[{"id":81437,"date":"2025-08-27T17:43:37","date_gmt":"2025-08-27T21:43:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/?p=81437"},"modified":"2025-08-27T17:44:35","modified_gmt":"2025-08-27T21:44:35","slug":"rrca-and-relay-goods-team-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/rrca-and-relay-goods-team-up\/","title":{"rendered":"RRCA and Relay Goods Team Up to Expand Access to Performance Running Footwear"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"81437\" class=\"elementor elementor-81437\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-e6146de elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"e6146de\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-103bd13\" data-id=\"103bd13\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7d2d818 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7d2d818\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><em>Falls Church, VA \u2014 August 27, 2025 <\/em>The Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) is thrilled to announce a new partnership with Relay Goods, a certified pre-owned footwear platform committed to making performance running shoes more accessible and sustainable.<\/p><p>As both a retail and donation partner, Relay and RRCA are working together to remove barriers to participation by connecting runners of all ages and backgrounds with high-quality footwear whether through mission-driven recommerce or direct giving.<\/p><p><strong>Partnership Highlights:<\/strong><\/p><ul><li><strong>Co-Branded Online Store<\/strong> \u2014 Launch this week on <a href=\"https:\/\/rrca-national.myshopify.com\/collections\/relay-goods\">RRCA\u2019s Shopify platform<\/a>, the store features top-tier returned and like-new shoes from authorized dealers, providing runners with exceptional value.<\/li><li><strong>Youth Shoe Donations<\/strong> \u2014 Relay will provide ongoing footwear donations through the RRCA\u2019s <em>Kids Run the Nation<\/em> program and to athletes on youth cross country and track &amp; field teams led by RRCA Certified Run Coaches\u2014helping ensure every young runner reaches the starting line with confidence.<\/li><li><strong>Convention Support<\/strong> \u2014 Relay will sponsor and engage attendees at the 2026 RRCA National Convention, offering exclusive on-site opportunities.<\/li><\/ul><p>\u201cAt RRCA, we believe running should be accessible to everyone, especially youth runners,\u201d said Jean Knaack, CEO of RRCA. \u201cPartnering with Relay allows us to reduce financial barriers while directly supporting our efforts to engage both youth and adult runners.\u201d<\/p><p>\u201cThis collaboration is about participation as much as performance,\u201d said Relay\u2019s CEO. \u201cWhether it&#8217;s getting a great deal on your next pair or helping a kid take their first stride, we&#8217;re proud to partner with RRCA to grow the sport in every direction.\u201d<\/p><p><strong>About RRCA:<\/strong> <em>The Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) is the oldest and largest national association of running organizations, run coaches, and runners dedicated to growing the sport since 1958. The RRCA champions the development of community-based running clubs and events that serve runners of all ages and abilities in pursuit of health and competition. The RRCA\u2019s vision is to Empower Everyone to Run.<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Falls Church, VA \u2014 August 27, 2025 The Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) is thrilled to announce a new partnership with Relay Goods, a certified pre-owned footwear platform committed to making performance running shoes more accessible and sustainable. As both a retail and donation partner, Relay and RRCA are working together to remove barriers [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":81438,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-81437","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-rrca-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81437","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=81437"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81437\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":81442,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81437\/revisions\/81442"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/81438"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=81437"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=81437"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=81437"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":81344,"date":"2025-08-21T12:06:20","date_gmt":"2025-08-21T16:06:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/?p=81344"},"modified":"2025-08-21T12:08:38","modified_gmt":"2025-08-21T16:08:38","slug":"new-multi-event-challenges-coming-to-2026-christie-clinic-illinois-race-weekend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/new-multi-event-challenges-coming-to-2026-christie-clinic-illinois-race-weekend\/","title":{"rendered":"New Multi-Event Challenges Coming to 2026 Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"81344\" class=\"elementor elementor-81344\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6bca1ac elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6bca1ac\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-e039487\" data-id=\"e039487\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-72a376f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"72a376f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Participants can mix the event\u2019s shortest distances with the new Micro and Nano i-Challenges<br \/><br \/><\/em><\/div><div>CHAMPAIGN, Ill. \u2013 In preparation for the 17th annual\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/tracking.us.nylas.com\/l\/7b9aa2c2ade140ea9a9c822c22b4266d\/1\/7a7972669c368cade15ab6b36c43779047149e5d793c58fb81b088934af8bd71?cache_buster=1755782533\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/tracking.us.nylas.com\/l\/7b9aa2c2ade140ea9a9c822c22b4266d\/1\/7a7972669c368cade15ab6b36c43779047149e5d793c58fb81b088934af8bd71?cache_buster%3D1755782533&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1755878621255000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3FctpHrhOYqa434m4g9IAv\">Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend<\/a>, organizers are introducing two new multi-race I-Challenge events for runners looking to expand their Race Weekend experience. The Micro i-Challenge will combine the Michael Hogue Team Mile and the 5K, and the Nano i-Challenge will connect the Michael Hogue Team Mile and the Busey Illinois Youth Run. Both challenges feature the shortest distances offered during the weekend, allowing both beginners and sprinters of all ages to double up their participation, swag and medals.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/tracking.us.nylas.com\/l\/7b9aa2c2ade140ea9a9c822c22b4266d\/2\/7dbd9f043666e122ee295b2cd438a770a48f8b82cb386f4094cdf4200ecabef3?cache_buster=1755782533\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/tracking.us.nylas.com\/l\/7b9aa2c2ade140ea9a9c822c22b4266d\/2\/7dbd9f043666e122ee295b2cd438a770a48f8b82cb386f4094cdf4200ecabef3?cache_buster%3D1755782533&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1755878621255000&amp;usg=AOvVaw04sgPRCUek4nlv0CzCEMuW\">Registration for all events, including the two new I-Challenges, is now open.<\/a><br \/><br \/><\/div><div>\u201cTo create the best experience for our participants, we consistently review their feedback and trends in registration to understand where we can improve and enhance Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend. What we discovered showed us that it was time for something new!\u201d\u00a0said Jan Seeley, race director of Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend. \u201cThe introduction of the Nano and Micro i-Challenges reflects data that shows many of our participants already complete these multi-event combinations \u2013 now, they\u2019ll receive special recognition and swag for doing so!\u201d<br \/><br \/><\/div><div>As two new challenges join the lineup, one event has officially been retired from Race Weekend: the 4-person marathon relay. It will not return in 2026 due to declining interest in recent years. Teams that may have taken part in the relay are encouraged to complete the 10K race together as individual entrants, which will allow them to complete nearly the same distance as they would have in the relay.