UPDATE: The YMCA of Florida’s First Coast is pleased to announce its win in the Treadmill Tuesday Challenge, a competition with the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA. Nearly 1,750 First Coast residents completed 3,813 miles during the 12-hour event, surpassing the Tampa Bay by 177 miles. For the Tampa Bay area, 1,686 residents logged 3,636 miles. Together, the First Coast YMCA and Tampa YMCA leveraged a friendly competition to inspire community members to become more physically active and adopt healthier lifestyles. Click here to read more about the results.
– Free event encourages friendly competition and healthy living –
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jan. 21, 2016 – The YMCA of Florida’s First Coast and the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA are pleased to announce the 2016 Treadmill Tuesday Challenge, a competition between the Northeast Florida and Tampa Bay communities for the greatest distance traveled on a treadmill.
This free event, open to members and nonmembers, takes place Feb. 9 from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. and encourages healthy living while promoting friendly competition among community members in the Tampa Bay Area and Northeast Florida.
“It is no coincidence this year’s Treadmill Tuesday will take place during American Heart Month,” said Tom Looby, president and CEO of the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA. “Treadmill Tuesday brings the community together, encouraging one another to improve their heart health.”
YMCA CEOs Tom Looby and Eric Mann have agreed to a friendly wager to spur greater competition between the two communities. Upon completion of the 12-hour challenge, the losing association CEO will wear the winning city’s NFL team jersey for social media interaction. Additionally, the team with less total mileage will send the other association a gift basket of hometown favorites including fresh produce from local Y’s respective garden initiative.
“As a leading nonprofit committed to improving the health of our nation, we’re continuously identifying and innovating new methods to inspire healthy living in our communities,” said Eric Mann, president and CEO of the YMCA of Florida’s First Coast. “Treadmill Tuesday is a new way to leverage a traditional source of inspiration, competition.”
Community members are invited to participate by completing a 30-minute treadmill workout at First Coast YMCA and Tampa YMCA branches or by across social media. At First Coast and Tampa Metro Y facilities, staff will record the distance each participant walks, jogs or runs on a treadmill for 30 minutes. To join from other locations via Twitter or Facebook, participants should upload a post-workout photo of treadmill dashboard displaying the total distance. Social media participants should use #TreadmillTuesday, tagging @FirstCoastYMCA or @TampaYMCA.
“I am delighted to join fellow members and once again participate in Treadmill Tuesday,” said Lenny Curry, Mayor, City of Jacksonville. “This fun and friendly competition with Tampa encourages physical activity, while supporting my commitment to efforts that build a healthier First Coast.”
This is the second year the First Coast YMCA will rally the community for Treadmill Tuesday. In 2015, more than 1,700 First Coast residents logged a nearly 4,000 miles during the free event.
“Our friends in Jacksonville may have a Treadmill Tuesday event under their belt, but our community is excited and ready for this year’s competition,” said Mayor Bob Buckhorn, City of Tampa. “We’re a city focused on the health of our community and we look forward to celebrating that strength on Treadmill Tuesday.”
Throughout the day-long event, First Coast YMCA and Tampa YMCA branches will offer giveaways, chance-drawings and activities to further encourage participation. To learn more about Treadmill Tuesday and what to look forward to at you neighborhood branch, visit firstcoastYMCA.org or tampaYMCA.org.
About the First Coast Y
For more than 100 years, YMCA of Florida’s First Coast has been providing men, women and children of all ages, and from all walks of life, opportunities to build stronger bonds, live healthy and become more engaged with their communities. Learn more: www.FirstCoastYMCA.org.
About the Tampa Y
The Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA is one of the area’s leading nonprofits, strengthening Hillsborough and East Pasco communities for more than 126 years, through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Across the Association, 18 facilities engage more than 160,000 men, women and children — regardless of age, income or background — to nurture the potential of children and teens, improve our community’s health and well-being, and provide opportunities to give back and support neighbors. The Tampa Y has long-standing relationships and physical presence not just to promise, but to deliver, lasting personal and social change. www.tampaymca.org
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MEDIA CONTACTS
First Coast YMCA:
Jill Wu, Dalton Agency
P 904.398.5222 C 386.383.6061
E jwu@daltonagency.com
Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA:
Lalita Llerena, Tampa Metropolitan Area
P 813.224.9622 ext. 1240 C 813.545.7772
E Lalita.Llerena@tampaymca.org
