~By Jenny Maxwell
I grew up running the trails of Marin with my mother, and competed in my first marathon at age 13. My late husband Brian was an Olympic marathoner, and each of our six children are also runners. Given that this sport has been a huge part of my family’s lives and JAMBAR’s popularity with runners, we jumped at the chance to be part of one of the most iconic events in running - the Penn Relays.
Held at the famous Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Penn Relays is the oldest and largest track and field competition in the US (it launched in 1895!). Each year, it draws more than 100,000 fans who come to watch some of the world's top track and field athletes compete. There are nearly 200 colleges and universities attending, as well as thousands of high school athletes from all across the country and the Caribbean Islands. Some top Olympic athletes will be in attendance as well, including Ajee Wilson, Devon Allen, Natoya Goule, along with plenty of world champions.
JAMBAR is the official energy bar for the 127th “Running of the Penn Relays” which kicks off Thursday, April 27th. JAMBARs will be available at the Athlete Zone at Penn Park turf fields where runners warm up and hang out. Our energy bars can also be found in the Professional Athlete Suite for pro athletes, and the Coach’s Hospitality Suite for coaches and trainers. We’re thrilled to have JAMBAR fueling competitors, officials and fans at an event that shines a spotlight on runners of all ages, highlighting the fact that running truly is a lifelong sport.
JAMBAR supports a number of colleges, and we’ll be cheering on a new partner of ours, University of Richmond, whose runners will be competing under the guidance of Steve Taylor, Coach of Men's Cross-Country and Assistant Coach of Track & Field, and his wife, Lori McKee Taylor, Coach of Women's Cross-Country and Track & Field. Steve is also a co-founder and co-director of the 13,000-member Collegiate Running Association, which JAMBAR recently began working with. Their mission is “to increase participation among US college students in road racing, mountain running, and trail running.”
When I started JAMBAR, my goal was to create a bar with only premium organic ingredients that provides great taste and nutrition. This is especially important for runners, who need a good amount of protein and a healthy ratio of complex to simple carbs. With no added oils or manufactured sugars, JAMBARs are highly digestible and have a texture, taste and nutritional profile that is perfect for training, as well as pre- and post-race.
You can stream the Penn Relays live here starting Thursday, April 27th. Good luck to all those who will be competing!