Posted: March 29, 2007

Athletics: Nationwide Better Health: Title Sponsor of the Columbus Marathon

COLUMBUS, Ohio - (March 27, 2007) - Nationwide Better Health , the leading provider of total population health management solutions, will join other top corporations around the U.S. as the title sponsor of a major marathon; as a result, the 28th Columbus Marathon will now be the Nationwide Better Health Columbus Marathon. Nationwide Better Health will be the title sponsor of the Columbus Marathon and 1/2 Marathon for its 2007, 2008 and 2009 events. Approximately 10,000 runners and walkers are expected to participate in the 28th running of the 2007 Nationwide Better Health Columbus Marathon and 1/2 Marathon events on Sunday, Oct. 21. "The involvement of Nationwide Better Health coupled with the growing popularity of marathon events across the nation will continue to position our marathon as one of America's top events," said Bill Burns, chair of the Columbus Marathon board of trustees. Over the past three years, more top U.S. marathons, such as the ING New York City, Medtronic Twin Cities and Chevron Houston Marathons have either added a first-time title sponsor or secured a new one. In addition, large inaugural marathons have also signed title sponsors such as P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona and the recent, sold-out ING Georgia Marathon in Atlanta. "With a demographic similar to golf and tennis in size and income and education levels, running is an attractive, relatively inexpensive-to-reach market for corporate America; and like golf and tennis, as more sponsors enter the sport, other sponsors will follow," said Ryan Lamppa, media director for Running USA. "We are excited to be involved with the Columbus Marathon," said Holly Snyder, president of Nationwide Better Health. "Nationwide introduced Nationwide Better Health last fall because of its passion to help people understand and manage what really matters - their health and well-being. As a provider of health management solutions, we're committed to providing services that foster healthy employees and organizations." The Nationwide Better Health Columbus Marathon and 1/2 Marathon events will take place on Sunday, Oct. 21 and will feature a 7:00am start for walkers and an 8:00am start for runners. Both events start on the corner of Broad and High Streets and finish on Nationwide Blvd. in the Arena District. The Columbus Marathon was one of the 25 largest of more than 350 active marathons conducted in the U.S in 2006. Nearly one-in-five finishers (18.4 percent) qualified for the Boston Marathon. Last year's marathon and 1/2 marathon events featured approximately 7,500 runners, walkers and wheelchair athletes; 1,500 volunteers and tens of thousands of spectators. Visit ColumbusMarathon.com for more information. About Nationwide Better Health Nationwide Better Health, a subsidiary of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, is a leading provider of total population health management solutions aimed at lowering health care costs, increasing productivity and improving quality of life for Fortune 1000 employers and their employees. Nationwide Better Health is the first company to truly integrate the best collection of health and productivity services available today, including health and wellness, and disease, disability, absence, medical and maternity management, along with the industry's first integrated disease and disability management offering. The company's offerings work together and independently to address both sides of the cost equation: increased efficiency of health and productivity programs and better employee health and well-being to reduce health care-related costs. For more information, call (866) 404-6924 or visit NWBetterHealth.com. Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Director (805) 696-6232; Fax = (805) 659-0016 Ryan@RunningUSA.org www.RunningUSA.org. Subscribe to the Runner's Web Weekly Digest