EUGENE, Ore.—Shalaya Kipp stamped her name in the record book on Saturday afternoon as she became the first University of Colorado athlete to win an individual Pac-12 Track & Field Championship, taking top honors in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.

Kipp won the race in 9 minutes, 57.39 seconds at Hayward Field; defeating Oregon’s Kimber Mattox who finished in 10:08.23.

“It’s exciting,” Kipp said about winning her first conference title. “It’s a nice accomplishment to have. I’m looking forward to prelims in Austin and then hopefully nationals in Des Moines in June.”

The junior from Salt Lake City, Utah ran a great race, moving to the front of the pack within the first 250 meters. From that point she would add to her lead every lap until she had a 25 meter gap between her and Mattox. Kipp’s win is the fourth straight conference steeplechase win for the Buffs (CU won the previous three Big 12 titles) and is the fifth title in six seasons by a female Buff.

“We were perfectly happy with her race,” Colorado coach Mark Wetmore said. “It wasn’t a blistering time, but a matter of taking care of business. Congratulations to her for her first win and our first win of the weekend.”

The men also had a solid showing in the steeplechase as junior Aric Van Halen took second place and freshman Hugh Dowdy placed fourth. Van Halen led for the first four and a half laps before Cal’s Collin Jarvis took the lead from him and would eventually win in 8:48.05. Stanford’s Benjamin Johnson, who ended up third, challenged Van Halen in the final lap but he was able to hang on to second and finished in 8:50.09. (Johnson recorded a time of 8:52.56.)

Dowdy steadily moved up during the race and was in fourth with three laps remaining. He held on to finish in 8:56.19; less than a second ahead of UCLA’s Kent Morikawa (8:57.02).

“Aric led the conference coming into the race, so finishing second was probably a little disappointing to him,” Wetmore said. “He’s new to this level of running and being the favorite, and in the end it was still a pretty good race for him. And it was a good race for Hugh. To come in and get fourth as a redshirt freshman in really his first year of the event was very good.”

Senior Christian Thompson also picked up some big points for the Buffs as he came away with a third-place finish in the 10,000. Junior Martin Medina took eighth in the race.

They both started in the back of the 15-men field and gradually moved up. Thompson moved into fourth with 1,600-meters remaining, but dropped to seventh the following lap. He kicked it into high gear in the final lap, pulling away from the pack of five to secure six points for the Buffs. Thompson had a 20 meter lead on the field and was able to finish third safely in 29:46.76. Medina recorded a time of 30:12.72 with his finish.

“Christian absolutely wasn’t anywhere on the form chart to get third,” Wetmore said. “He’s a senior and is a total blue collar guy who has been grinding it out year after year. He moved up very well through the race and gunned down some very good runners with a very courageous last lap and I couldn’t be more pleased.”

Several Buffs advanced to the finals on Sunday in their respective events. Jessica Tebo won the second heat of the 1,500 to automatically qualify for the finals in 4:21.25. Katie Cumming also advanced to the finals, although she earned her way in with a time of 4:25.61. Cumming finished the second heat sixth. The men will also be represented in the 1,500 as Matt Biegner finished 10^th with a time of 3:47.59.

“Jessica did what she was supposed to do,” Wetmore said. “She ran a very controlled race and should be very high up tomorrow. Katie was on the edge on whether she would make it through or not and indeed nipped in, so now it is a matter of trying to outfox some people and use the conditions to get a point for us.”

Joe Morris had a great Saturday, advancing to the finals in the 100 and 200-meter dashes. He was fifth in the 100 (10.40) and placed sixth in the 200 (20.94).

“According to the performance list, Joe did what he was supposed to do, but in the sprints, if you make one little mistake and stagger or stumble, the form chart goes out the window,” Wetmore explained. “For him to get through in both events was our optimistic aspiration.”

