A record-breaking 13,000 runners lined up at the starting point for the annual Boilermaker 15K and 5K Road Race in Utica, NY on July 1. Among them were more than 100 runners representing Team ZIP, a group of beef enthusiasts boasting the zinc, iron and protein found in healthy, lean beef. And, one of the newest members of the Team ZIP clan is more noteworthy than most.
Team ZIP member Dane Rauschenberg is a runner well-known across the country, mostly recognized for having run 52 marathons in 52 weeks, and most recently, a 202-mile solo run in under 50 hours. Yet, this was the first Boilermaker for this seasoned road runner, and it was his first race sporting the Team ZIP jersey. Following the race, Rauschenberg shared his insights from the road with me, as well as his firm belief in incorporating beef into a well-balanced diet. All I can say is we couldn't ask for a better spokesperson to represent us cattle producers!
Rauschenberg is an extreme runner, author and motivational speaker who has become an outstanding spokesperson for the beef industry, a well-recognized and celebrated celebrity in the health and fitness world who gladly promotes the power of protein to his colleagues. You can follow his running adventures on his website.
“I love beef,” exclaimed Rauschenberg. “When I was running my 202-mile solo run, I was sending out live tweets. At mile 118, I tweeted, 'I want a steak.' I’m definitely a big fan of eating protein through beef, both before and after a race. I try to educate people that beef has a place in a well-balanced diet. This is something that works for me. You always hear about eating a lot of carbohydrates before a race, but for me, it’s protein. Beef isn’t the fatty thing it’s accused of being.”
“Beef was more prominent than ever this year at the Boilermaker 15K Road Race,” reported Daren Williams, executive director of communications for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. “Jean O’Toole at the New York Beef Industry Council really knows how to leverage sponsorship of an event like this to get maximum exposure. Between two days at the Health Expo passing out beef samples in the 'Beef Up Your Health' booth, doing health screenings, Dane’s speech and book signing, the 'Power of Protein Push-Up Challenge,' which awarded a prize to the person who could do the most pushups, and approximately 100 runners on the course wearing the Team ZIP jerseys, I think we made a huge impact on the perception of beef’s role in a healthy diet.”
Without a doubt, Rauschenberg is a strong advocate for the beef cattle industry. As an ultra-marathoner, author and speaker, Dane is well-equipped to share his expertise with health-conscious Americans across the country. And, if his message is that he enjoys a steak before and after every road race, well, cattle producers can certainly appreciate his efforts to boost beef demand.
Thanks, Dane! I appreciate all you do! Keep running and enjoying beef!
