Runners fuel up with beef at Rock 'N' Roll half marathon
PHILADELPHIA
The beef checkoff’s Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative in partnership with the South Dakota Beef Industry Council, the Pennsylvania Beef Council and the Kentucky Beef Council encouraged runners to “fuel up” with lean beef at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Philadelphia Half MarathonT Health & Fitness Expo, Sept. 16-17.
Nearly 30,000 runners and their families toured the expo during the two-day event. Visitors to the beef booth were challenged to test their beef knowledge through the ever-popular beef trivia spin wheel to win beef-related prizes. Attendees also learned the importance of fueling with high-quality protein through the checkoff’s Protein Challenge campaign.
The checkoff’s Millennial-2-Millennial advocates and Team Beef members assisted checkoff by staffing the beef both. After interacting with booth staff, an on-site event survey showed that 88 percent of attendees polled felt the positives of beef to outweigh the negatives.
Through the Protein Challenge campaign, expo attendees learned the importance of powering up with protein. Various sources of protein were displayed at the booth; including lean beef, quinoa, black beans and peanut butter.
Staff highlighted the importance of considering the caloric cost of various proteins and the quantity one would need to consume to meet their protein requirements. A three-ounce serving of lean beef provides 25 grams of protein and only 154 calories, making it a valuable meal choice to keep athletes at the top of their game.
In addition to lean beef being nutrient-dense, research shows that daily lean beef consumption can be part of a diet that promotes heart health. Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet (BOLD), a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that beef can play a beneficial role in a cholesterol-lowering diet.
A total of nine runners from Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C and New Jersey represented Team Beef during the event, each proudly sporting a red Team Beef race jersey as they crossed the finish line.
Team Beef runner, Marty Tatman lives in Washington, D.C and is the Director of Program Development with the American Farm Bureau Foundation. Marty was the first Team Beef member to cross the finish line during the half marathon with a time of 1:36.
After the race Marty commented, “I love running for Team Beef. It’s so much fun and is encouraging to hear, ‘I love beef’, ‘Go Team Beef’, ‘Steak is my favorite’ from supporters and spectators as I’m running. Beef is a vital part of my diet and it provides me the nutrients and energy I need to get in my training miles.”
To learn more about the Northeast Team Beef activities, visit www.NEBPI.org. To learn more about the Protein Challenge, visit www.BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com. To learn more about your beef checkoff investment, visit MyBeefCheckoff.com.