Black Girls RUN!, Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series Announce Partnership

Black Girls RUN!, a national running organization designed to encourage fitness and healthy living among African-American women, has announced a partnership with the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series, an international series of entertainment-themed marathons and half marathons. The race partnership will include participation at five Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series events in 2014, as part of a custom integrated marketing program.

"We are very excited about the opportunity to partner with the Rock ‘n” Roll Marathon Series which makes running fun," said Toni Carey, co-founder of Black Girls RUN!. "Teaming up was a natural fit given our shared commitment to today’s running community and our efforts to introduce the sport of running to women who may have never considered it.”

Black Girls RUN! has designated five Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series events as race meet-ups for 2014. Race meet-ups provide an opportunity for Black Girls RUN! members and race enthusiasts to meet each other and share in their joy of running. Participants can share their interests in living healthy, running, exercise, and more, and help to form friendships and a stronger support network in communities outside of racing.

Sponsored events include:

• Rock ‘n’ Roll USA Marathon & ½ Marathon (Washington, DC) - Saturday March 15, 2014
• St. Jude Country Music Marathon & ½ Marathon (Nashville, TN) presented by Nissan - Sunday, April 6, 2014
• Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego Marathon & ½ Marathon to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society - Sunday, June 1, 2014
• Rock ‘n’ Roll Brooklyn 10K - Saturday, October 11, 2014
• Rock ‘n’ Roll Savannah Marathon & ½ Marathon - Saturday, November 8, 2014

 The Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series is the world’s largest running series, known for placing entertainment stages along every mile of the course, lining the route with hundreds of local cheerleaders and then topping the experience off with a finish line concert celebration for all participants. The musically-themed races have spearheaded an active lifestyle movement that provides a unique entertainment outlet for people from all walks of life.

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series is truly unique, not only because of the live music and entertaining race day experience, but also because of the camaraderie among participants and welcoming atmosphere for runners of all abilities,” said Tracy Sundlun, Senior Vice-President and co-founder of the series. “We’re thrilled to partner with Black Girls RUN! and to help them in their mission, encouraging an active and healthy lifestyle for all.”

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series will also provide free training plans for its upcoming events exclusively for Black Girls RUN! members. By partnering and offering these benefits in several cities around the United States, Black Girls RUN! will continue to encourage members and all women to be active and live healthier lives through these upcoming national races.

About Black Girls RUN!: Black Girls RUN! is a national running group launched in 2009 by Toni Carey and Ashley Hicks. The organization has grown to include more than 68 running groups across the nation with more than 62,000 members.  The group was created to combat the obesity epidemic among women in the African- American community and dispel the myth that black women do not run.  The groups include beginner and experienced runners and provide a support system to help members reach their fitness goals. Black Girls RUN! provides a community and inspires all women to run. For more information about Black Girls RUN!, visit www.BlackGirlsRUN.com.

About the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series: Organized by Competitor Group, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series is the ‘World’s Largest Running Series’ with more than 500,000 runners taking part in events around the world every year. Started in 1998, the simple idea of making running fun has transformed the U.S. running landscape by infusing the course with live bands, cheer teams and entertaining water stations, creating a block-party atmosphere for participants and spectators alike. Today, the series of marathons and half-marathons has spread to more than 32 destination cities, drawing visitors from around the world.

Race weekend kicks off with a free Health & Fitness Expo with more than 100 exhibitors offering samples and showcasing the latest in running gear, sports apparel, health and nutritional information and much more. Events culminate with an entertaining finish line festival featuring some of the biggest names in music, with headliners like Pitbull, FloRida, Cheap Trick and Bret Michaels. For more information, please visit Competitor.com or follow @RunRocknRoll on Twitter.