Three Buffs advanced to the finals in the men’s 400-meter hurdles. Adam Salzmann led the trio, crossing the finish with the fifth best time of 52.08. Kyle MacIntosh placed seventh (52.60) and Tyler Baker took eighth (52.76).

“One of the two exciting stories of the day was the three guys getting through in the 400 hurdles,” Wetmore said. “I don’t think we were supposed to get anyone through according to the form chart, so to get three was a very nice surprise.”

The championships will conclude on Sunday. Live stats and a complete schedule for the championships can be found at pac-12.org and goducks.com.

2012 Pac-12 TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Hayward Field (Eugene, Ore.)

Team Scores (Day 1):

Men: 1. UCLA, 45; 2. Oregon, 44; 3. Arizona, 43; 4. Washington, 41; 5. Arizona State, 33.50; 6. Cal, 27; 7. Colorado, 26; 8. Stanford, 24; 9. Washington State, 20.50; 10. USC, 5; 11. Oregon State, 3

(Utah doesn’t have a men’s track and field program)

Women: 1. Oregon, 46; 2. Stanford, 40; 2. USC, 40; 4. Arizona State, 38; 5. Arizona, 35; 6. Colorado, 21; 7. UCLA, 17; 8. Washington State, 16; 9. Washington, 9; 10. Utah, 6; 11. Cal, 5; Oregon State, NTS.

Track Events:

Men’s 100-Meters (trials): (1. Aaron Brown, USC, 10.27) 5. Joe Morris, 10.40q

Men’s 200-Meters (trials): (1. Aaron Brown, USC, 22.55) 6. Joe Morris, 20.94; 19. Blake Berens, 21.93

Men’s 400-Meters (trials): (1. Bryshon Nellum, USC, 45.98) 13. Blake Reimer, 48.54, 14. Blake Berens, 49.48

Women’s 400-Meters (trials): (1. Phyllis Francis, UO, 52.39) 15. Eileen Gehring, 55.37; 19. Bridget Sweeney, 56.02; 21. Lindsy Mattson, 56.58

Women’s 800-Meters (trials): (1. Claudia Francis, UO, 2:04.88) 24. Liz Tremblay, 2:15.67

Men’s 1,500-Meters (trials): (1. Lawi Lalang, UA, 3:44.62) 10. Matt Biegner, 3:47.59q

Women’s 1,500-Meters (trials): (1. Anne Kesselring, UO, 4:20.83) 2. Jessica Tebo, 4:21.25Q; 11. Cumming, 4:25.61q; 18. Catrina McAlister, 4:37.80

Men’s 10,000-Meters (finals):  (1. Stephen Sambu, UA, 29:20.19) 3. Christian Thompson, 29:46.76; 8. Martin Medina; 30:12.72

Women’s 10,000-Meters (finals): (1. Alex Kosinski, UO, 34:19.67) 9. Jana Stolting, 35:16.35; 12. Camille Logan, 35:46.80; 15. Rachel Viger, 36:24.08

Men’s 110-Meter Hurdles (trials): (1. Johnathn Cabral, UO, 13.69) 12. Adam Salzmann, 14.79

Men’s 400-Meter Hurdles (trials): (1. Amaechi Morton, SU, 50.17) 5. Adam Salzmann, 52.08q; 7. Kyle MacIntosh, 52.60q; 8. Tyler Baker, 52.76q

Women’s 400-Meter Hurdles (trials): (1. Georganne Moline, UA, 55.64) 10. Brianne Beemer, 59.90; 21. Brittany Lewis, 1:03.96; 23. Lindsey Hubbard, 1:05.01

Men’s 3,000-Meter Steeplechase (finals): (1. Collin Jarvis, Cal, 8:48.05) 2. Aric Van Halen, 8:50.09; 4. Hugh Dowdy, 8:56. 19; 13. Blake Theroux, 9:12.59; 20. Cameron Clayton, 9:45.96

Women’s 3,000-Meter Steeplechase (finals): 1. Shalaya Kipp, 9:57.39; 10. Courtney Bouchet, 10:30.06; 14. Diana George, 10:41.04

