be representing all runners who strive to be green in life and in races and having the MCM focus on green running will make it an even better experience for everyone (and the planet).

Thinking about being “green” is like thinking about running a marathon, you should not think “how am I going to stop global warming?” the same way you don’t think “how can I run 26.2 miles?”

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. When you realize the first step doable then focus on the second step and one day you are leaving less of a carbon footprint and crossing under the finish banner.

The Marine Corps Marathon and FitPlanet are pleased to announce that Allison Lassoe, of Shefield Massachusetts, and Christopher Stephens, of New York City, have been selected for the Marine Corps Marathon Green Team.

The two were chosen based on their commitments to training and racing green from among the entrants in the Green Team Challenge. As members of the MCM Green Team, Lassoe and Stephens will blog on the FitPlanet Green Team page about their training. Also, they will participate in a Green Team press conference at the Marine Corps Marathon Expo on Friday, October 29.

For being selected to the Green Team, Allison and Christopher will receive a free entry in the 2010 Marine Corps Marathon, 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 Allison’s and Christopher’s blogging will inspire and motivate other runners to consider the environment as they train for and run the 2010 Marine Corps Marathon.

Seattle race composts 550,000 cups from start to finish. Competitor Group partners with FitPlanet to create sustainability program for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Series..

Here’s the release that FitPlanet issued on Friday July 30…

July 30, 2010 – Athletes for a Fit Planet LLC, a leading provider of environmental services to athletic events, is excited to announce that the Seattle Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon & 1/2 Marathon has set what FitPlanet believes is a new industry record for “greening” large-scale road races by composting 550,000 aid-station paper cups weighing 2.4 tons. The race, which took place June 26th and included more than 21,000 runners, was able to divert 9.6 tons of waste from landfill.

“We are very pleased with the greening efforts at this year’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle Marathon & ½ Marathon,” said Anton Villatoro, Vice President of Operations, Competitor Group Inc., which owns and operates the 14-race Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series. “This is just the beginning and shows what’s possible as we make a commitment to embark on our journey towards sustainability.”

The Seattle Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon & ½ Marathon recycled and composted 68% of the 14.2 tons of waste produced on race day. (See chart below.) This included recycling 5.8 tons of plastic, paper, cardboard and other materials, and composting 3.8 tons of food and compostable materials including the aid-station cups. The recycling effort included collecting over 50,000 plastic bottles at the finish line festival at the Qwest Field, home of the Seattle Seahawks.

“The total amount of waste sent to the landfill was just 0.42 lbs per runner, which is a significant accomplishment,” said Bruce Rayner, FitPlanet’s Chief Green Officer. “Anything under half-a-pound is world-class performance for a race of this size.”

Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle’s commitment to sustainability went beyond the race to include the two-day Health & Fitness Expo at Qwest Event Center. The expo hosted more than a hundred retailers and thousands of visitors over two days and recycled over 5 tons of cardboard, paper, plastics, metal, and other materials, according to Juan Escalante, General Manager, ARAMARK Sports, Entertainment and Conventions, at Qwest Field and Event Center, which manages the complex’s facility services and recycling program.

“Integrating such a comprehensive waste diversion plan into a race of this size and complexity required significant coordination between race operations, waste services providers, facilities management at Qwest Center, and of course the race-day volunteers,” said Rayner. “What we accomplished is a testament to Competitor Group’s commitment to sustainability.”

The Seattle Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon’s green program kicks off a formal relationship between Competitor Group and FitPlanet to develop a long-term sustainability plan for greening the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series and other Competitor Group events.

“Competitor Group is committed to making our events more environmentally sustainable,” said Villatoro. “We are looking forward to working with FitPlanet to create a long-term plan that we’ll roll out over time at all our events.”

FitPlanet Joins MCM Offering Two Free Entries to 2010 MCM as the Green Team

Here’s the press release the Marine Corps Marathon issued on Monday, August 2…
QUANTICO, VA (August 2, 2010) – The Marine Corps Marathon (MCM) and Athletes for a FitPlanet announced today the first-ever MCM Green Team Challenge. Runners are invited to enter the challenge to win the opportunity to run the 35th MCM to become the MCM Green Team.

