ZOOMA ANNAPOLIS ZOOMA ATLANTA

Imagine a powerful sea of “women moving rapidly” --encouraging fellow runners and celebrating personal running triumphs.  Picture a post-race party and expo all wrapped up in one memorable “after-party expo” where these strong goal-oriented women come together for well-deserved partying and pampering.  This is ZOOMA Women’s Race Series.

ZOOMA Women’s Race Series is an exciting new concept in women’s running that celebrates the power and beauty of women athletes.

  • 6 events in cities across the U.S. by 2010
  • Inaugural event held in Annapolis, MD on June 1, 2008
  • Second event of the series in Atlanta, Georgia on November 16, 2008
  • Pampering amenities and exciting entertainment with a “girls’ weekend” atmosphere
  • Purpose is to promote women’s and girls’ health and fitness by encouraging them to participate in a challenging and fun running event
  • ZOOMA welcomes both men and women to participate in all ZOOMA events.

ZOOMA is proud to work with CARE as its 2008 National Charity Partner. CARE is a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty by empowering women to create positive social change in the communities where they live. At least $3 of each entry fee goes directly to CARE and to empower the women CARE serves.

                CARE logo

About the Founder

Brae Blackley

Brae Blackley, founder and executive director of ZOOMA Women’s Race Series, left a promising career in corporate law to follow her dream for a national women’s half marathon event series.  Brae founded ZOOMA in July 2007 working at a makeshift desk in a coffee shop.  Now, ZOOMA is a growing national series of women’s running events, with a booming following among active women and an exciting line up of events in cities across the U.S.

Healthy and active living has always been an important part of Brae’s life.  Growing up in a coastal town in Florida, Brae spent summers swimming, water skiing, and playing volleyball on the beach.  She ran on her high school cross country and track and field teams.  Experiencing the impact of an active lifestyle in her own life led to Brae’s passion for inspiring women to realize their full potential through sports.

In 2005, Brae and her husband, Seth, founded a non-profit humanitarian organization dedicated to improving the lives of the people in a village in The Gambia, West Africa.  Since its founding, Friends of Penyem, the organization founded by Brae and Seth, has funded over 25 scholarships, built a village library, and funded a solar-powered water system to bring clean water to the village.  

In addition to her non-profit work, Brae continues to run recreationally and is currently training for a triathlon and the Philadelphia Distance Run half marathon in September. She is a volunteer Girls on the Run coach and enjoys travelling, cooking and scuba diving.

Brae earned her J.D. from The George Washington Law School in Washington, DC and her B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She lives in Arlington, Virginia with her husband, Seth, and dog, Kenan.

 

Public Relations - Andrea Meier

Andrea

Andrea Meier began working for ZOOMA in January 2008. As the volunteer Director of Public Relations, Andrea manages local and national media relations for ZOOMA Women's Race Series. She also works with ZOOMA sponsors to promote their growing relationships.

When Andrea is not working, she enjoys running, working out and recently took up Bikram Yoga. She loves to explore new restaurants and the wonderful sites around D.C.and to travel with her family and friends. Andrea is an avid Ravens fan and is currently training for the Philadelphia Distance Run half marathon in September.

At her day job, Andrea is a corporate public relations specialist at an agency in Washington, D.C. Since 2005, Andrea has worked on product launches, national trade shows and special events for a leading wireless telecommunications corporation. She has also worked in support of national promotional campaigns and conducted media relations outreach for a national restaurant chain. This past April, she worked on behalf of the Archdiocese of New York and Pope Benedict XVI's visit to New York City.  

Growing up in Baltimore, MD, Andrea ventured to the Midwest for college, where she earned her B.A. and B.S. from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. She currently lives in Washington, D.C.