Q automatically qualified for the finals
q qualified by time for the finals

Field Events:

Women’s Hammer Throw: (1.Marissa Minderler, USC, 220-11) 15. Kellie Lind, 144-00
Women’s Long Jump: (1. Constance Ezugha, ASU, 21-02) 10. Brittany Lewis, 18-10.75; 12. Genny Mayden, 18-07.25
Women’s Javelin: (1. Brianna Bain, SU, 175-09) 16. Genny Mayden, 119-11)
Men’s High Jump: (1. Nick Ross, 7-02.50) t12. Mark Jones, 6-09; 18. Jason DeWitt, 6-07

Courtesy of CUBuffs.com

The Boulder Center for Sports Medicine will be hosting a free community event on Tuesday May 8, from 5:30 to 8:30 pm to introduce their recent partnership with Hudson Training Systems. Brad Hudson joined forces with the BCSM early in 2012 and brings world class coaching for runners into the Center’s already world class offerings for cyclists and athletes of all abilities. Hudson is the author of the book Run Faster from the 5k to the Marathon and has been coach to great runners such as Olympians Dathan Ritzenhein, Shayne Culpepper, USA Half-Marathon Champ James Carney and Tera Moody.

In the first part of the evening the public will have the opportunity to meet HTS coaches Brad Hudson, Benita Willis and James Carney and learn about their coaching services and mingle with the HTS pros.

There will be shoe demos from New Balance led by Ultra-Runner Anton Krupicka, and individuals can also learn about some of the performance services provided by the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine including Lactate Threshold testing and Gait Analysis.

BCSM is also one of the only places in Boulder to own a the Alter-G, Anti Gravity treadmill and visitors will have a chance to take it for a test run.

At 7pm there will be a free “Insights on Running and Training” lecture from the HTS coaches followed by a tour of the HTS Clubhouse.

There will also be food, giveaways, exclusive discounts and referral incentives for those attending.

Please E-Mail RSVP By Friday, May 4.     

You can find both on twitter at @BCSM1 & @HudsonTSystems

It looks as if years of planning and meetings may bear fruit in the near future. Recently Councilwoman KC Becker sent an email to the Open Space and Mountain Parks department asking them to look into a Trail Around Boulder (TAB) that would loop around the city.

“I think it’s a neat idea,” she said. “Conceptually, there is a lot of appeal and I think there are some practical benefits to it.”

Becker said she got the idea from the Boulder Area Trails Coalition, a local group that has been pushing for a trail around the city for the past year. Peter Bakwin, the president of the group, said several other cities, such as Loveland and Portland, have similar trails and that Boulder would be the perfect place for one.

“I view Boulder as trail town USA,” he said. “A lot of people come here for the trails, and this would be another thing to highlight that.”

The trail would be around 34 to 36 miles in length if it were completed, and by Bakwin’s estimation, there are only about seven miles of trail that need to be added to create the loop.

Mike Patton, the director of Open Space and Mountain Parks, said City Council has already directed OSMP to prioritize completing regional trail connections, so creating a trail around Boulder would just be a matter of finishing the right connections.

“It’s very feasible,” Patton said. “Some connections will be more difficult than others, but it’s doable.”

Read more at the Daily Camera 

To learn more about the proposed trail you can attend the next BATCO meeting on April 23rd at the Boulder REI.

Micah True was found dead on Saturday March 31, 2012 in Gila National Forest, NM.

Micah True was found dead at about 6 p.m. Saturday in the Gila National Forest after four days of searching.

True, a renowned 58-year-old ultra-marathon runner from Boulder, Colo., who was reported as missing in the Gila Wilderness when he failed to return from a run Tuesday morning, was found by searchers near Woody’s Corral, just one mile southeast of the Gila Cliff Dwellings.

