Anthem Corporate Run to Take Place as Virtual Event in October, with New Elements for Participating Teams
Virtual 5k will also include fitness challenges and post-event recap show
RICHMOND, VA – The Anthem Corporate Run will take place as a virtual event in 2020 and will feature new elements for participating corporate teams to take part in throughout the month of October to encourage healthy and active living among their associates. Now in its 11th year, the Anthem Corporate Run regularly attracts over 200 teams and 6,000 participants, and was originally scheduled for June 4 before it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It has grown to become one of the largest corporate run/walk events in the state and presents opportunities for team building and employee engagement. Team registration is available now at www.sportsbackers.org/events/corporate-run/
“One of our main goals is helping our clients understand the benefits of physical activity for their employees, and events like the Anthem Corporate Run are a great way to encourage healthy and active lifestyles for companies across the Richmond region and for Anthem associates,” said Jeff Ricketts, President, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. “We look forward to working with Sports Backers and supporting all the corporate teams in this year’s event.”
In the virtual 5k, corporate team members will have from October 10-October 15 to run or walk a 5k and submit their results through the RunSignUp event registration system. Awards and bragging rights are available to the top male and female finishers in the Allianz Partners CEO Challenge, and top finishers will also be recognized for Male, Female, and Coed teams in 13 total industry categories.
“This year’s Anthem Corporate Run provides a great opportunity to engage with participants from companies around the Richmond region to support healthy and active living,” said Will Dixon, Chief Administrative Officer for Sports Backers. “Like all of the participating companies, we’ve adapted and found innovative ways to continue to meet our mission and objectives and the Anthem Corporate Run will be a celebration of that for everyone taking part.”
Along with the virtual 5k, event organizers are adding several new concepts to the Anthem Corporate Run, including a Fitness Journey Map and a ‘Superlatives’ contest to further enhance the engagement opportunities for participants. The Fitness Journey Map features 15 ‘milestones’ that teams will work to complete between October 1 and October 15. The milestones are made up of a variety of activities that each team member will aim to complete, including taking a 15-minute walking break during a work day, sharing a post-workout photo on an Anthem Corporate Run social media page, or completing 10,000 steps in a day. The team with the highest overall completion percentage of the activities will take home the Fitness Challenge Award.
The Superlatives contest allows corporate team members to show off their creativity by submitting photos and videos in categories including ‘Best Team Shirt,’ ‘Best Post-Run Snack,’ ‘Most Charitable Team,’ and ‘Most Creative Socially Distanced Team Photo.’ The winning photos in each category, as well as all event award winners, will be recognized in the new Post-Event Recap Show, which will debut on Friday, October 16.
“We are excited about the new additions to this year’s event and hope that it will enhance the overall experience for our participants,” said Meghan Keogh, Director of Events for Sports Backers and Race Director for the Anthem Corporate Run. “We share Anthem’s goal of creating healthy communities, and we appreciate their continued support of this event and our overall nonprofit mission of inspiring active living in the Richmond region.”
The official event charity partner is Greater Richmond Fit4Kids, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving children’s health and reducing the prevalence of childhood obesity in the Richmond region. Fit4Kids offers innovative programs that promote physical activity and healthy eating in schools, community organizations, and beyond.
More information on the event schedule and team registration can be found at www.sportsbackers.org/events/corporate-run/.
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