<br \/><br \/><\/div><div>The Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend returns April 23-25, 2026. In addition to the new Micro and Nano i-Challenges, Race Weekend includes a marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K, mile, youth run and eight<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>other multi-event challenges. The courses offer scenic tours of the University of Illinois campus, downtown Champaign-Urbana &amp; Savoy streets, tree-lined residential neighborhoods and paved park trails. Participants will experience a one-of-a-kind finish line located at the 50-yard line of the University of Illinois\u2019 historic Memorial Stadium.<br \/><br \/><\/div><div>Off the race course, those interested in taking part in Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend can volunteer, cheer on runners and even visit the Health and Fitness Expo. At the expo, held April 23 and 24 at the Activities and Recreation Center on the U of I campus, attendees can shop for new running gear, interact with local vendors, and pick up their race bibs, shirts and swag. Each race features its own unique after-party. The Michael Hogue Team Mile is followed by a post-race gathering with food, drinks and music at The City Center, adjacent to the finish line area. On Friday night, the 4th Mile celebration follows the 5K race. On Saturday, the 27th-Mile celebration will take place following the 10K, half and full marathon races. Both are street fests held just outside of Memorial Stadium with live music, food trucks, and the Riggs Beer Garden.\u00a0<br \/><br \/><\/div><div>For more information about Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend, visit\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.illinoismarathon.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=http:\/\/www.illinoismarathon.com\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1755878621255000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3e6H_3MSaxLMMQoq9ZNq0C\">www.IllinoisMarathon.com<\/a><wbr \/>\u00a0and follow the event on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/tracking.us.nylas.com\/l\/7b9aa2c2ade140ea9a9c822c22b4266d\/3\/153a767d405d4e008d820a908efee3a201e575b8b4ded890ec0eb23d40f50a10?cache_buster=1755782533\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/tracking.us.nylas.com\/l\/7b9aa2c2ade140ea9a9c822c22b4266d\/3\/153a767d405d4e008d820a908efee3a201e575b8b4ded890ec0eb23d40f50a10?cache_buster%3D1755782533&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1755878621255000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2yVDM_udyfMXdHkMZ7gyVY\">Facebook<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/tracking.us.nylas.com\/l\/7b9aa2c2ade140ea9a9c822c22b4266d\/4\/ca443201ea14aec2710b11aa58dd65a615c385fb7bcfbb91593265afc8dab9d6?cache_buster=1755782533\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/tracking.us.nylas.com\/l\/7b9aa2c2ade140ea9a9c822c22b4266d\/4\/ca443201ea14aec2710b11aa58dd65a615c385fb7bcfbb91593265afc8dab9d6?cache_buster%3D1755782533&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1755878621255000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0nEd3QeCdZP_bRj7a-yw0C\">Instagram<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/tracking.us.nylas.com\/l\/7b9aa2c2ade140ea9a9c822c22b4266d\/5\/08db8ba91791ac3c400cc478032d61598005dc1dfe9c69494c14b954680e3d7d?cache_buster=1755782533\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/tracking.us.nylas.com\/l\/7b9aa2c2ade140ea9a9c822c22b4266d\/5\/08db8ba91791ac3c400cc478032d61598005dc1dfe9c69494c14b954680e3d7d?cache_buster%3D1755782533&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1755878621256000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0omZfXcwvdeh2MK_C2uyJN\">You<wbr \/>Tube<\/a>.<br \/><br \/><\/div><div><strong>ABOUT CHRISTIE CLINIC ILLINOIS RACE WEEKEND<\/strong><\/div><div>The Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend is an annual running event that takes participants through the scenic streets of Champaign-Urbana &amp; Savoy, Ill. It is one of the largest races in the United States, drawing over 15,000 runners in past years, and is led by award-winning Race Director Jan Seeley. The 2026 edition will take place on April 23\u201325, and will feature a 1-mile, 5K, 10K, half marathon, full marathon, youth run and multi-event challenges. To learn more about the Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend, visit\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.illinoismarathon.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=http:\/\/www.illinoismarathon.com\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1755878621256000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3FfBT-w5shW3f5Bfqae0ev\">www.IllinoisMarathon.com<\/a><wbr \/>.<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Participants can mix the event\u2019s shortest distances with the new Micro and Nano i-Challenges CHAMPAIGN, Ill. \u2013 In preparation for the 17th annual\u00a0Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend, organizers are introducing two new multi-race I-Challenge events for runners looking to expand their Race Weekend experience. The Micro i-Challenge will combine the Michael Hogue Team Mile and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":81349,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-81344","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-running-community-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81344","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=81344"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81344\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":81348,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81344\/revisions\/81348"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/81349"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=81344"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=81344"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=81344"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":81328,"date":"2025-08-20T20:36:32","date_gmt":"2025-08-21T00:36:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/?p=81328"},"modified":"2025-08-27T17:19:30","modified_gmt":"2025-08-27T21:19:30","slug":"road-runners-club-of-america-announces-2026-national-championship-event-series","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/road-runners-club-of-america-announces-2026-national-championship-event-series\/","title":{"rendered":"Road Runners Club of America Announces 2026 National Championship Event Series"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"81328\" class=\"elementor elementor-81328\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-833edb9 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"833edb9\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-508cec9\" data-id=\"508cec9\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-311dd16 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"311dd16\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Seven races attracting over 7,500 runners are spotlighted at the national level of this historic event series\u00a0<\/em><\/p><p>Arlington, VA \u2013 The Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) is proud to unveil the 2026 RRCA National Championship Event Series, celebrating one of the longest-standing traditions in American distance running. Since its inception in 1958, the RRCA Championship Event Series has highlighted top-tier, community-focused races, while recognizing outstanding athletes across the Open, 40+, 50+, and 60+ age groups.<\/p><p>With over 220 state, regional, and national-level races held in 2025, the RRCA Series continues to grow, engaging more than 230,000 runners nationwide. For 2026, the RRCA National Championship series will feature seven premier events, each expected to draw a combined 7,500+ participants. These races not only celebrate the sport but also spotlight the outstanding performances of runners across the country.<\/p><p>The RRCA Championship Event Series is proudly supported by sponsors including Gatorade, the Official Fluid Replacement Drink, and Ashworth Awards, the Official Award Provider.<\/p><p>To learn more about the series, visit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/programs\/championships\/\">RRCA Championships<\/a> and follow RRCA on Facebook and Instagram (@RRCAnational) to stay updated on the series and celebrate the achievements of runners and event hosts.