True was the race director of The Copper Canyon Ultra Marathon, a 50-plus mile extreme race that took place in Urique, Mexico and is best known as the central character “Caballo Blanco” in the New York Times best-selling non-fiction book “Born to Run,” by Christopher McDougall.

Michael Sandrock, a running columnist for the Boulder Daily Camera newspaper, said that the book turned True into a legend in Boulder running circles, but the fame never got to his head.

“He was truly authentic,” Sandrock said. “He never wanted any publicity about himself. He just did it because he loved it. For runners, when you think of Boulder, you think of him.”

True has also been featured in the magazines Running Times and Outside.

Read more ??http://www.scsun-news.com/silver_city-news/ci_20299487

Active at Altitude is delighted to announce the 4th year of our series of running and conditioning camps created specifically for adult women. Recently featured in Fitbie.com’s Top 8 Spring Break Fitness Destinations, these camps are an amazing opportunity to train and be active in one of the top training areas in the world, as well as learn from inspiring and experienced women athletes and coaches. These camps are for you if you are an experienced runner and need to rekindle your enthusiasm for running, or want to take your running to the next level, or if you are looking to train for your first 10K, half marathon or marathon – these camps will give you the tools and inspiration you are looking for, and more!

Each camp contains a blend of activities specifically designed to raise your conditioning level, particularly focused on running. Camps are residential at Active at Altitude, a mountain lodge retreat and training center at 8,200 feet in beautiful Colorado. Each day of the camp is creatively designed to challenge and inspire, primarily running on roads & trails in and around Estes Park. Elite level athletes have been benefiting from the effects of altitude training for years – now you can too!

“Active at Altitude offers breathtaking views, professional sports education, and wonderful hospitality to inspire you as a runner and heal you as a person. Thank you Terry and Angelina for a wonderful week.” – Connie Montana, PA – July 2010

The camps are an amazing opportunity for all women that can already run at least 5-6 miles at 10 minute per mile pace or faster. If you’re not sure of your current fitness status, but would like to attend one of the camps, please contact them. Spaces are limited to 10 for each camp and they advise booking early to secure places.

Each camp includes accommodation (2 women per room sharing in a double room – 4 in bunk room – single room options available), all meals, water and juices, all sessions, group transport, journals, towels, bedding and a women’s cut tech tee shirt. Food will be primarily vegetarian and special diets can be catered to. Camps start at 3-4.00 pm the first day, and finish at 12.00 pm on the last day.

Coaching Staff

The camps are led by Terry Chiplin, fitness and life coach, and owner of Active at Altitude. Terry has a wealth of experience working with athletes of all abilities, from Olympic marathoner to a runner completing their first 5K! Joining Terry are the amazing coaches Melody Fairchild, Nancy Hobbs, and Angelina Ramos.

Dates and Rates

May – Saturday May 5 to Saturday May 12
July – Saturday July 14 to Saturday July 21
September – Sunday September 2 to Sunday September 9

Rates – the rate for the May, July and September camps, each 7 days, are as follows:
Single room $1495.00
Double room $1295.00
Bunk room $1145.00

Find out more at Activeataltitude.com/womens-running-camps-2012.html | and on Facebook

Summer time racing doesn’t get any more exciting than the energetic and diverse Boulder Downtown Running Series. The series which consists of 3 races of varying lengths features a unique format offering multiple categories for runners from the kids race, open, masters and competitive fields. The courses are tight and extremely spectator friendly as runners from the other categories line up to watch along side fans as they cheer on friends and family.

For the last 2 years the races were directed under the Ironman brand which bought the races along with the 5430 Triathlon series from Barry and Jodee Siff who owned 5430 Sports, a Boulder-based sports event management company founded in 2004. Now the Siffs are back and looking to build the on the series’ success.

“We originally took over the Boulder Downtown Running Series out of our love for the events,” said Barry Siff. “Ironman has done a solid job of operating the races for the past two years and we very much look forward to being involved again while continuing to grow this series. We’re excited about the opportunity for 5430 Sports to reestablish itself as a leading sports event management company, focused on high quality athlete experiences.”

