Rock ‘n’ Roll Oasis Montreal Marathon: The STM enters the race for a healthier city

Press release

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Oasis Montreal Marathon and the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) are proud to announce the strengthening of their partnership, which they formed in 2014. This year, the Marathon and the STM are taking their collaboration to new levels by offering participants in the 2015 Marathon a transit pass valid on race day, which will greatly facilitate their getting around.

Montreal, March 12, 2015 – The Rock ‘n’ Roll Oasis Montreal Marathon and the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) are proud to announce the strengthening of their partnership, which they formed in 2014. This year, the Marathon and the STM are taking their collaboration to new levels by offering participants in the 2015 Marathon a transit pass valid on race day, which will greatly facilitate their getting around.

"Both Montreal and out-of-town runners will enjoy numerous benefits on September 20, particularly as they notice how simple it is to use the STM transportation network to get to the start locations of their respective races," said Marathon spokesperson Dominique Arsenault. "We also hope that participants will take the opportunity to rediscover Montreal and visit various points of interest in the afternoon."

"The STM is committed to promoting mobility in all its forms, which is why it is proud to be associated with the Montreal Marathon. The fact that this year’s participants will get a free transit pass included in their registration makes the link between active transportation—very active, in the case of the Marathon—and public transportation all the more salient. Not to mention that by using the STM network to get around, participants will add an even greener aspect to the Marathon," said Philippe Schnobb, Chairman of the Board of the STM. 

To promote this year's added benefit, the Marathon and STM will shine the spotlight on some of their common values in a video launched today on the Web. Through a vignette showcasing Montreal Alouettes player Kyries ‘The Angry Bird’ Hebert along with three fans and former Marathon participants chosen in a contest on the organization's Facebook page, this short film demonstrates that you don't have to be a professional athlete to be physically fit. "Through the various race distances offered in the Marathon (Marathon, 1/2 Marathon, 10K, 5K and 1K, for children 3 to 11 years), each person can go at their own pace, in the race of their choice," said Ms. Arsenault. This is especially true given that training for the race involves only a very simple routine and bit of motivation, and can be accomplished by adopting certain lifestyle choices like integrating public and active transportation into one’s routine.

"Just by choosing to use public transportation, our customers are already taking a step toward better health. We calculated that the average user walks the equivalent of 2.26 km in a day. This amounts to 32 minutes of walking or around 3,359 steps! You can't honestly say the car offers as healthy an option," noted Philippe Schnobb.

The two organizations will also combine forces on March 12 through an activity with the public in the McGill and Bonaventure métro stations. On this occasion, métro users will benefit from a $15 discount on their registration in the marathon or half marathon. The first five hundred registered will also receive a Marathon t-shirt.

This partnership is an important step in the adoption of a healthy lifestyle, as it promotes accessible means for the public to get in shape. "It's by trying it out that you develop a taste for it," added Ms. Arsenault, referring both to the challenge of taking part in a race and to using public transportation.

Registration 
Registration for the various Rock ‘n’ Roll Oasis Montreal Marathon races (1K, 5K, 5K, Half-Marathon and Marathon) is now open and can be accessed at the following address: http://ca.competitor.com/en/montreal/inscription. Register today to take advantage of the reduced rate offered online until March 15, 2015 only!

About the Société de transport de Montréal 
Société de transport de Montréal (STM) develops and operates an integrated bus and métro system, as well as paratransit service, for the benefit of its customers. The métro system comprises four lines serving 68 stations, while the bus network covers the island of Montréal, an operating area of 500 km2. STM provided 416.5M passenger rides in 2013, which translates into some 1.3 million rides per day. The company handles over 80% of all public transportation in the Montreal area, representing more than 70% of all public transit use in Quebec. STM has almost 9,500 employees and is Quebec’s 14th largest company.

About the Rock ‘n’ Roll Oasis Montreal Marathon  
This year will mark the 25th edition of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Oasis Montreal Marathon. Organized by Festival de la Santé, in conjunction with Competitor Canada, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series is the world's largest running series, with over 500,000 runners participating in events worldwide every year. The series started in 1998 with the simple idea of making running fun, and has transformed the running landscape by livening up the route with live bands, cheer teams and entertaining water stations, creating a block-party atmosphere for participants and spectators alike. Today, the series of marathons and half-marathons has spread to more than 27 destination cities, drawing visitors from around the world. Over the course of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series’ history, charity partners have raised more than $300 million through the events for a variety of worthy causes.

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Sources:        

Rock ‘n’ Roll Oasis Montreal Marathon 
Vanessa Lyssan 
Tel.: 514 266-5434 
vlyssan@octanestrategies.com

Société de transport de Montréal 
Amélie Régis
Public affairs 

Phone: 514 280-5508 
amelie.regis@stm.info