HAP Partners with Michigan Fitness Foundation to Get More Michiganders Moving

DETROIT, May 22, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- HAP is inviting athletes and novices alike to get moving more often by participating in the Michigan Fitness Foundation Challenge. As the 2018 sponsor, HAP is providing giveaways to all participants who complete the program by the end of the year. Nearly 1,000 people have signed up since March.

Throughout 2018, participants who self-report walking, volunteering or running in any qualifying event will receive a FIT point for each activity. Eligible participants may earn enough points for a free hat, t-shirt, backpack or fleece jacket for their hard work. Those who visit RunSignUp.com/puremichigan to sign up for the Challenge will earn one point; HAP members will earn two points.

"Wellness isn't one size fits all. Activities that work for one person won't necessarily motivate another," said Tom Spring, director wellness and community programs for HAP. "The Michigan Fitness Foundation Challenge is a great program to offer more people more opportunities to get on the right path to wellness."

HAP's partnerships with organizations like the Michigan Fitness Foundation helps create achievable strategies for healthy living. These efforts are needed, considering that Michigan is consistently ranked among the top 10 to 15 most obese states in the U.S. It is estimated that three out of every 10 adults in Michigan are obese (31.2%), while 35.1% are overweight according to a 2015 Michigan Department of Health and Human Services report.

Events for the Michigan Fitness Foundation are scheduled in a variety of communities across the state.  Many align with HAP's overall mission designed to help people of varying fitness levels get started. 

Some of the HAP-sponsored activities include:

• Tough Mudder | June 2-3, 2018 | Oxford
  For those who want to attempt 10- to 12-mile obstacle courses that test mental and physical strength.
  
• Teal Track & Trail | June 8, 2018 | Grand Blanc
  For 5K runners and walkers and those interested in a one mile family walk. This race also raises funds and awareness for ovarian cancer.
  
• Traffic Jam'in | July 13, 2018 | Grass Lake
  A flat, scenic run and walk around Grass Lake and the nearby neighborhood that includes live music.
  
• HAP Crim Festival of Races | Aug. 24-25 | Flint
  For runners and walkers of all levels and ages, this event takes place in the streets of downtown Flint.
  
• Tour de Troit | Sept. 15, 2018 | Detroit
  A bike ride that explores some of the city's historic areas, takes in breathtaking sights and offers the chance to legally "take over" the streets of Motown.

"The Challenge was created to support the events and the Michigan residents who participate in them. We are grateful to have so many opportunities to extend the program in so many areas throughout our state," Michelle Coss, director of community engagement and interim-president of the Michigan Fitness Foundation. "We could not be successful without the support of Health Alliance Plan."

The Michigan Fitness Foundation Challenge has operated for three years. It is one of the many Pure Michigan Fitness programs designed to cultivate a culture of health and active lifestyles. Visit michiganfitness.org for more information.

About Michigan Fitness Foundation
The Michigan Fitness Foundation's mission is to inspire active lifestyles and healthy food choices through education, environmental change, community events and policy leadership. They support and build collaborative partnerships to affect change in communities and improve conditions where people live, learn, work and play. Michigan Fitness Foundation is home to the Governor's Council on physical fitness, health and sports.

About Health Alliance Plan
Health Alliance Plan (HAP) is a Michigan-based, nonprofit health plan that provides health coverage to individuals and companies of all sizes. For nearly 60 years, HAP has partnered with leading doctors and hospitals, employers and community organizations to enhance the health and well-being of the lives we touch. HAP offers a product portfolio with six distinct product lines: Group Insured Commercial, Individual, Medicare, Medicaid, Self-Funded and Network Leasing. HAP excels in delivering award-winning preventive services, disease management and wellness programs, and personalized customer service. For more information, visit hap.org.

Editor's note: Additional photos from hap.org/news are available for download.

SOURCE Health Alliance Plan (HAP)