One change 5430 Sports is making to the series is the cancellation of the Uni-Hill 2k usually run in May, but they plan on adding a third race to the series which most likely will take place in September to balance out the roster.

Some things will remain the same

5430 Sports will continue its emphasis on youth participation offering children’s races at each event equal to one-half of the distance of the adult race. Prize money will also continue to be offered at each event, as well as for the series, to the top male and female competitors and to the top masters finishers.

The first event of the series this year will be the West End 3k held on Thursday July 19th. The Pearl Street Mile, the marquee event will be held on Thursday August 9th and the last race planned for September is being planned.

If you haven’t ever been to one of these races to watch or participate in, be sure to make it this year. It truly is a great Downtown Boulder experience.

boulderroadraces.com and 5430Sports.com  |  facebook.com/RunBoulder  |  @RunBoulder

Beginning March 12th, 2012 the South Boulder Creek West Trailhead will be closed for improvements. Boulder County Open Space and Mountain Parks expects the closure to last between 3 weeks to a month. The trailhead, just west of Highway 93, 1/2 mile before Eldorado Springs Drive as you head out of town serves as a popular starting point for the South Boulder Creek and the Big Bluestem trails.

During the closure OSMP will be adding more parking spaces for cars and a couple pull-through spots for horse trailers. A new 6′ wide pathway will ease traffic from the new parking area to the South Boulder Creek trail, the old outhouse will be removed and replaced with new restrooms just up the path and a new Regulatory Kiosk will be installed.

Both Big Bluestem and South Boulder Creek trails will be still be open and accessible via other trailheads like the South Mesa Trail off of Eldorado Springs Drive or the new Greenbriar connector trail.

Training with a group is a great way to be train for the Bolder Boulder 10k 2012 - Photo courtesy of BoldRunning

The 2012 BolderBoulder 10k is officially 11 weeks away and even though this spring like weather is taunting us to get outside and run, sometimes you need more to motivate you and to keep you on track for your goals. Whether its to run a 10k for your first time or to meet a specific time goal joining a running group makes the training easier to do, with more fun, and you meet great people who become comrades and friends through the weeks of training.

I was never a runner. Every so often I would try to start running but would always give up after a few weeks. When I joined Bold Running I was amazed at the difference in my workouts and even more in how I felt about running. It’s hard, but now it’s also fun. Since I joined I have been running more often and further distances than I ever thought possible.  The coaches are great and provide individual feedback no matter how beginner or advanced you are. The fellow runners provide an amazing base of morale support and friendship.  - Testimonial from BoldRunning

Here are a few local groups to choose from who are training for the Bolder Boulder this year.

Bold Running

The official club of the Boulder Running Company and the World Renown Bolder Boulder 10k

BoldRunning puts the fun and simplicity back to running. In an area filled with overcomplicated training methods and coaches that lack personal running experience and the relevant educational background, BOLDRunning is proving that with streamlined training ideas, team support, and a relaxed environment, that any runner can succeed.

Locations: They offer training groups in Boulder and Denver
Program Begins: Spring Training kicks off Saturday March 1oth in a unique and exciting new event!
Cost: $165
Find them:  Bold-Running.com  |  Facebook

Rally Sport Runners

Led by Boulder’s Melody Fairchild!

Join the inaugural Rally Runners Bolder Boulder Team and be a part of creating a new wave of distance running LOVE in Boulder! Receive guidance Sunday-Saturday for a 12-Week Training program that will increase your fitness in a fun, supportive and structured environment. “TRAIN, DON’T STRAIN” using a program tailored to your current fitness level.