<\/p><p><strong>Congratulations to the 2026 RRCA National Championship Events: <\/strong><\/p><ul><li>May 2, 2026 \u2013 Ultra Championship \u2013 Greenland Trail 50K \u2013 Parker, CO <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coloradorunnerevents.com\/greenland\">https:\/\/www.coloradorunnerevents.com\/greenland<\/a><\/li><li>May 31, 2026 \u2013 Half Marathon Championship \u2013 Dexter to Ann Arbor Half Marathon \u2013 Ann Arbor, MI <u><a href=\"https:\/\/dxa2.com\/\">https:\/\/dxa2.com\/<\/a><\/u>June<\/li><li>June 27, 2026 \u2013 1 Mile Championship \u2013 The Macklind Mile \u2013 St. Louis, MO <a href=\"https:\/\/macklindmile.com\/\">https:\/\/macklindmile.com\/<\/a><\/li><li>July 18, 2026 \u2013 5K Championship \u2013 Cook Medical Beat the Heat 5K \u2013 Winston-Salem, NC <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bth5k.org\/\">https:\/\/www.bth5k.org\/<\/a><\/li><li>September 20, 2026 \u2013 10 Mile Championship \u2013 LMCU Bridge Run 10 Mile \u2013 Grand Rapids, MI <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thebridgerun.com\/\">https:\/\/www.thebridgerun.com\/<\/a><\/li><li>September 27, 2026 \u2013 Marathon Championship \u2013 TBK Quad Cities Marathon \u2013 Moline, IL <a href=\"https:\/\/www.qcmarathon.org\/\">https:\/\/www.qcmarathon.org\/<\/a><\/li><li>November 7, 2026 \u2013 10K Championship \u2013 Lake to Lake 10K \u2013 Lakeland, FL\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/runsignup.com\/Race\/FL\/Lakeland\/LaketoLake10k\">https:\/\/runsignup.com\/Race\/FL\/Lakeland\/LaketoLake10k<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Seven races attracting over 7,500 runners are spotlighted at the national level of this historic event series\u00a0 Arlington, VA \u2013 The Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) is proud to unveil the 2026 RRCA National Championship Event Series, celebrating one of the longest-standing traditions in American distance running. Since its inception in 1958, the RRCA [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":81337,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-81328","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-rrca-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81328","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=81328"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81328\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":81436,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81328\/revisions\/81436"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/81337"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=81328"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=81328"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=81328"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":81258,"date":"2025-08-15T11:52:21","date_gmt":"2025-08-15T15:52:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/?p=81258"},"modified":"2025-08-15T11:57:17","modified_gmt":"2025-08-15T15:57:17","slug":"stacked-professional-field-set-to-race-fast-and-chase-dreams-through-streets-of-chicago","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/stacked-professional-field-set-to-race-fast-and-chase-dreams-through-streets-of-chicago\/","title":{"rendered":"Stacked Professional Field Set to Race Fast and Chase Dreams Through Streets of Chicago"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"81258\" class=\"elementor elementor-81258\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-aa94972 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"aa94972\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-687f2bd\" data-id=\"687f2bd\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-216a1f4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"216a1f4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div>CHICAGO, IL \u2013 Today, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon announced its professional field for the 2025 event. The world\u2019s greatest marathoners, including three of the four reigning Bank of America Chicago Marathon champions, will line up to chase victory at the race\u2019s 47th running on Sunday, October 12.<br \/><br \/><\/div><div>Kenya\u2019s John Korir, whose dominant 2024 victory in 2:02:44 was the second fastest time in race history, will return to defend his title. In April, Korir showed his Chicago victory was no fluke with a convincing win at the Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America. He has stated he hopes to run sub-2:01, a feat only accomplished by the late Kelvin Kiptum when he set the world record of 2:00:35 in Chicago in 2023.<br \/><br \/><\/div><div><em>\u201cI am confident that I will be able to defend my title at the 2025 Bank of America Chicago Marathon this October,\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<strong>said Korir<\/strong>, the eighth fastest man in history.\u00a0<em>\u201cMy training is going well, and I am focused on achieving another personal best time.\u201d<br \/><br \/><\/em><\/div><div>Korir will have company up front from six men who have broken 2:04. Kenya\u2019s Timothy Kiplagat, second at last year\u2019s Tokyo Marathon, is the second fastest man in the field with a personal best of 2:02:55. Fellow Kenyans Amos Kipruto (2:03:13), who was third in Chicago last year, and CyBrian Kotut (2:03:22), who took third in Boston, will look to replace Korir atop the podium, as will two-time Olympic marathon medalist Bashir Abdi (2:03:36) of Belgium.<br \/><br \/><\/div><div>Jacob Kiplimo (2:03:37) of Uganda, the world record holder in the half marathon, will come to Chicago for his second career marathon start after a runner-up finish in the London Marathon this spring. Two-time New York City Marathon champion Geoffrey Kamworwor of Kenya makes his Chicago debut after setting a personal best of 2:04:33 with a victory in the Rotterdam Marathon in April.<br \/><br \/><\/div><div>As previously announced, the American contingent will be led by Conner Mantz, who will attempt to break the American record of 2:05:38 set by Khalid Khannouchi in 2002. Mantz ran his personal best of 2:05:08 at the 2025 Boston Marathon, which is not record eligible. He\u2019ll be joined by Galen Rupp (2:06:17), the 2017 Chicago champion and third fastest American of all time, and local standout Matt Richtman (2:07:56) who won the 2025 Los Angeles Marathon. Rory Linkletter (2:08:01) will attempt to break the Canadian marathon record of 2:05:36.<br \/><br \/><\/div><div><em>\u201cThe Bank of America Chicago Marathon will always be a special race for me,\u201d<\/em>\u00a0said\u00a0<strong>Rupp<\/strong>, who was part of the Chicago Marathon broadcast team last year.\u00a0<em>\u201cThe atmosphere and buzz around the city of Chicago on race weekend is unmatched. Chicago is always a fast course and I\u2019m looking forward to testing myself against a great field.\u201d<br \/><br \/><\/em><\/div><div>The 2025 Bank of America Chicago Marathon will welcome a new women\u2019s winner to its history books. The field features Hawi Feysa (2:17:00), who took third at the Tokyo Marathon earlier this year, making her Chicago debut. Also coming from Ethiopia is the 2023 Chicago Marathon third place finisher Megertu Alemu (2:16:34) who will be looking to claim her first victory on U.S. soil.<br \/><br \/><\/div><div><em>&#8220;I look forward to returning to the Chicago Marathon to try and improve on my previous performance there,\u201d\u00a0<\/em>said\u00a0<strong>Alemu<\/strong>, winner of the 2024 Valencia Marathon.<em>\u201cThe course is very flat and fast; and with my good training this year; I feel that I am fit to run better this time in Chicago and move\u00a0higher up on the podium. I look forward to the race and the energy that the city gives you.&#8221;\u00a0<br \/><br \/><\/em><\/div><div>Other notables on the women\u2019s side include Irine Cheptai (2:17:51) of Kenya, who was third here last year, Bedatu Hirpa (2:18:27) of Ethiopia, who earned her personal best in Dubai earlier this year, Haven Hailu Desse (2:19:17) of Ethiopia, who finished fourth in the 2025 London Marathon and Calli Hauger-Thackery (2:21:24), the second fastest British marathoner who will race Chicago for the first time. Ethiopia\u2019s Ejgayehu Taye, the 2023 World Championships bronze medalist in the 10,000m, will make her marathon debut.<br \/><br \/><\/div><div>The American race will be led by 2024 Paris Olympian Dakotah Popehn (2:24:40) who set her personal best in Chicago in 2023. Popehn will be joined by Lindsay Flanagan (2:23:31), ninth-place finisher at the 2024 Chicago Marathon, Natosha Rogers (2:23:51), who set a massive personal best in Japan last spring, and former University of Utah standout Emily Venters, who will make her marathon debut.<br \/><br \/><\/div><div><em>\u201cI\u2019m coming back with one goal: run even faster,\u201d<\/em>\u00a0said\u00a0<strong>Popehn,<\/strong>\u00a0who will run for the American Cancer Society.\u00a0<em>\u201cThere\u2019s no place like Chicago for chasing speed: the crowd, the course, the energy\u2014it\u2019s built for breakthroughs.