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The free, weekly FitPHX Meet Me Downtown Phoenix (MMDT) walk/run will celebrate its first birthday on Monday, Nov. 9, from 5:15 to 7:15 p.m. at The Corner restaurant at CityScape Phoenix. Many special activities are planned along the 3.2-mile route that takes participants through three downtown parks and past numerous businesses, restaurants and landmarks.
Participants check in each week at The Corner restaurant before heading out to tour the downtown cityscape. A “MMDTPHX” hand stamp provides identification for Monday evening discounts at more than 20 participating restaurants and businesses.
Passionate regulars and first-time eventgoers at the Nov. 9 event will be supported by two dozen MMDT volunteers, city and Downtown Phoenix Inc. (DPI) staff, and staff of MMDT title sponsor Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ) and other partner organizations. Vice Mayor Daniel Valenzuela will officially commemorate the birthday at the 7 p.m. closing ceremony.
“Meet Me Downtown Phoenix is a vibrant FitPHX event every Monday night that thousands of people have enjoyed. It’s part of a continued effort to create a safe, connected, walkable community in downtown Phoenix,” Vice Mayor Valenzuela said. “The walk/run is part of a larger public-private partnership that provides our residents with a free opportunity to connect and be active while having fun, boosting downtown business and attracting new visitors to our downtown streets.”
Raffle prizes at the 7 p.m. closing ceremony include Fitbits donated by BCBSAZ, Phoenix Suns tickets, $200 in Sole Sports Running Zone gift cards, a Coca-Cola mountain bike, a one-month free membership to the Lincoln Family Downtown YMCA and gift cards to various downtown restaurants. For details, visit meetmedowntownphx.com – click on “Birthday Bash” – and like/follow @mmdtphx on Facebook and Twitter.
Additional MMDT Birthday Bash highlights include:
- Health Fair at Patriot’s Square Park/CityScape Phoenix with free health screenings from BCBSAZ, plus a dozen group information tables from the city of Phoenix, community groups and a few upcoming local races.
- Free BCBSAZ Nourishing Arizona produce bags for the first 200 participants who stop by the BCBSAZ booth. The bags will be filled with produce to make a healthy side dish.
- Fresh Express Bus parked on Washington Street.
- The Phoenix Suns Gorilla high-fiving everyone in sight at 5:15 p.m.
- Farmers Market inside The Corner restaurant.
- Trivia game about downtown with questions along the MMDT route and at the finish.
- Play and watch Pickleball at Heritage Square.
- Birthday cake, music, Phoenix Public Library, Hance Park Conservancy and more at Hance Park.
- Free, weekly Lincoln Family Downtown YMCA “Group Kick” exercise class at Civic Space Park A.E. England Building.
- Downtown Phoenix Inc. Ambassador mobile kiosk.
“BCBSAZ is proud to support the city of Phoenix and Downtown Phoenix, Inc. as title sponsor of FitPHX’s Meet Me Downtown,” Jeff Stelnik, senior vice president of strategy, sales and marketing for BCBSAZ said. “Having thousands of attendees show their commitment this year to a healthy lifestyle while experiencing our vibrant downtown is exciting. We look forward to building upon that number for years to come.”
The first year of Meet Me Downtown Phoenix attracted more than 9,000 participants, with more than 200 people attending 10 times or more and earning an MMDT t-shirt. Three athletes have perfect attendance for the year, walking/running each Monday despite rain storms and 110-degree weather. Altogether, MMDTers have travelled more than 27,000 miles – the distance around the Earth and then some.
MMDT is a fun, social, non-competitive walk/run held every Monday from 5:15 to 7:15 p.m., regardless of rain, shine or holidays. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona is title sponsor; operating partners are FitPHX, Downtown Phoenix Inc., Phoenix Parks Foundation, Sole Sports Running Zone, CityScape Phoenix, The Corner restaurant and Meet Me Concepts.