Location: Boulder
Program Begins: March 5th but spots still available
Cost: $299.00 members, $349.00 Non members
Find them: http://www.rallysportboulder.com/content/special-programs/running-club.php

Forward Fast

FastForward Sports was founded in 2005 by Scott Fliegelman in order to provide a one-of-a-kind group training experience for running, triathlon, fitness and fun! Aspiring and perspiring athletes of all levels are welcomed in a non-intimidating and professional environment. Small pace groups are formed with others of similar ability, led by a FastForward Sports Coach who is hand-picked and specifically trained to work most effectively with each level of athlete.

Locations: They offer training groups in Boulder and Denver
Starts: March 19th, 2012
Cost: $169
Find them: http://new.fastforwardsports.net  |  Facebook

Other groups training specifically for the Bolder Boulder are Hudson Training Systems/Boulder Center for Sports Medicine, The Boulder Track Club,  The Running Republic, the Boulder Striders. If you are a Master’s Woman and looking for the support of your peers, check out the recently formed Real Women Real Fast group.

Not interested in joining a formalized group but would still like to train with others? Check out the local Meetup groups  which meet weekly and rUNIFY Boulder which encourages all runners, no matter which group they run/train with, which meets on the first Sunday of each month with a different route options.

If you aren’t training with a group this year, how will you train and what keeps you motivated through the spring?

Last week All Sports Recovery Club expanded its offerings and its space to 3,000 square feet when it moved into the old Retul space adjacent to its current location. The new space which is still above Christy Sports at 2000 30th Street, Boulder boasts beautiful hardwood floors, a new reception/waiting area, a small store where you can purchase Mix 1, Athletes Honey Milk or self massage tools then opens up to the spacious Optogait gait analysis and Altitude Contrast Training stations.

They are in the process of rearranging the previous rooms to better suit the self massage tools, a larger ice bath, and to bring in more Normatec compression boots which tends to be the main attraction at the club.

Vying for best club benefit is the free 15 minute massages provided by the outstanding students from the Boulder Center for Massage Therapy who are usually in the club 5 days a week.

New this month, they will start offering a package/membership called the Therapy Package. For an additional $69 a month you get 12 sessions of your choice of Chiropractic adjustments, Graston Technique, Ultrasound or Combo, E-stem 6 forms, TENS and Class IV Cold Laser. That works out to only be $5 a session.

Non-Members can also purchase the Therapy Package for just $99 a month, about $8 a session. The idea behind the package is to offer these services at a much lower cost than a single co-pay for a PT or massage session.

As always the first session is free, so go by and the friendly staff will show you around and you can try it all out. They may even make you coffee!

Find them:
http://allsportsrecovery.com
http://www.facebook.com/AllSportsRecovery
https://twitter.com/#!/allsportsrec

Roberto Mandje works through an Altitude Contrast training session

U.S. Olympic middle distance runner Jenny Barringer Simpson will be joining a number of sports superstars help fight childhood obesity and to help ‘Get America Moving’ as part of SGMA’s National Health Through Fitness Day. Simpson is the World 1500m champion and a Team New Balance athlete.

These champions of sport will have a message that there’s an overwhelming need for daily P.E. in U.S. schools, which will help trim the fat off America’s children who are overweight and out of shape. To date, the celebrity delegation includes 1982 Heisman Trophy winner/former U.S. Olympian Herschel Walker; Hall of Fame golfer Gary Player; former Wimbledon & U.S. Open tennis champ Stan Smith; NFL Pro Bowl wide receiver Steve Smith (Carolina Panthers); former Major League Baseball pitcher Tommy John; ex-NHL star/current ice hockey commentator Jeremy Roenick; former U.S. Open/British Open golf champion Johnny Miller; WNBA star Tamika Catchings; Team USA softball star Monica Abbott; LPGA superstar Stacy Lewis; Golden Gloves Boxer Cara Castronuova; former NFL players Ken Harvey, John Booty, and Aaron Beasley, among others.