\u201d<br \/><br \/><\/em><\/div><div>The reigning champions of the men\u2019s and women\u2019s wheelchair divisions, Switzerland\u2019s Catherine Debrunner and Marcel Hug, will return to defend their Bank of America Chicago Marathon titles in 2025. Debrunner will look to make it a three-peat after winning here in 2023 and 2024, while Hug will chase his fourth consecutive and sixth overall Chicago victory.<br \/><br \/><\/div><div><em>\u201cLast year&#8217;s victory at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon in a huge course record meant a lot to me. 2024 was a crazy year as it was a Paralympic year. I didn&#8217;t expect that outcome at all,\u201d<\/em>\u00a0said\u00a0<strong>Debrunner<\/strong>, who won four gold medals in Paris<em>. \u201cThis year I have the special situation of traveling directly from the World Track Championships in New Delhi to Chicago. I&#8217;m excited about this challenge!\u201d<br \/><br \/><\/em><\/div><div><em>&#8220;Last year&#8217;s Bank of America Chicago Marathon was a tough battle, only decided in the final climb and was one of the most exciting finishes I&#8217;ve ever experienced,&#8221;<\/em>\u00a0said\u00a0<strong>Hug<\/strong>, who&#8217;s margin of victory was only four seconds.\u00a0<em>&#8220;With many top athletes returning to the Windy City, I&#8217;m hoping to cross the finish line first once again this year.&#8221;<br \/><br \/><\/em><\/div><div>Hug will face a familiar battle with three-time Bank of America Chicago Marathon winner Daniel Romanchuk of the United States. Last year, the two engaged in a sprint finish down Columbus Drive with Hug beating Romanchuk by just four seconds. Top contenders also include Aaron Pike, who has 14 top ten finishes in Chicago and 2024 Paralympic triathlon gold medalist Jetze Plat of the Netherlands, who placed fifth at the Chicago Marathon last fall.<br \/><br \/><\/div><div>Debrunner will have to fend off a trio of past Chicago winners that includes 2023 champion Susannah Scaroni of the United States, two-time champion Manuela Sch\u00e4r of Switzerland and nine-time winner Tatyana McFadden of the United States.<br \/><br \/><\/div><div>Media interested in covering the 2025 Bank of America Chicago Marathon can apply for media credentials now through Friday, September 12. Visit\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/c-n5l04.na1.hubspotlinks.com\/Ctc\/W2+113\/c-N5l04\/VX05JK4zFNBFW4wVPHy95TXbyW8rPchQ5BclHZN4CDgf03m2nnW7lCdLW6lZ3mJW5sgNB95sqb5cW2L8qC97KxQYxW7W6gw06NhG42McrZZlG5F7zW6bRFys6Ttc0fW2r-lvK3TMljmW3V2V6P8LpGLqW8x-jkC5YRd0WW63Q5G63nDvZzW5pdz5D8jMdwzVrJ_P_4mYsW5W8Yv7Pg4zPq0rW11J53r8SC3XNW3HxwDG9jLvNqW8pG3d22wqzc3W8l1Mrs83syZ8W7DgZrf8BMWQSW8gsryq5G2RmpW2B594q5g0_zDW72t5fz8jNgstW92vTW_4pjSwzW25qdLw97tmLrW84nrtm8GNWGNVSt9ph5FW3cjf9hC08004\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/c-n5l04.na1.hubspotlinks.com\/Ctc\/W2%2B113\/c-N5l04\/VX05JK4zFNBFW4wVPHy95TXbyW8rPchQ5BclHZN4CDgf03m2nnW7lCdLW6lZ3mJW5sgNB95sqb5cW2L8qC97KxQYxW7W6gw06NhG42McrZZlG5F7zW6bRFys6Ttc0fW2r-lvK3TMljmW3V2V6P8LpGLqW8x-jkC5YRd0WW63Q5G63nDvZzW5pdz5D8jMdwzVrJ_P_4mYsW5W8Yv7Pg4zPq0rW11J53r8SC3XNW3HxwDG9jLvNqW8pG3d22wqzc3W8l1Mrs83syZ8W7DgZrf8BMWQSW8gsryq5G2RmpW2B594q5g0_zDW72t5fz8jNgstW92vTW_4pjSwzW25qdLw97tmLrW84nrtm8GNWGNVSt9ph5FW3cjf9hC08004&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1755359178092000&amp;usg=AOvVaw32o74LLnSCKvDRE1Bh_8xG\">chicagomarathon.com\/<wbr \/>mediacredentials<\/a>\u00a0for more information on the media credential application.<br \/><br \/><\/div><div>More than 53,000 runners are expected to participate in the 47th Bank of America Chicago Marathon, which starts and finishes in Grant Park. For the latest event updates, registered participants and community members are encouraged to visit the Event FAQ, available at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/c-n5l04.na1.hubspotlinks.com\/Ctc\/W2+113\/c-N5l04\/VX05JK4zFNBFW4wVPHy95TXbyW8rPchQ5BclHZN4CDgdK3m2nnW6N1vHY6lZ3p7N8BbfGDF3KQ8N99kVpKjRy1MW2ChBMp20BJk-N45Y-kLZztwrW1nxmVy5nbRd7W3V2CDr2D9GZZW7Gh2Kd7Bg7CsMkvqLLHg7pxW4DvXhf8VSwSvW3CTvKk7q-nwcVG4z9Y1x4CfkN6vlBm-bC4_-W1D2QmZ2DBN2WW85SXFP3HCM6ZW8sm5sk8403FCVLFz5d7qr3_sVW8ZKt3rYXf3VTGJTh7_tF0LVb1cgr4rCXPgW8-Brzf43PHHBW7BFD1G7G-hzMVHRXy03GkVPJf6Nf0lR04\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/c-n5l04.na1.hubspotlinks.com\/Ctc\/W2%2B113\/c-N5l04\/VX05JK4zFNBFW4wVPHy95TXbyW8rPchQ5BclHZN4CDgdK3m2nnW6N1vHY6lZ3p7N8BbfGDF3KQ8N99kVpKjRy1MW2ChBMp20BJk-N45Y-kLZztwrW1nxmVy5nbRd7W3V2CDr2D9GZZW7Gh2Kd7Bg7CsMkvqLLHg7pxW4DvXhf8VSwSvW3CTvKk7q-nwcVG4z9Y1x4CfkN6vlBm-bC4_-W1D2QmZ2DBN2WW85SXFP3HCM6ZW8sm5sk8403FCVLFz5d7qr3_sVW8ZKt3rYXf3VTGJTh7_tF0LVb1cgr4rCXPgW8-Brzf43PHHBW7BFD1G7G-hzMVHRXy03GkVPJf6Nf0lR04&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1755359178092000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3WuWyVPRshTncIqzBvkA3r\">chicagomarathon.com<\/a>.<br \/><br \/><\/div><h2>Professional Men\u2019s Field<\/h2><ul><li>John Korir, KEN, 2:02:44 (Chicago, 2024)<\/li><li>Timothy Kiplagat, KEN, 2:02:55 (Tokyo, 2024)<\/li><li>Amos Kipruto, KEN, 2:03:13 (Tokyo, 2023)<\/li><li>CyBrian Kotut, KEN, 2:03:22 (Berlin, 2024)<\/li><li>Bashir Abdi, BEL, 2:03:36 (Rotterdam, 2021)<\/li><li>Jacob Kiplimo, UGA, 2:03:37 (London, 2025)<\/li><li>Philemon Kiplimo, KEN, 2:04:01 (Hamburg, 2025)<\/li><li>Geoffrey Kamworwor, KEN, 2:04:23 (London, 2023)<\/li><li>Huseydin Mohamed Esa, ETH, 2:04:39 (Chicago, 2024)<\/li><li>Conner Mantz, USA, 2:05:08 (Boston, 2025)<\/li><li>Daniel Ebenyo, KEN, 2:06:04 (Chicago, 2024)<\/li><li>Galen Rupp, USA, 2:06:07 (Prague, 2018)<\/li><li>Hiroto Inoue, JPN, 2:06:14 (Tokyo, 2025)<\/li><li>Zouhair Talbi, MAR, 2:06:39 (Houston, 2024)<\/li><li>Matt Richtman, USA, 2:07:56 (Los Angeles, 2025)<\/li><li>Ryan Ford, USA, 2:08:00 (Boston, 2025)<\/li><li>Rory Linkletter, CAN, 2:08:01 (Seville, 2024)<\/li><li>CJ Albertson, USA, 2:08:17 (Chicago, 2024)<\/li><li>Hideyuki Tanaka, JPN, 2:09:27 (Tokyo, 2025)<\/li><li>Patricio Castillo, MEX, 2:10:40 (Seville, 2023)<\/li><li>Marc Scott, GBR, 2:11:19 (London, 2024)<\/li><li>Colin Mickow, USA, 2:11:22 (Chandler, 2020)<\/li><li>Kevin Salvano, USA, 2:11:26 (Chicago, 2023)<\/li><li>Nick Hauger, USA, 2:11:55 (Sacramento, 2024)<\/li><li>Robert Miranda, USA, 2:12:07 (Sacramento, 2024)<\/li><li>Afewerki Zeru, USA, 2:18:54 (Porto, 2023)<\/li><li>Casey Clinger, USA, Debut<\/li><li>Tai Dinger, USA, Debut<\/li><\/ul><h2>Professional Women\u2019s Field<\/h2><ul><li>Megertu Alemu, ETH, 2:16:34 (London, 2024)<\/li><li>Hawi Feysa, ETH, 2:17:00 (Tokyo, 2025)<\/li><li>Irine Cheptai, KEN, 2:17:51 (Chicago, 2024)<\/li><li>Bedatu Hirpa, ETH, 2:18:27 (Dubai, 2025)<\/li><li>Haven Hailu Desse, ETH, 2:19:17 (London, 2025)<\/li><li>Mary Ngugi-Cooper, KEN, 2:20:22 (London, 2022)<\/li><li>Calli Hauger-Thackery, GBR, 2:21:24 (Berlin, 2024)<\/li><li>Lindsay Flanagan, USA, 2:23:31 (Chicago, 2024)<\/li><li>Natosha Rogers, USA, 2:23:51 (Nagoya, 2025)<\/li><li>Florencia Borelli, ARG, 2:24:18 (Seville, 2024)<\/li><li>Gabi Rooker, USA, 2:24:29 (Chicago, 2024)<\/li><li>Dakotah Popehn, USA, 2:24:40 (Chicago, 2023)<\/li><li>Melody Julien, FRA, 2:25:01 (Valencia, 2023)<\/li><li>Philippa Bowden, GBR, 2:25:47 (Berlin, 2024)<\/li><li>Aubrey Frentheway, USA, 2:27:14 (Duluth, 2025)<\/li><li>Maggie Montoya, USA, 2:27:50 (Rotterdam, 2025)<\/li><li>Loice Chemnung, KEN, Debut<\/li><li>Ejgayehu Taye, ETH, Debut<\/li><li>Emily Venters, USA, Debut<\/li><\/ul><h2>Professional Men\u2019s Wheelchair Field<\/h2><ul><li>Marcel Hug, SUI, 1:17:47 (Oita, 2021) World Record<\/li><li>Aaron Pike, USA, 1:20:02 (Duluth, 2022)<\/li><li>Johnboy Smith, GBR, 1:20:05 (Duluth, 2022)<\/li><li>Hiroki Nishida, JPN, 1:20:28 (Boston, 2017)<\/li><li>Daniel Romanchuk, USA, 1:21:36 (Boston, 2019)<\/li><li>Rafael Botello Jimenez, ESP, 1:22:09 (Boston, 2017)<\/li><li>Jetze Plat, NED, 1:24:28 (Dubai, 2023)<\/li><li>Simon Lawson, GBR, 1:25:06 (Boston, 2017)<\/li><li>Brian Siemann, USA, 1:26:46 (Boston, 2017)<\/li><li>Geert Schipper, NED, 1:26:51 (London, 2025)<\/li><li>Evan Correll, USA, 1:27:19 (Duluth, 2022)<\/li><li>Jason Robinson, USA, 1:29:01 (Duluth, 2022)<\/li><li>Rob Smith, GBR, 1:55:51 (Dubai, 2017)<\/li><li>Ethan Burkhart, USA, 2:00:53 (Duluth, 2019)<\/li><\/ul><div>Professional Women\u2019s Wheelchair Field<\/div><ul><li>Susannah Scaroni, USA, 1:27:31 (Duluth, 2022)<\/li><li>Manuela Sch\u00e4r, SUI, 1:28:17 (Boston, 2017)<\/li><li>Tatyana McFadden, USA, 1:31:30 (Duluth, 2019)<\/li><li>Catherine Debrunner, SUI, 1:34:16 (Berlin, 2023) World Record<\/li><li>Eden Rainbow-Cooper, GBR, 1:35:11 (Boston, 2024)<\/li><li>Vanessa De Souza, BRA, 1:40:21 (Seville, 2020)<\/li><li>Jade Hall, GBR, 1:41:44 (Boston, 2017)<\/li><li>Hoda Elshorbagy, EGY, 1:58:38 (Chicago, 2023)<\/li><li>Hannah Dederick, USA, 2:02:23 (Chicago, 2022)<\/li><li>Rachel Cleaver, USA, 2:46:48 (Chicago, 2024)<\/li><\/ul><p>\u00a0<\/p><h2>About the Bank of America