This April 3 more than 28,000 runners participated in one of Chile’s most important athletic events, the Santiago Marathon. Keeping in line with donations made for the marathon in previous years, the Produce Marketing Association contributed 47,000 kg of fruit to athletes.

After completing a physically exhausting race that lasts up to 42 km, it’s recommended that athletes do three things: stretch, hydrate and rebuild energy. With these needs in mind, the PMA crafted a donation to help runners recover after the race.

Thanks to the success of previous fruit donations, the PMA became an official sponsor of the Santiago Marathon in 2015, when the organization donated 32,000 kg of produce.

Under the slogan “Run for health!” the PMA stepped up this year’s donation, which included table grapes, apples, bananas, strawberries and plums.

PMA created the promotion not only to help athletes recover after the race but also to promote the benefits of fruits for an active lifestyle, explained Cristóbal Velasco, marketing manager for Envases Impresos Roble Alto and marathon logistical manager for PMA.

“The idea is that people not only see fruits like a banana after the races. We want them to know the benefits found in grapes, like their sugar and water levels, or in plums, as a source of vitamin C and minerals like iron and potassium, which are ideal for good recovery,” Velasco said.

The event is PMA’s leading commitment to a sporting event, said Nancy Tucker, the organization’s vice president of global business development.

Nancy Tucker

“Our objective is to incentivize fruit consumption in society and this is a great opportunity for us and Chilean exporters, to show the quality of fruit produced in Chile,” Tucker said. “The reception from runners has been really impressive. They arrive at the finish line and run to look for fruit, which they already know is available at our stands.”

In 2015, www.freshfruitportal.com conducted a poll of runners, asking them which fruit they prefer after a race. A majority responded grapes, encouraging PMA to increase the allotment of grapes this year from 16,000 kg to 22,000 kg.

Even with the inclusion of strawberries and plums this year, a majority of runners still responded that their preferred fruit was grapes for their juiciness and sweetness, followed by bananas for their potassium content. Plums and apples tied for third.

Marcelo Guerra, 51, said he always tries to eat grapes after a race.

“It’s fresh, has a lot of juice and sugar. It’s ideal to recover,” Guerra told www.freshfruitportal.com.

Fellow runner Marcela Carrillo, 46, said bananas were her favorite because, “I feel like it gives me energy and it helps a lot with muscle cramps.”

All remaining fruits after the race were donated by PMA to Chile’s Red de Alimientos, a foundation that will distribute the fruit to vulnerable populations. The cardboard boxes were given to Sorepa, from the CMPC business group, for recycling.

In addition to the Produce Marketing Association, participating businesses included Subsole, David del Curto, Cencosud, Gesex, Exser, Globar Reefers, Tuniche, Hortifrut, and Envases Impresos Roble Alto.

www.freshfruitportal.com