GU Energy Labs Increases Commitment to Big Sur Marathon Foundation

New agreement supports all four Foundation events including the Big Sur International Marathon, Monterey Bay Half Marathon, Salinas Valley Half Marathon and Run in the Name of Love 5K/2K

Press Release / February 21, 2018

The Big Sur Marathon Foundation and GU Energy Labs have signed a four-year deal to extend and enhance their nearly two-decade partnership. The robust new agreement includes increased activation across all four of the Foundation’s events, including the signature Big Sur International Marathon, the Monterey Bay Half Marathon, the Salinas Valley Half Marathon and the Run in the Name of Love 5K/2K.

A Growing Partnership

GU Energy Gel, established 25 years ago, has been the on-course energy supplement provided to runners in the April marathon since 1999 and in the November Monterey Bay Half Marathon since its inception in 2003. Thanks to a growing partnership, GU will now also be providing gels for runners in the Salinas Valley Half Marathon and sampling its Stroopwafels and Chews at the race expos. In addition, GU will provide Stroopwafels for the By-the-Bay 3K races which includes a 5,000-participant school-focused race in April.

“We’re excited about continuing to build our partnership with the Big Sur Marathon Foundation,” said Celia Santi, Senior Sports Marketing Manager of GU Energy Labs. “We plan on highlighting our entire product line at their events, educating athletes about nutrition planning and providing fun and meaningful interactions with runners.”

Commitment to Community

GU has already hosted two meetups/training runs at its corporate headquarters in Berkeley, the site of the company’s Energy Gel production. One meetup was held last fall in anticipation of the November Monterey Bay Half Marathon and another was held at the end of January for those registered for one of the six distance events in the April Big Sur Marathon. Plans are underway for an enhanced GU presence in April with appearances by company mascot “Salty the Yeti,” involvement in the marathon’s pace teams and recycling efforts for GU packaging via TerraCycle.

“We’ve always been impressed and inspired by GU’s corporate culture of giving back to the community in ways similar to our own foundation’s focus,” commented Christy Slye, who handles the Big Sur Marathon Foundation’s partnerships. “All of our events have a commitment to greening the races through strong recycling, composting, and course cleanup efforts. We’re proud to partner with GU in these important efforts.”

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About GU Energy Labs

GU Energy Labs strives to help athletes to reach their highest potential with products that deliver the right nutrients, in the right amounts, at the right time. Developed in collaboration with Olympians and age groupers alike, the GU nutrition matrix of Hydration, Energy and Recovery products has helped countless athletes achieve their dreams since its inception in 1993. Headquartered in Berkeley, GU Energy Labs produces all of its Energy Gels onsite with just the right blend of heart and science. Recommit to becoming your best athletic self, learn more about GU products, and discover how nutrition planning can help you get there at www.GUEnergy.com.

About Big Sur Marathon Foundation

The Big Sur Marathon Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation whose mission is to create beautiful running events that promote health and benefit the local community. The Foundation operates four annual races: the signature Big Sur International Marathon in April and the Monterey Bay Half Marathon in November as well as two summer events: the Salinas Valley Half Marathon in August and Run in the Name of Love 5K/2K in June. In addition, the Big Sur Marathon Foundation features a year-round youth fitness program, JUST RUN. For more information, visit www.bsim.org.