BP Products North America Inc. has announced the winner of the BP Younger for Longer Challenge, awarding 30-year-old Rachel Malone of Springfield, Mo., $10,000 in BP gasoline for sharing her inspirational story of how she overcame all odds with her love for running.

 

After battling a brain tumor in her 20s, Malone was told she would never walk again, but years later, she is not only walking, but competing in marathons across the Midwest.

 

The BP Younger for Longer Challenge asked Americans to share their stories of how they maintain their health and vitality to run younger for longer. Malone entered the BP Younger for Longer Challenge at the 2009 Waddell and Reed Kansas City Marathon where BP was a sponsor and she was a participant. It was Malone’s third marathon, only six years after she had survived life-threatening brain surgery. Even though Malone’s doctors told her that she might never walk again, her perseverance and drive to live a healthy lifestyle resulted in her not only walking but competing in multiple marathons. Malone’s story in her own words is available at bpinvigorate.com.

 

“Being able to run is a reminder of how far I’ve come in my recovery, and that is something I don’t ever want to forget,” Malone said. “After surviving a brain tumor and learning to walk again, I never would have imagined running a marathon.  I am now training for my fourth marathon, and who knows how many more?”

 

As grand prize winner in the contest, Malone will also meet five-time Olympic swimmer Dara Torres as part of her reward.  At 42, Torres has taken home three silver medals on the world stage of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Malone will spend a day in December with Torres at her Ft. Lauderdale training facility where they will have the opportunity to share their stories and swap tips on how they each run “younger for longer.”

 

“I really connected with Rachel’s story and how she is motivated to run younger for longer and accomplish something very meaningful in her life,” Torres said. “We both want to show the world that age is just a number.  And, through the BP Younger for Longer Challenge, Rachel and many other Americans had the opportunity to share their inspirational stories of what drives them to embrace a ‘younger for longer’ spirit.”

 

Nineteen, first place winners in the BP Younger for Longer Challenge were awarded with BP gas for a year, valued at more than $2,000. Among the contest’s runner-up stories: a 72-year-old Holocaust survivor and Senior Olympic medalist; “Granny Annie,” a 66-year-old who just completed a marathon on each of the 50 states; a Vietnam veteran who overcame a war injury and now runs 50-mile road races; and a 53-year-old woman who has a simple solution to battling a painful disease through clever music. For a complete list of winners and their video entries, visit bpinvigorate.com.

 

“I think, today more than ever, people place a high importance on running younger for longer, and that relates to how they treat their mind and body as well as their vehicle,” said Linda Bartman, BP Fuels Marketing Communications Director. “BP is excited to award Rachel as the winner of the BP Younger for Longer Challenge. She truly embodies the younger for longer promise that’s the driving force behind our campaign for BP gasoline with Invigorate.”

 

The BP Younger for Longer Challenge supports BP’s continued rollout of BP gasoline with Invigorate, an improved fuel that with continuous use can clean vital engine parts and help vehicles run younger for longer. BP gasoline with Invigorate is available in more than 50 U.S. markets.  When used in a vehicle with a dirty engine, BP gasoline with Invigorate can contribute to improvements in drivability such as less hesitation, smoother acceleration, reduced exhaust emissions and improved fuel economy.

 

BP markets more than 15 billion gallons of gasoline every year to U.S. consumers through more than 11,000 BP and ARCO branded retail outlets.