Chicago Marathon<\/h2><div>In its 47th year on Sunday, October 12, 2025, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon will welcome thousands of participants from more than 100 countries and all 50 states, including a world-class professional athlete field, top regional and Masters runners, race veterans, debut marathoners and charity participants. The race\u2019s iconic course takes participants through 29 vibrant neighborhoods on an architectural and cultural tour of Chicago. Annually, more than a million spectators line the streets cheering on tens of thousands of participants from the start line to the final stretch down Columbus Drive. As a result of the race\u2019s national and international draw, the Chicago Marathon assists in raising millions of dollars for a variety of charitable causes while generating over $683 million in annual economic impact to its host city. The 2025 Bank of America Chicago Marathon, a member of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, will start and finish in Grant Park beginning at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, October 12. In advance of the race, a three-day Abbott Health &amp; Fitness Expo will be held at McCormick Place Convention Center on Thursday, October 9, Friday, October 10, and Saturday, October 11. For more information about the event and how to get involved, go to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/c-n5l04.na1.hubspotlinks.com\/Ctc\/W2+113\/c-N5l04\/VX05JK4zFNBFW4wVPHy95TXbyW8rPchQ5BclHZN4CDgdK3m2nnW6N1vHY6lZ3nmN364GMg8z4nGW6l2Kh-4bwXvDW267H2D3-mv2YW5hS6jv9h7s1gW6SHwmR2lJcKTW4tV6LM6V2lj6W5h82Bk13Zgk8W7cD1yG1Tc8vcW281jQz2jVDVqW85DLXq89nbP4W4YkCnM3RDpsqW1yvHsk1_fhb_W3mR2tV6vkT_9W2sRDtc3W-9RBW5Zyckl1N8rkyW3-4pqJ3pDkftW54q9q51sG_dVW4gc_Zc284wKbW4CvNzx8NYn9XW236PCX4BqSvgW3HB2-_5gnpslW3kjJtl40xCd5f8yX3LY04\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/c-n5l04.na1.hubspotlinks.com\/Ctc\/W2%2B113\/c-N5l04\/VX05JK4zFNBFW4wVPHy95TXbyW8rPchQ5BclHZN4CDgdK3m2nnW6N1vHY6lZ3nmN364GMg8z4nGW6l2Kh-4bwXvDW267H2D3-mv2YW5hS6jv9h7s1gW6SHwmR2lJcKTW4tV6LM6V2lj6W5h82Bk13Zgk8W7cD1yG1Tc8vcW281jQz2jVDVqW85DLXq89nbP4W4YkCnM3RDpsqW1yvHsk1_fhb_W3mR2tV6vkT_9W2sRDtc3W-9RBW5Zyckl1N8rkyW3-4pqJ3pDkftW54q9q51sG_dVW4gc_Zc284wKbW4CvNzx8NYn9XW236PCX4BqSvgW3HB2-_5gnpslW3kjJtl40xCd5f8yX3LY04&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1755359178092000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2udW5phzEGXK54MxkRTjIt\">chicagomarathon.com<\/a>.<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>CHICAGO, IL \u2013 Today, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon announced its professional field for the 2025 event. The world\u2019s greatest marathoners, including three of the four reigning Bank of America Chicago Marathon champions, will line up to chase victory at the race\u2019s 47th running on Sunday, October 12. Kenya\u2019s John Korir, whose dominant 2024 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":81267,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-81258","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-running-community-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81258","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=81258"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81258\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":81266,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81258\/revisions\/81266"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/81267"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=81258"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=81258"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=81258"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":81213,"date":"2025-08-13T13:03:22","date_gmt":"2025-08-13T17:03:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/?p=81213"},"modified":"2025-08-13T13:10:25","modified_gmt":"2025-08-13T17:10:25","slug":"rrw-elite-runners-flock-to-falmouth-this-weekend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/rrw-elite-runners-flock-to-falmouth-this-weekend\/","title":{"rendered":"RRW: Elite Runners Flock To Falmouth This Weekend"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"81213\" class=\"elementor elementor-81213\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-756127a elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"756127a\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-28478cb\" data-id=\"28478cb\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-90e9b61 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"90e9b61\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-size: large;\">By David Monti, @d9monti<br \/>(c) 2025 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved<\/span><\/p><p>(13-Aug) &#8212; Elite milers and marathoners alike will flock to Cape Cod this weekend for the Falmouth Track Festival on Friday and the ASICS Falmouth Road Race on Sunday.\u00a0 The Track Festival will be held for the 29th time and features elite miles for men and women, while the 7-mile road race will celebrate its 53rd* edition.\u00a0 The road race was founded in 1973 and boasts a beautiful coastal course from Woods Hole to Falmouth Heights.\u00a0 The 2024 edition had 11,166 finishers making it one of the largest races in New England.<\/p><p><strong>TRACK FESTIVAL COULD PRODUCE FAST MILES<\/strong><\/p><p>The Track Festival will be held at Falmouth High School, and many athletes have put up fast times on the James T. Kalperis Track.\u00a0 The meet records are 3:52.97 for the men (Charles Philibert-Thiboutot of Canada in 2021), and 4:23.11 for the women (Dorcas Ewoi of Kenya in 2024).\u00a0 Both those records are under threat this year, and the race winners will receive $5,000 in prize money plus the chance for additional time bonuses.<\/p><p>Leading the men&#8217;s field is Sam Prakel (adidas), the 2023 World Athletics Road Running Championships bronze medalist in the mile.\u00a0 The 30 year-old, who finished ninth in the 1500m at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in China last March, set a 1500m personal best of 3:33.93 last month and has a career-best mile time of 3:50.94.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p><p>Prakel should get a strong challenge from Kenya&#8217;s Amon Kemboi (Puma Elite Running) who set PB&#8217;s in both the 1500m (3:33.49) and mile (3:53.57) this year.\u00a0 Additionally, Kemboi just ran a personal best 12:58.51 for 5000m in Oordegem, Belgium, three days ago.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p><p>Other top entrants include Dylan Jacobs (On Athletics Club), who was fifth in the World Athletics Indoor Championships in the 3000m, but has yet to run a fast mile; Luke Houser (Atlanta Track Club Elite), the 2025 World Athletics Indoor Championships 1500m bronze medalist; Australia&#8217;s Jack Anstey (Under Armour\/Dark Sky Distance) who has a mile PB of 3:51.51; and Morgan Beadlescomb (adidas), who ran a personal best 3:34.20 for 1500m last month and has a mile PB of 3:52.03.\u00a0 Both Jacobs and Beadlescomb plan to double back for the road race on Sunday.<\/p><p>Olympians Courtney Frerichs and Allie Wilson, both of the Nike Swoosh Track Club, are the leading names for the women&#8217;s elite mile.\u00a0 Frerichs, 32, won the silver medal in the steeplechase at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, and Wilson, 29, made it to the repechage round of the 800m at the 2024 Paris Olympics.\u00a0 Frerichs has a mile PB of 4:35.01 (4:07.39 for 1500m), while Wilson has run 4:26.04.<\/p><p>Also hoping to be in the mix for the win will be Angel Piccirillo (Puma Elite Running), who just ran a mile PB of 4:25.13 at Sir Walter Miler last Friday in Raleigh; Eleanor Fulton (ASICS), who has a mile PB of 4:23.65; and Annika Reiss (Under Armour\/Dark Sky Distance), who was most recently fifth in the Guardian Mile on the road in Cleveland.<\/p><p><strong>ROAD RACE WELCOMES BACK LEGENDS &amp; PAST CHAMPIONS<\/strong><\/p><p>Two of the best entrants for Sunday&#8217;s road race, Edna Kiplagat (Puma) and Vivian Cheruiyot (Puma), are both running well past 40 years-old.\u00a0 Kiplagat, 45, was twice the World Athletics Championships gold medalist in the marathon (2011 and 2013), while Cheruiyot, 41, has won six world titles and has four Olympic medals.\u00a0 Kiplagat has run Falmouth seven times, and has made the podium five times.\u00a0 She won the race in 2021.<\/p><p>&#8220;I always look forward to returning to Falmouth,&#8221; said Kiplagat, through a statement provided by race organizers. &#8220;The course and conditions are tough, with a good field&#8230; but I love racing like this.&#8221;<\/p><p>Cheruiyot, who has seemingly done it all, has never run at Falmouth.