New England Acura Dealers Give Local Athletes Second Chance to Run Boston Marathon 2017

BOSTON - Oct. 20, 2016 - PRLog -- The New England Acura Dealers Association (NEADA), official automotive sponsor of the 2017 Boston Marathon, announced the "I Run Boston" contest with their partner the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.). The "I Run Boston" contest is designed to provide an online forum for athletes to share their personal stories of strength and love for Boston, while also providing one runner a second opportunity to register for the 2017 Boston Marathon.

"There's an immense love for sports, spirit, and support in Boston," said Chris Connolly, NEADA president and general manager of Herb Connolly Acura. "The energy was contagious when I ran the marathon this past April, and it will remain an unforgettable experience. I can't wait to provide someone else this same opportunity to run next year's Boston Marathon."

The contest will collect video submissions from Oct. 3 to Nov. 6. Entrants must share a 30-second video on Instagram conveying why they want to run the 2017 Marathon. Entries must tag @NEAcura and use hashtag "#IRunBoston". Athletes from Massachusetts or New Hampshire with a valid 2017 B.A.A. qualification time but who failed to gain entry are invited to enter. No purchase is necessary to participate or win.

A panel of judges from the B.A.A., NEADA, Lagardère Sports, and Tier10 will select four finalists. The public can vote for their favorite here (https://www.facebook.com/NEAcuraDealers) from Oct. 28 to Nov. 6. Jut one lucky runner will be selected to run Boston's historic race on April 17, 2017.

"The [NEADA] will offer one qualified applicant an opportunity of a lifetime," said Tom Grilk, executive director of the B.A.A. "Thanks to our important sponsors, we are able to provide additional opportunities, which also generate excitement throughout the year."

This marks NEADA's second year as an official sponsor of the Boston Marathon. For 2017, NEADA will continue its "We are Boston" campaign, with the "I Run Boston" contest as its newest addition.

About the New England Acura Dealers Association: The New England Acura Dealers Association consists of seven dealerships throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire: Acura of Auburn, Acura of Boston, Acura of Peabody, Herb Connolly Acura, Prime Acura, Prime Acura North and Sunnyside Acura. Please see neacuradealers.com for more information.

About the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.): For more information on the B.A.A., please visit www.baa.org.