On Wednesday, March 7, a delegation of well-known athletes, fitness & sporting goods manufacturers, fitness & sports retailers, concerned citizens, association leaders, and Simpson will visit Capitol Hill to participate in the 13th Annual National Health Through Fitness Day, presented by the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA). Primarily, they will lobby Congress for passage of two legislative initiatives that will help all Americans become more physically fit:

(1) Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP) Bill, which provides grants to school districts and community based organizations to support innovative physical education and activity methods;

(2) PHIT (Personal Health Investment Today) Act, which will encourage improved health through increased physical activity for all Americans by making it more affordable to play sports and engage in physical fitness and recreation activities — through the use of tax incentives.

Simpson will be volunteering her time to be a part of this lobbying group because of her personal commitment to promoting physical activity to reverse the obesity trend in America.

“I am looking forward to sharing the news with members of Congress that the PEP grants are working at the local level around the country,” said Simpson. “We need fitness facilities at every school site for students, staff and their local community.”

“In the budget-cutting environment on Capitol Hill, our goal is to save physical education in schools and encourage active lifestyles,” said Bill Sells, SGMA’s vice president of government relations. “It’s imperative that they understand the adverse impact of sedentary living and appreciate the positive economic outcomes of healthier, more active lifestyles.”

For the PEP Bill, this consortium will ask Congress to continue funding the program in FY 2013. PEP is the only Federal funding dedicated to physical education. SGMA will schedule meetings with more than 100 U.S. Senators and Representatives on March 7. In FY 2001, the PEP Bill was approved for $5 million. The success of PEP has led to a steady increase in funding. In FY 2002, Congress allotted $50 million; $60 million in FY 2003; $70 million in FY 2004; $73 million in FY 2005; $73 million in FY 2006; $73 million in FY 2007; $75.7 million in FY 2008; $78 million in FY 2009; $79 million in FY 2010; $79 million in FY 2011; and $79 million in FY 2012. To date, nearly $800 million in PEP grants have been distributed across the country by the U.S. Department of Education.

The PHIT Act would change current federal tax law to allow for the deduction or use of pre-tax dollars to cover expenses related to sports, fitness and other physical activities. Americans could invest up to $2,000 annually to reimburse physical activity costs using PHIT-designated contributions to existing pre-tax Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), Medical Savings Accounts (MSA), and other medical reimbursement arrangements. PHIT would only expand the eligible expenses. It would not increase contribution limits to these accounts. Once an individual or family reaches the 7.5% threshold on income spent for qualified medical expenses, they could deduct physical activity expenses directly.

“Too many people in the U.S. are inactive and as a result, are unhealthy,” said SGMA President Tom Cove. “PEP grants give American children the chance to learn about the importance of physical fitness on a daily basis. Our children must have quality physical education in our schools. As for the PHIT Act, it encourages healthy, active lifestyles by making physical activity more affordable for individuals and families. We need to start focusing more time and resources on preventing illness as opposed to treating people once they are already sick. We must encourage active lifestyles as a way to help reverse the obesity trend.”

“Participation in our National Health Through Fitness Day activities is a win-win for all those affected by the legislation,” said Sells. “You get the chance to meet face-to-face with members of Congress to ask for their support of legislation to prevent illness through increased physical activity. The PEP Bill will expose thousands of American children to a new approach to P.E. PHIT will encourage physically active lifestyles by making sports, fitness and recreational activities more affordable.”

To keep up to date on what’s happening with SGMA and SGMA’s National Health Through Fitness Day, follow us on Twitter @TheSGMA. We’ll be using the hash tag #nhtf12 for anything NHTF Day related. You are also encouraged and invited to be a ‘fan’ of National Health Through Fitness Day on our Facebook page to let your friends know that you support a physically active lifestyle.

The Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA), the #1 source for sport and fitness research, is the leading global trade association of manufacturers, retailers, and marketers in the sports products industry. SGMA helps lead the sports and fitness industries by promoting favorable public policies, fostering participation through research, thought leadership and product promotion. More information about SGMA membership, SGMA public policy platform, and SGMA’s National Health Through Fitness Day can be found at www.SGMA.com

– Courtesy of  SportsOneSource Media