\u00a0 However, she is a gifted road runner with a road 10-K best of 30:47.\u00a0 She ran 31:35 in Manchester in the U.K. back in May and was fifth at the TCS London Marathon in April.<\/p><p>Other key women in the race are Great Britain&#8217;s Jessica Warner-Judd (Hoka One One), eighth in the 2023 World Athletics Championships 10,000m; Susanna Sullivan (Brooks), who is preparing for the 2025 World Athletics Championships Marathon; Emma Grace Hurley (ASICS), who finished second at the USATF Half-Marathon Championships last March; Natosha Rogers (Puma), who ran a personal best 2:23:51 for the marathon in Nagoya last March; and Ethiopia&#8217;s Melknat Wudu (adidas), who finished second at Falmouth last year.<\/p><p>On the men&#8217;s side Kenya&#8217;s Wesley Kiptoo (Hoka Northern Arizona Elite) looks like the man to beat.\u00a0 Kiptoo, 29, won in Falmouth in 2023 and tied Gilbert Okari&#8217;s course record set back in 2004.\u00a0 Kiptoo has run well this year, including two sub-61:00 half-marathons and a win at the Gate River Run 15-K in Jacksonville last March.<br \/>&#8220;I cannot wait to return to Falmouth in pursuit of my second victory,&#8221; said the Flagstaff-based Kiptoo, through a press release.\u00a0 &#8220;I also cannot wait to see the organizers, host family, and all of the volunteers and spectators who make me want to come back to Falmouth every year.&#8221;<\/p><p>Two other Flagstaff residents, Eritrea&#8217;s Yemane Haileselassie (adidas\/McKirdy Trained), and Biya Simbassa (ASICS) would also like to win in Falmouth.\u00a0 Haileselassie, 27, the 2024 Honolulu Marathon champion, finished fourth at Falmouth last year.\u00a0 Simbassa, 32, is a two-time USATF 10-K road running champion and is the fourth-fastest marathoner in USA history.<\/p><p>There is a lot of depth in the men&#8217;s field, including Kenya&#8217;s Patrick Kiprop (Unattached), the reigning AJC Peachtree Road Race Champion; Ahmed Muhumed (Hoka NAZ Elite), who has a 10,000m PB of 27:03.19; Zach Panning (Hansons-Brooks), who finished fourth at the 2024 USA Olympic Trials Marathon; Zouhair Talbi (ASICS), the 2024 Chevron Houston Marathon champion; and Kenya&#8217;s Alex Masai (Hoka NAZ Elite), who ran a 2:08:03 personal best at the NN Rotterdam Marathon last April.<\/p><p>&#8220;Legends are made in Falmouth and legends return to Falmouth,&#8221; said Scott Ghelfi, president of Falmouth Road Race, Inc. through a statement.\u00a0 &#8220;It&#8217;s good to see some familiar faces coming back this year, but equally as exciting to see what first-time Falmouth runners might contend for the win.&#8221;<\/p><p>The Falmouth Road Race, a World Athletics Label Road Race, has a generous prize money purse featuring a first prize of $10,000 ($7500 for second and $6000) for third.\u00a0 The top three USA finishers will receive $3,000, $2,000 and $1,000, respectively, and can &#8220;double dip&#8221; with open prize money.<br \/>____________<br \/>*The 2020 edition was virtual<\/p><p><em>PHOTO: The elite women&#8217;s start of the 2024 Falmouth Road Race (LOC photo)<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By David Monti, @d9monti(c) 2025 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved (13-Aug) &#8212; Elite milers and marathoners alike will flock to Cape Cod this weekend for the Falmouth Track Festival on Friday and the ASICS Falmouth Road Race on Sunday.\u00a0 The Track Festival will be held for the 29th time and features elite miles for [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":81217,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-81213","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-running-community-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81213","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=81213"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81213\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":81221,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81213\/revisions\/81221"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/81217"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=81213"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=81213"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=81213"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":81039,"date":"2025-08-07T09:15:13","date_gmt":"2025-08-07T13:15:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/?p=81039"},"modified":"2025-08-07T09:20:20","modified_gmt":"2025-08-07T13:20:20","slug":"legends-rising-stars-to-celebrate-50-years-of-wheelchair-racing-in-falmouth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/legends-rising-stars-to-celebrate-50-years-of-wheelchair-racing-in-falmouth\/","title":{"rendered":"Legends &amp; Rising Stars to Celebrate 50 Years of Wheelchair Racing in Falmouth"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"81039\" class=\"elementor elementor-81039\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4ede6a8 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4ede6a8\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4d0a09d\" data-id=\"4d0a09d\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-84f152c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"84f152c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>FALMOUTH, Mass. \u2013 In a landmark year for the wheelchair division at the <a href=\"https:\/\/tracking.us.nylas.com\/l\/06f64c1c3bb342ada0f2a42d0188f626\/1\/125d7aa95ee5ed30bbb9bfefd2817b2a000cd54d932573f9590368281825fc99?cache_buster=1754566067\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/tracking.us.nylas.com\/l\/06f64c1c3bb342ada0f2a42d0188f626\/1\/125d7aa95ee5ed30bbb9bfefd2817b2a000cd54d932573f9590368281825fc99?cache_buster%3D1754566067&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1754657593046000&amp;usg=AOvVaw25xFPdNOgz0sFVEM5xqigO\">ASICS Falmouth Road Race<\/a>, two legends of the sport will attempt to capture their sixth victories in the event. Five-time Falmouth winners Tatyana McFadden and Daniel Romanchuk will headline the professional field for the 50th running of the ASICS Falmouth Road Race wheelchair division on Aug. 17. For McFadden, it marks a return to Cape Cod for the first time since 2022. Both McFadden and Romanchuk did not compete last year as both were in Paris competing in the Paralympic Games.<\/p><p>Now based in Florida, McFadden is one of the most decorated wheelchair racers in history. Along with her five Falmouth titles, she is a 22-time Paralympic medalist with more than 20 Abbott World Marathon Major victories. She has twice completed what is known as the \u201cGrand Slam of Marathons,\u201d breaking the tape in the B.A.A. Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon and the TCS New York City Marathon in the same year. McFadden was the runner-up the last time she raced in Falmouth in 2022. Her last victory came in 2019. McFadden, winner of the Boston 10K in June, has personal ties to Falmouth. It\u2019s where her grandparents first met, and she still has family living in the area.\u00a0<\/p><p>\u201cI am so excited to be celebrating the 50th running of the wheelchair division at the ASICS Falmouth Road Race. We have Bob Hall to thank for starting the division in 1975,\u201d said McFadden, referring to the race\u2019s first men\u2019s wheelchair winner. \u201cWhat a historic and beautiful way to celebrate as we race this course together.\u201d<\/p><p>McFadden will face 2024 ASICS Falmouth Road Race champion Hoda Eishorbagy. Last year, Eishorbagy became the first Egyptian athlete to win any division in Falmouth with her dominant victory. Nigerian Paralympian Hannah Babalola comes to Falmouth for a sixth time. She has placed third here for the past two years and was runner-up in 2017. Also in the field is young Falmouth veteran and Auburn, Mass. native Maddie Wilson. She\u2019s finished fourth here three times, including last year.<\/p><p>Romanchuk will not only attempt to claim his sixth Falmouth title, but also look to better his course record of 21:23 set here in 2023. Romanchuk, 27, has been coming to Falmouth since 2013, then just 15 years old. Since then, he\u2019s become one of the most dominant road racers on the circuit. He\u2019s a three-time winner of the TCS New York City Marathon and also has wins in Bank of America Chicago Marathon, TCS London Marathon and B.A.A. Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America. Romanchuk has racked up victories across the country this summer, winning the Bolder Boulder 10K in Colorado, the Boston 10K and the Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta.