Zoë Romano to Appear as Guest Runner at Foot Levelers Blue Ridge Marathon
Roanoke, VA (PRWEB) February 19, 2014 -- Foot Levelers is proud to announce Zoë Romano as the special guest runner at the Foot Levelers Blue Ridge Marathon, America’s Toughest Road Marathon, on April 26 in Roanoke, Virginia. Romano recently garnered international attention as she ran the entire Tour de France during the summer of 2013, becoming the first person to ever accomplish the feat. In 2011, she became the first woman known to run across the United States without an accompanying vehicle.
“It's an honor to have Zoë join us for America's Toughest Road Marathon,” notes Foot Levelers President Dwayne Bennett. “Her heart for the sport, and for causes like the World Pediatric Project and Friends of the Blue Ridge, make her an inspiration to so many.”
On May 18, 2013 Romano, a Richmond, Virginia resident, set out to become the first person to run the Tour de France, the highest profile cycling race in the world. Nine weeks and 2,022 miles later, she succeeded, finishing in early August. Romano did not run the course just for fun; she raised over $165,000 for the World Pediatric Project (WPP), which provides surgical and diagnostic care to Central American and Caribbean children. In all, Romano traversed over 100,000 feet of elevation change, running an average of 30 miles a day, six days a week.
In 2011, Romano ran across the United States without a support staff to raise money for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. She started out from Huntington Beach, California in January 2011 and ended her trek in June in Charleston, South Carolina. On that adventure Romano was able to raise $13,000 for the Boys and Girls Clubs.
“I'm excited to participate in such a spirited and challenging marathon,” commented Romano. “I trained for the Tour de France in the Blue Ridge Mountains, so it will be nice to be involved with a race that not only celebrates the beauty and difficulty of the terrain, but also raises money for Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway. It should be an amazing weekend in the mountains!"
“The Foot Levelers Blue Ridge Marathon is all about challenging yourself. We’re not about the clock, we’re about the experience,” commented Race Director Pete Eshelman. “What Zoë accomplished by running the entire Tour de France course is a great example of a person meeting their personal challenge head on. We’re excited to have Zoë join us, we’re excited for her to run side by side with all the runners, and we’re excited to see what she has to say about America’s Toughest Road Marathon.”
The 2014 the Foot Levelers Blue Ridge Marathon will feature a redesigned course and will have approximately 7,800 feet of elevation change. Net proceeds from the Foot Levelers Blue Ridge Marathon go to the Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway, a 501(c)(3) organization. The 2014 marathon will take place on April 26 and will begin at 7:35am in Downtown Roanoke, Virginia. The Foot Levelers Blue Ridge Marathon features a full marathon, a half-marathon, a 10k run, a YMCA kids marathon, and even a walking half-marathon. This year’s half marathon is being dubbed as ‘America’s Toughest Road Half-Marathon’ after changes were made from the previous course; the half-marathon course now features 3,790 feet of elevation change.
In addition to participating in the marathon Romano will also be the featured speaker at the pre-race pasta dinner, which will be held on Friday, April 25.
Foot Levelers, Inc.
Foot Levelers, Inc., the world’s exclusive provider of individually designed Stabilizing Orthotics and other therapeutic products, has been serving healthcare professionals for over 60 years. Foot Levelers supports every step patients take to enjoy fuller and happier lives at work, home, or play.
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Chris Cummings, Foot Levelers, http://footlevelers.com, +1 540-345-0008 Ext: 3344, [email protected]
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