Together, the MCM and FitPlanet are encouraging runners to share the responsibility and commitment to the environment by running green. Runners can submit a green plan by entering the contest through www.marinemarathon.com. All entries must detail a green plan for the most sustainable practices during training and participation at the 35th MCM on Oct. 31, 2010 in Arlington, VA.

The contest will be held from Aug. 2 to Aug. 15, 2010. A team of eco-judges will evaluate each green plan and chose two winners who best demonstrate how they can implement the most sustainable practices while participating in the MCM. Winners will be announced on the MCM and FitPlanet websites on Wednesday, Aug. 18.

The winning “green” plan will be posted on the FitPlanet Green Team webpage blog where each 2010 MCM Green Team winner will detail their overall MCM green experiences.

The two winners will each receive a pair of Brooks Green Silence running shoes, a performance shoe made from recycled and other earth-friendly components. Other prizes include a tote made from MCM recycled finish-line banners by Prior Life and several other items from sponsors such as Dasani.

Together, MCM and FitPlanet aim to implement environmental practices to conserve natural resources and reduce waste, as well as set a good example for the participants, fans and communities where MCM events are held.

“The ultimate goal of this promotion is to increase awareness and demonstrate how runners can positively support event environmental initiatives through planned sustainable efforts,” said Marc Goldman, MCM Sponsorship/Marketing Manager.

The Green Team Challenge is an extension of the MCM’s environmental outreach that was awarded by the Council for Responsible Sport in 2009. MCM received silver-level certification becoming the largest event to date to earn this distinction.

It’s been a busy racing season for FitPlanet so far this year and the pace is only quickening. Here’s a list of the races we are supporting in July and August. If you see our booth at the expo or at the race, stop and say hello. We’ll give you a free bumper sticker.
And if you’re interested in volunteering for the FitPlanet Green Team to help us with the recycling effort at the races we support, please contact us at info@afitplanet.com. In addition to a race volunteer shirt, food and comraderie, FitPlanet will give you one of our beautiful organic cotton t-shirts.

July 18: Nautica New York City Triathlon
July 24: Whaling City Triathlon, New Bedford, MA
August 1: Rock n Roll Half Marathon, Chicago, IL
August 7: TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10K, Cape Elizabeth, ME
August 8: Urban Epic Boston Sprint Triathlon, Boston, MA
August 21: Amica 19.7 Sprint Triathlon Boston, Carver, MA
August 28-29: Cranberry TriFest, Lakeville, MA

This release was sent out to our friends in the media June 4 at 2:30 pm EST…

June 4, 2010 – Athletes for a Fit Planet LLC, a leading provider of environmental services to athletic events, is excited to announce that the Special Olympics Connecticut 2010 Summer Games is the first event to take the Multiday Event Pledge of Sustainability. Details of the Games’ Pledge can be found on the FitPlanet Green Events Calendar.

“Up until now, we have provided event organizers of road races, triathlons, and other mass-participation events with a single-day Pledge of Sustainability so they can publically commit to and communicate their intentions for greening their events,” said Bruce Rayner, Chief Green Officer, Athletes for a Fit Planet. “The Multiday Pledge expands on our single-day Pledge to include the environmental impact of accommodations, food service, and event transportation that address the complexities of multiday events such as the Special Olympics.”

The Special Olympics Connecticut 2010 Summer Games takes place June 11-13 at Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, CT. The University will provide room and board for over 2,000 athletes over the three-day event. Special Olympics and the university will provide transportation for athletes, family members and spectators between the event venues.

“Special Olympics Connecticut is committed to being environmentally responsible and FitPlanet’s Pledge of Sustainability provides us with a way to formalize and communicate that commitment. Our hope is that more and more individuals will take note and become more aware of what we are trying to accomplish.” said Laurie-Jean Hannon, Vice President of Games & Sports Development.

FitPlanet’s Multiday Pledge of Sustainability includes nine required items in three categories: event operations, accommodation and food services, and transportation. It was created for tournaments, games, camps, stage races and any type of event that last more than one day, according to Rayner.