<\/p><p>\u201cThe course is the perfect way to end the summer season,\u201d said Romanchuk, whose first victory here came in 2017. \u201cIt was the first major road race I did, and I have learned so much from older racers along the way. I\u2019m excited to be there to celebrate the 50th anniversary!\u201d<\/p><p>Last year\u2019s winner Miguel Jimenez-Vergara will look to spoil the celebration for Romanchuk. The Californian looked dominant at the Boilermaker 15K in Utica, N.Y. last month. He was runner-up to Romanchuk in 2023. Also returning is 2021 Falmouth champion Hermin Garic. In his 10 Falmouth appearances, Garic has finished on the podium six times. Jenya Senbeta, the 2015 and 2022 runner-up returns as well.<\/p><p>The race will also showcase the long-time legends and the future of the sport. Tony Noguiera, 57, and Krige Schabort, 61, both five-time Falmouth champions, will make their 19th and 12th Falmouth starts, respectively. Harry Houng-Lee, an Australian training in New York City will make his Falmouth debut at the age of 12. Houng-Lee is part of the New York Road Runners Rising Wheelchair Training Program. He won eight gold medals at the Move United Junior Nationals last year.\u00a0<\/p><p>16-year-old Colton Robinson, a high school standout from West Springfield, Mass. will be competing in his first-ever road race in Falmouth while 19-year-old Delmace Mayo of Jamaica Plain, Mass. will look to improve upon his seventh-place finish here last year.<\/p><p>Canadian Paralympic legend Josh Cassidy will return to Falmouth for the first time since finishing third here in 2017. Valera Jacob-Allen comes back after debuting with a fourth-place finish here last year.\u00a0<\/p><p>\u201cAs we look back on 50 years of wheelchair racing from Woods Hole to Falmouth Heights, we are excited by the opportunity to look to the next 50 years,\u201d said Scott Ghelfi, president of Falmouth Road Race, Inc. \u201cFalmouth has historically been the race where legends grow and stars are born. We expect to see that happen among the field of athletes who line up here in a few weeks.\u201d<\/p><p>Founded in 1975, the ASICS Falmouth Road Race wheelchair division is the oldest competitive wheelchair race in the country. To celebrate 50 years, the race will welcome back key competitors from its history. Candace Cable will be in Falmouth to mark the occasion. She won Falmouth six times throughout her incredible career that spanned nine Paralympic games. Eight-time winner Craig Blanchette will also be on hand for the event. A private program and reception will be held to mark the 50th anniversary on the eve of the race, hosting race leadership, athletes and other VIPs.<\/p><p>The Falmouth Road Race was established in 1973 and has become one of the premier running events of the summer season. Each year, the race draws an international field of Olympians, Paralympians, elite athletes and recreational runners to enjoy the iconic 7-mile seaside course. Race weekend also features a variety of other events. The invitational <a href=\"https:\/\/tracking.us.nylas.com\/l\/06f64c1c3bb342ada0f2a42d0188f626\/2\/dc8da9c63ad74d911c88ccf7f26efed20ce4c7cffcb3add2a4f0e76e3fdb22b7?cache_buster=1754566067\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/tracking.us.nylas.com\/l\/06f64c1c3bb342ada0f2a42d0188f626\/2\/dc8da9c63ad74d911c88ccf7f26efed20ce4c7cffcb3add2a4f0e76e3fdb22b7?cache_buster%3D1754566067&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1754657593046000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3dPqmoDVy5lY-4klYWsXte\">Falmouth Track Festival<\/a>, presented by ASICS, will welcome elite milers on Friday, Aug. 15, and features the <a href=\"https:\/\/tracking.us.nylas.com\/l\/06f64c1c3bb342ada0f2a42d0188f626\/3\/cdccab374a4c842755923b91ed2b0313defd393c939e0eeb23131994b2b47718?cache_buster=1754566067\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/tracking.us.nylas.com\/l\/06f64c1c3bb342ada0f2a42d0188f626\/3\/cdccab374a4c842755923b91ed2b0313defd393c939e0eeb23131994b2b47718?cache_buster%3D1754566067&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1754657593046000&amp;usg=AOvVaw34ZarPH9rMRfvV7_zul7Av\">14th annual Tommy Cochary High School Mile<\/a> for local high school athletes. The following day, the <a href=\"https:\/\/tracking.us.nylas.com\/l\/06f64c1c3bb342ada0f2a42d0188f626\/4\/91ed237b6d5d00ace6a85196f39b2d0ba716400ff41955c108c2b9fdb973740e?cache_buster=1754566067\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/tracking.us.nylas.com\/l\/06f64c1c3bb342ada0f2a42d0188f626\/4\/91ed237b6d5d00ace6a85196f39b2d0ba716400ff41955c108c2b9fdb973740e?cache_buster%3D1754566067&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1754657593046000&amp;usg=AOvVaw16HxSP-m86BMjgZvY4ELZq\">SBLI Family Fun Run<\/a> will host kids ages 2-12 to compete in their own races, while also providing an abundance of booths and activities for all to enjoy. Throughout the weekend, the <a href=\"https:\/\/tracking.us.nylas.com\/l\/06f64c1c3bb342ada0f2a42d0188f626\/5\/71b4d405cc7d0d4d202d360121e8b20f154e35dae7ed859514b3c146d55d1fd3?cache_buster=1754566067\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/tracking.us.nylas.com\/l\/06f64c1c3bb342ada0f2a42d0188f626\/5\/71b4d405cc7d0d4d202d360121e8b20f154e35dae7ed859514b3c146d55d1fd3?cache_buster%3D1754566067&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1754657593046000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2lE5I4YKGYrCQdFYjlUpgL\">Health &amp; Fitness Expo<\/a> will be taking place, welcoming over 20,000 visitors to browse the various booths featuring the latest in running, fitness and uniquely Cape Cod items.<\/p><p>For more information about the ASICS Falmouth Road Race, visit <a href=\"http:\/\/www.falmouthroadrace.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=http:\/\/www.falmouthroadrace.com&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1754657593046000&amp;usg=AOvVaw02W7JtO0AwcN-1V7p-LEyn\">www.falmouthroadrace.com<\/a> and follow the event on <a href=\"https:\/\/tracking.us.nylas.com\/l\/06f64c1c3bb342ada0f2a42d0188f626\/6\/7c39f720117f4d72570c40a62580659d9d4ebe1716b32a39bf1d9a6d0c301992?cache_buster=1754566067\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/tracking.us.nylas.com\/l\/06f64c1c3bb342ada0f2a42d0188f626\/6\/7c39f720117f4d72570c40a62580659d9d4ebe1716b32a39bf1d9a6d0c301992?cache_buster%3D1754566067&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1754657593046000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2x8ujSxWLrF1WOoJdot4m2\">Facebook<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/tracking.us.nylas.com\/l\/06f64c1c3bb342ada0f2a42d0188f626\/7\/d2e0508ceeef5b836fa545d8d144b56637f8e9951cb923432da6cc14067c6c33?cache_buster=1754566067\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/tracking.us.nylas.com\/l\/06f64c1c3bb342ada0f2a42d0188f626\/7\/d2e0508ceeef5b836fa545d8d144b56637f8e9951cb923432da6cc14067c6c33?cache_buster%3D1754566067&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1754657593046000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0Mq0CUx5Y6-0MHNthRyxMI\">Instagram<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/tracking.us.nylas.com\/l\/06f64c1c3bb342ada0f2a42d0188f626\/8\/9621d91d8dfc5d1790fb5ba6dfb4d91372db6ed24aefed13c5897f06db782c4e?cache_buster=1754566067\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/tracking.us.nylas.com\/l\/06f64c1c3bb342ada0f2a42d0188f626\/8\/9621d91d8dfc5d1790fb5ba6dfb4d91372db6ed24aefed13c5897f06db782c4e?cache_buster%3D1754566067&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1754657593046000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1FK2gMrEhIoTba_CE6DF3j\">YouTube<\/a>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>FALMOUTH, Mass. \u2013 In a landmark year for the wheelchair division at the ASICS Falmouth Road Race, two legends of the sport will attempt to capture their sixth victories in the event. Five-time Falmouth winners Tatyana McFadden and Daniel Romanchuk will headline the professional field for the 50th running of the ASICS Falmouth Road Race [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":81045,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-81039","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-running-community-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81039","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=81039"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81039\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":81043,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81039\/revisions\/81043"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/81045"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=81039"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=81039"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=81039"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":80989,"date":"2025-08-04T11:56:28","date_gmt":"2025-08-04T15:56:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/?p=80989"},"modified":"2025-08-04T12:04:50","modified_gmt":"2025-08-04T16:04:50","slug":"woodstock-5k-runs-its-44th-annual-race","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/woodstock-5k-runs-its-44th-annual-race\/","title":{"rendered":"Woodstock 5K Runs Its 44th Annual Race"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"80989\" class=\"elementor elementor-80989\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-1cdd965 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"1cdd965\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4237211\" data-id=\"4237211\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a06f972 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a06f972\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The Woodstock 5K, a local road race in Calhoun County, Alabama, hosted its 44th annual event in the historic<br \/>neighborhoods along Woodstock Avenue in Anniston on August 2. This year&#8217;s 5K was designated the <strong>National<\/strong><br \/><strong>5K Championship by the Road Runners Club of America<\/strong>, an honor that has brought tourism and athletic<br \/>engagement to the east Alabama community.