In the span of a week, Tatyana McFadden won both the Boston Marathon and the London Marathon.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The United States Olympic Committee is pleased to announce it is an Official Charity Partner of the ING New York City Marathon for the first time in 2013. This opportunity marks the launch of the Team USA Endurance program, a new USOC fundraising platform that gives runners the unique opportunity to not only support Team USA, but to be a part of Team USA.
The USOC will have 30 spots in the Nov. 3 race. Team USA Endurance is modeled after other nonprofit endurance programs, but with the full force and unique resources of the world's most successful Olympic Team behind its runners.
Team USA Endurance benefits and support:
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Access to U.S. Olympians and Paralympians for advice and support on tackling the race
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Exclusive Olympic apparel and equipment
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Health and training tips from the USOC's staff of world-class experts in nutrition, sports psychology and physiology
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Dedicated fundraising advice panel provided by the USOC development team
Team USA Endurance will be captained by three-time Paralympic gold medalist Tatyana McFadden. Having won the ING New York City Marathon wheelchair race in 2010, few are better prepared than McFadden to give expert insight on the specific challenges of the race and the route, and how best to overcome them. She is also the 2013 Boston Marathon and 2013 London Marathon champion.
Anyone can apply to be part of Team USA Endurance at TeamUSA.org/endurance. As a nonprofit organization that receives no government funding for Olympic athletes, the USOC is asking runners to pledge to meet certain fundraising targets that begin at $5,000 per athlete.
The team is structured into three participation levels: gold, silver and bronze. Each has a different fundraising participation level and a tailored list of amenities to support each athlete's journey to the finish line. Examples include monthly calls with USOC experts, personalized fundraising websites and team social events.
"Our goal is to give members of Team USA Endurance an experience of a lifetime while creating new awareness and fundraising opportunities to benefit our Olympic and Paralympic teams," said USOC Chief Marketing Officer Lisa Baird. "By launching the program with a race as prestigious and coveted as the New York City Marathon, we will offer our current supporters an exciting way to support and join Team USA while cultivating relationships with new donors as well. We hope to create a strong pilot program that can be a model for expansion to more races in the future."
All funds raised by Team USA Endurance will go directly to support America's Olympic and Paralympic athletes as they prepare for the Sochi 2014 and Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and help pave the way for the next generation of elite American athletes.
For information on participation levels and signing up for Team USA Endurance, please visit TeamUSA.org/endurance.
