'The Bachelor' star Dr. Andy Baldwin becomes new ING Kids Rock Ambassador

Hoping to get kids up and running, "The Bachelor" star Dr. Andy Baldwin.  Baldwin was recently named the official ambassaddor for ING KiDS ROCK.

Over the next year ING and the Competitor group will host seven KiDS ROCK events at Rock 'n' Roll Marathons across the country. 

About 17,000 students in grades kindergarten through seventh are expected to participate at races in New Orleans, Dallas, Nashville, San Diego, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and San Antonio.

Kids are encouraged to run 25.2 miles over the course of their training, then run a one mile race at a KiDS ROCK event for a total of 26.2 miles, the marathon distance. 

Dr. Baldwin, who has completed eight Iron Man Triathlons, the famed Comrades Marathon in South Africa, the Boston Marathon, the ING New York City Marathon and the Chicago Marathon, is no stranger to physical fitness, or helping kids get more active.

I recently caught up with Dr. Baldwin to find out more about his latest endeavor.

Marathon Examiner:  You were recently named the ING KiDS ROCK ambassador.  How did this come about?



Dr. Baldwin:  In 2009 when working with the U.S. Surgeon General we honored ING with a
 Surgeon General's Champion Award for the work they have done through their
 ING Run For Something Better Campaign.  I was impressed with their commitment to fighting childhood obesity by getting kids involved in 
running. 

I then served as Ambassador for ING Run For Something Better at 
the 2010 ING NYC Marathon and helped lead a kids running event there in
 Harlem.  I have also been involved with several Rock 'n' Roll Marathons the 
past two years and helped with the KiDS ROCK event in Nashville last year
 along with NFL pro Eddie George. 

It was a lot of fun and the ING -
Competitor Group partnered with an expanded KiDS ROCK Series for 2011 and
 they asked me to be National Ambassador and Spokesman for the program.  I 
was honored.

Marathon Examiner:  What is the program and what does your job as ambassador entail?

Dr. Baldwin:  

Being a spokesman, televised and print media, social media, participating in
 several KiDS ROCK and Rock 'n' Roll Marathon series events as well as being the 
Ambassador at the ING New York City Marathon once again. 

The kickoff event will be this
 weekend in New Orleans.  I want to grow the number of children and their
 parents that participate in KiDS ROCK and help provide sponsorships to 
schools in the area to grow kids running programs through ING's Run For
 Something Better Campaign. 

Dr. Baldwin will be in New Orleans on Saturday, February 12 at the ING KiDS ROCK race and on Sunday, February 13 to run the Rock 'n' Roll Mardis Gras Half Marathon.