Team Zumbiel Finishes Badwater Ultramarathon

CINCINNATI, Aug. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Todd and Emily Bello can really go the distance. This July they both successfully completed the 2013 Badwater Ultramarathon, crossing the finish line hand-in-hand after 135 grueling miles. Zumbiel Packaging (www.zumbiel.com) sponsored the couple in their endeavor to master the "toughest footrace on the planet".

"Emily and I cannot thank Zumbiel enough for their financial and emotional support throughout the race. Working for a company like Zumbiel that not only enabled us the balance to train for such an endeavor, but also cheered us on each step of the way, was a tremendous blessing," said Todd, Director of Supply Chain for Zumbiel Packaging.

The Badwater 135 Ultramarathon (www.badwater.com) has earned its brutal reputation: the course takes runners 135 miles across Death Valley in July. Todd and Emily built their running resume to get accepted into Badwater by completing seven 100-mile races, four 50-mile races, and two Ironman triathlons. Even though they had run several ultra-marathons, they knew Badwater was going to be a different beast. The distance and extreme heat were only a portion of what make the race difficult. They also knew they would face mountainous elevation gains and strong winds.

"When people hear about the race, most focus only on the extreme heat, yet there are many other elements that make the race incredibly challenging. Emily and I have conquered some extreme physical feats over the years, but this race was much more difficult than anything we could have imagined," said Todd.

Todd and Emily finished in 42 hours and 28 minutes, crossing in 55^th and 56^th place, becoming the 2^nd couple ever to finish the race side-by-side. The air temperature on the first day hit 120 degrees F, with the road temperature maxing at 165 degrees F. On the second day, they were out of Death Valley, but the temperature still topped out at 100 degrees F. Over the course of the race, they faced three mountain passes for a total elevation gain of 13,200 feet. Out of ninety-six racers, only eighty-one finished—the highest dropout rate since 2006.

Zumbiel's sponsorship of Todd and Emily reflects the company's ongoing commitment to helping employees reach their personal goals and supporting health and wellness. "We are so proud of what Todd and Emily have accomplished," said Bob Zumbiel, CEO of Zumbiel Packaging. "We are committed to helping all of our employees reach their personal best in health, fitness and overall wellness."

The Bellos' sponsorship for the ultramarathon included Zumbiel Packaging and General Mills.

"We knew going into the race that we were facing something beyond our sole capabilities and it was definitely a team effort. With God's grace, the strength Todd and I drew from each other, our amazing crew, and the dozens of people supporting and praying for us at home, we were able to conquer our goal," said Emily Bello.

About Zumbiel Packaging

As one of the largest independent paperboard packaging companies in the U.S., Zumbiel has provided a wide range of innovative packaging solutions to clients in the beverage, food and general consumer product markets for 170 years. Zumbiel Packaging is a family-owned, award-winning company that holds SFI (Sustainable Forestry Initiative) and FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) chain-of-custody certifications, and is ISO 9001:2008 registered with a focus on cGMP.

SOURCE Zumbiel Packaging