The Pledge includes a commitment to measure the event’s environmental impact in these three areas and to implement specific initiatives to reduce the waste, carbon and water footprints. Events have the option to do more than the nine required items by adding electives to their Pledge.

The Special Olympics Connecticut Summer Games has pledged to the nine required items plus an additional 10 electives.

ABOUT ATHLETES FOR A FIT PLANET
Athletes for a Fit Planet LLC is a leading provider of environmental services to organizers of athletic events, including running, multisport, cycling and walking events. Fit Planet’s Pledge of Sustainability and Green Events Calendar provide a cost-effective way for event organizers to communicate their environmental practices to athletes. The Green Events Calendar is a tool for athletes to help them make informed decisions about the events they participate in. FitPlanet also offers environmentally-responsible companies creative marketing solutions for reaching the athlete community.

ABOUT SPECIAL OLYMPICS CONNECTICUT
Since 1969, Special Olympics Connecticut (SOCT) has been changing attitudes and changing lives through year-round sports training and athletic competitions for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. SOCT currently serves 12,514 athletes (with intellectual disabilities) and partners (without intellectual disabilities) from across the state. Athletes and partners compete in 22 different Olympic-type sports thanks to over 100 local coordinators, 900 coaches and 10,000 additional volunteers.

Weblinks
www.afitplanet.com
www.soct.org

Media Contacts
FitPlanet Contact: Bruce Rayner, 508-429-0976 or bruce@afitplanet.com
Special Olympics Connecticut Contact: Laura Gremelsbacker, 203-230-1201 x240 or LauraG@soct.org

Click the link below to see live footage from one of the 12 video cameras BP has placed around the Deepwater Horizon wellhead.
While it’s hard to endure, FitPlanet suggests you take a few moments to watch the worst environmental disaster in American history unfolding and to think about one action you might take to reduce your dependence on oil.

Compelling TV from 5,000 feet under the Gulf of Mexico, courtecy of BP

FItPlanet continues to expand its geographic reach as Senior Consultant for Europe Toby Radcliffe is providing Team Green Britain Bike Week with support to help event organisers make their events more sustainable. Team Green Britain Bike week takes place June 19-27. Click here for the Sustainability Guidelines that Toby penned for the event.

In addition to advising local organizers of Bike Week events, Toby works with EDF Energy, the title sponsor of the Birmingham Half Marathon, on a number of projects to help develop a best practice approach to event sustainability. Toby worked with the 2009 Birmingham Marathon to help the race earn gold-level certification to the Council for Responsible Sport standard.

It looks like the Cup-Free racing trend is gaining steam.

The latest race to announce it’s going cup-free is the Ham Run Half Marathon in Minnesota. The race is partnering with Colorado-based HydraPouch to eliminate cups from this year’s race.

Each runner in the May 2, 2010 race will be provided with a HydraPouch personal hydrator as part of their race pack, and HydraPouch will provide their rapid-dispensing HydraPour devices at every aid station, allowing runners to fill their HydraPouches or any container of their choice without stopping.

The Ham Run Half Marathon takes place on the picturesque Gunflint Trail, a National Scenic Byway located in the Superior National Forest adjacent to Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area.

“We’ve taken every possible effort to conserve resources and leave no trace, so embracing Cup-Free racing is a natural for us,” said Race Coordinator Sue Prom.

Race Directors: if you want to learn more about Cup-Free racing, join our webcast on April 29. Click here for details and to register.

The season is upon us and we are busy preparing to support races across the country in their greeening efforts. If you’re at any of these races, please stop by our expo booth and say hello – we’ll give you a free FitPlanet bumper sticker.

FitPlanet’s schedule…
Sunday April 18 – NYC Dow Live Earth Run for Water - including a concert by John Legend and the Roots.
Sunday April 25 – Big Sur International Marathon
Sunday May 2 - Cox Rhode Races in Providence, RI
Sunday May 16 – Marine Corps Historic Half in Fredericksburg, VA