Contact: Brian Gabriel Office: 312.988.2242 Cell: 708-917-2528 E-mail: bgabriel@webershandwick.com

‘GOT CHOCOLATE MILK?’™ SELECTS LOCAL MOM TO JOIN HINES WARD ON

LIFE-CHANGING JOURNEY TO BECOME AN IRONMAN® TRIATHLETE

Budding Athlete Chosen from Hundreds of Applicants to Compete in the 2013 IRONMAN® World Championship in Kona, Hawai‘i

Washington, DC (February 25, 2013) – A Bedford, NH stay-at-home mom is about to embark on a life-changing

training and recovery journey that will push the boundaries of her physical abilities and prove to others that anything is

possible. After besting the competition, Chrisann Dalton has been awarded the opportunity to partner with football

legend Hines Ward and REFUEL | got chocolate milk? to train for and compete in the 2013 IRONMAN ® World

Championship.

In November, REFUEL | got chocolate milk? launched “BECOME ONE” – a nationwide search to find three

“everyday athletes” to join Hines Ward on an unforgettable journey to become an IRONMAN triathlete. Dalton, 39,

along with the other two lucky athletes – Josh Kalb, 24, from Denver, CO and challenged athlete, Eric McElvenny, 29,

from San Diego, CA – were announced at the 21st annual Endurance LIVE , a red carpet sports awards gala at L.A.’s

Club Nokia that recognized and celebrated the world’s best endurance athletes and their achievements. Together they

will undertake a training and recovery regimen that will prepare them for the grueling IRONMAN World Championship

– a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike race and 26.2 mile run in Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i on October 12, 2013.

Dalton and her fellow IRONMAN triathlon apprentices will be coached by eight-time IRONMAN World

Champion Paula Newby-Fraser, plus a host of elite athletes and sports dietitians. Together they’ll learn about the

importance of post-exercise recovery and that what they do after strenuous exercise, such as refueling with chocolate

milk – the Official Refuel Beverage of IRONMAN – can make a dramatic difference in how they feel and perform during

their next workout. A growing body of published research suggests the nutrient profile of chocolate milk can help

athletes recover after hard workouts so they can perform at their best during the next bout of exercise. For Dalton and

her teammates, recovering effectively every day could mean the difference between crossing the finish line in Kona or

“bonking out” somewhere along the 140.6-mile course.

A Training and Recovery Journey to ‘BECOME ONE’

In “BECOME ONE,” cameras will follow Ward, Dalton, Kalb and McElvenny for seven months as they prepare

for the biggest athletic challenge of their lives. The reality-style webisodes, debuting this week on

www.gotchocolatemilk.com, will document the highs and lows of their grueling training, spotlight the importance of their

after-exercise routines and the role that chocolate milk plays in helping their bodies recover after hard workouts; and

inspire all athletes to break out of their comfort zone and prove that anything is possible.

-more-

Page 2 of 2 - Local Mom to Join Hines Ward on Journey to Become an IRONMAN Stay-At-Home Mom to “Ironmom”

Chrisann Dalton, a stay-at-home mom of two kids and assistant cheerleading coach, is new to endurance

sports within the last few years, mainly competing in local running events. At the age of 16, she was diagnosed with

chronic asthma, a huge factor when competing in endurance events. The doctor that finally stabilized her condition

was himself an IRONMAN World Championship triathlete who helped inspire her to take on endurance sports.

Through his inspiring stories and motivation, Dalton became interested in endurance sports and is ready to push her

limits in a whole new way.

“Having the opportunity to embark on this amazing journey and train for a race that I previously never

imagined I’d be doing will be my biggest accomplishment as an athlete,” said Dalton. “And to do it alongside Hines

Ward and REFUEL | got chocolate milk? is such an honor in itself. It’ll be tough, but with the help of Hines and a

team of nutritionists and other experts leading us through this program, I’m going to conquer this challenge and

hopefully inspire others.”

The Science of Chocolate Milk

More and more elite athletes and coaches are recognizing the benefits of refueling with chocolate milk. Sports

dietitian Leslie Bonci, reunited with Hines Ward for the “BECOME ONE” program after working with him and his former

Pittsburgh teammates for years, makes chocolate milk a staple on her athletes’ training menus. “Too many athletes

overlook after-exercise recovery, which means they probably won’t get the most out of their next workout,” said Bonci.

“Elite athletes have been refueling with chocolate milk for years because of its unique nutrient profile, plus it’s so

simple and it tastes great!” Chocolate milk has the right carb-to-protein ratio scientifically shown to help the body

recover, high-quality protein to help repair muscles and fluids and electrolytes to replenish what’s lost in sweat.

A growing body of research supports chocolate milk’s recovery benefits after strenuous exercise. For example,

researchers at the University of Texas at Austin found that following an exhausting ride, trained cyclists had

significantly more power and rode faster, shaving about six minutes on average from their ride time on a subsequent

ride later that same day when they recovered with lowfat chocolate milk compared to a carbohydrate sports drink and

calorie-free beverage.

Follow Chrisann Dalton’s journey to “BECOME ONE,” learn about the science behind the recovery benefits of

chocolate milk, and check out exclusive training tips and videos at gotchocolatemilk.com. Join the conversation on

Facebook/gotchocolatemilk and Twitter @gotchocomilk using #BecomeOne. Visit ironman.com to learn more about

IRONMAN and the IRONMAN World Championship.

About the REFUEL | got chocolate milk?™ Campaign The Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP), Washington, D.C., is funded by the nation's milk processors, who are committed to increasing fluid milk consumption. The National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board, through MilkPEP, runs the REFUEL | got chocolate milk?™ Campaign, a multi-faceted program designed to educate athletes about the recovery benefits of lowfat chocolate milk after strenuous exercise. Lowfat chocolate milk is simple, effective and scientifically shown to help refuel the body so athletes can perform at their best. It’s a natural source of high-quality protein to build lean muscle; it has the right mix of protein and carbs to refuel exhausted muscles; plus fluids and a natural source of electrolytes to rehydrate and help replenish what’s lost in sweat. For more information, go to www.gotchocolatemilk.com. About IRONMAN The iconic IRONMAN® Series of events is the largest participation sports platform in the world. Since the inception of the IRONMAN® brand in 1978, athletes have proven that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE® by crossing finish lines at the world’s most challenging endurance races. Recognized for excellence through distinguished events, world-class athletes and quality products, World Triathlon Corporation (d/b/a IRONMAN), owner and operator of the IRONMAN® Series, has grown from owner of a single race to a global sensation with more than 190 events across five unique brands: IRONMAN®, IRONMAN 70.3®, 5150™ Triathlon Series, Iron Girl® and IronKids®. For more information, visit www.ironman.com.

# # #