<br \/><br \/>Hosted since 1981, the Woodstock 5K is held annually at Anniston High School along Woodstock Avenue. The<br \/>race has been the host of 18 RRCA championship races, including seven national championships, five regional<br \/>championships, and six state championships. The race is organized by the Anniston Runners Club, a local non-<br \/>profit organization, and all proceeds go towards benefiting the communities of northeast Alabama.<br \/><br \/>This year&#8217;s event marks the highest-ever dollar amount raised by the race, at over $31,000. Local school athletic<br \/>programs and other organizations (primarily the Arc of Calhoun &amp; Cleburne Counties, benefiting persons with<br \/>disabilities) all receive profits of the Woodstock 5K, as the Anniston Runners Club continues to support<br \/>hometown athletics and an ever-growing running community in Anniston, which was designated a Runner-<br \/>Friendly Community by the RRCA in 2022.<br \/><br \/>1,090 participants registered for the Woodstock 5K this year. The race had a closely-contested finish, with Jack<br \/>Lowe of Pell City, AL, placing first overall in 15:26.5, just 0.9 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher, Dakota<br \/>Frank of Munford, AL. The top 3 was rounded out by Jay Day of Huntsville, AL. In the female field, the women&#8217;s<br \/>competition was won by Laney Barnes of Cypress, TX, followed by runner-up Carmen Hussar of Homewood, AL.<br \/>Macie Pfeuffer of Birmingham, AL, finished third in the women&#8217;s overall results.<br \/><br \/>The 2025 edition of the Woodstock 5K marked the final event headed by race director Hayley Long, who retired<br \/>from the position after directing Woodstock since 2022. Earlier this year, the Anniston Runners Club announced<br \/>that Landon Delozier, a coach and teacher at Oxford High School, had joined the race coordinators&#8217; team as co-<br \/>director. The Woodstock 5K was also supported by a new major corporate sponsorship from Publix, who<br \/>provided monetary assistance to the event and was on-site to hand out catered food to the runners, courtesy of<br \/>Publix&#8217;s Oxford, AL, location and catering team.<br \/><br \/>For more information on the race, follow Woodstock5k on Facebook and visit the Anniston Runners Club<br \/>website at http:\/\/www.annistonrunners.com\/. The Anniston Runners Club plans to open registration for the<br \/>2026 edition of the race starting on August 4, with a special opening price of $30, limited to one week. This<br \/>price is only available from August 4-11, before the race closes and does not open registrations for 2026 again<br \/>until December.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Woodstock 5K, a local road race in Calhoun County, Alabama, hosted its 44th annual event in the historicneighborhoods along Woodstock Avenue in Anniston on August 2. This year&#8217;s 5K was designated the National5K Championship by the Road Runners Club of America, an honor that has brought tourism and athleticengagement to the east Alabama community. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":81001,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-80989","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-rrca-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80989","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=80989"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80989\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":80997,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80989\/revisions\/80997"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/81001"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=80989"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=80989"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=80989"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":80937,"date":"2025-08-01T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-01T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/?p=80937"},"modified":"2025-07-30T13:44:18","modified_gmt":"2025-07-30T17:44:18","slug":"jean-knaack-celebrates-20-years-of-leadership-with-rrca","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/jean-knaack-celebrates-20-years-of-leadership-with-rrca\/","title":{"rendered":"Jean Knaack Celebrates 20 Years of Leadership with RRCA"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"80937\" class=\"elementor elementor-80937\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-ab85575 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"ab85575\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-16cedfe\" data-id=\"16cedfe\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b3ca4ba elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b3ca4ba\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Falls Church, VA \u2013 August 1, 2025<\/strong> \u2013 The Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) is proud to celebrate Jean Knaack\u2019s 20th anniversary as Chief Executive Officer. Since stepping into the role on August 1, 2005, Jean has led the organization through two transformative decades of growth, innovation, and impact in the running community.<\/p><p>\u201cIn 2005, I applied for a job that seemed like a perfect fit for my background, my passion for endurance sports, and my young family,\u201d said Knaack. \u201cI had no idea at the time how deeply meaningful this journey with the RRCA would become.\u201d<\/p><p>When Jean joined the RRCA in 2005, the organization was emerging from a turbulent period. With just over 600 members and a fragile financial outlook, the future was uncertain. \u201cThe organization was still recovering from a $400,000 deficit and only had $60,000 in the bank, and was rebuilding after an organizational mid-life identity crisis,\u201d Knaack recalled. \u201cBut I believed in its potential\u2014and in the people who kept it alive through difficult times.\u201d<\/p><p>Under her leadership, the RRCA has gained long-term financial stability and has expanded to over 2,800 organizational members.\u00a0 The organization oversees the nation\u2019s oldest and largest grassroots running event series\u2014the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/programs\/championships\/\">RRCA Championship Event Series<\/a> sponsored by Gatorade\u2014with over 200 races annually. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/programs\/kids-run-the-nation\/\">Kids Run the Nation program<\/a> has distributed thousands of program guides and kids booklets and awarded more than $385,000 in grants, inspiring over 198,500 children to embrace running for fun and fitness. RRCA\u2019s certification programs for coaches and race directors have also flourished, with more than 12,000 RRCA Certified Run Coaches trained and a growing network of RRCA Certified Race Directors around the country.<\/p><p>Knaack has led strategic initiatives that modernized the RRCA, fostered inclusive community engagement, and elevated its national reputation. \u201cChange wasn\u2019t always easy in the early years,\u201d she said. \u201cBut we kept moving forward with integrity and a shared vision of what the RRCA could be.\u201d<\/p><p>In 2015, Runner\u2019s World named Knaack one of the 50 Most Influential People in Running\u2014a testament to her leadership and the long-standing influence of the RRCA in the sport. Over the years, she has also become a mentor and advocate for run club leaders across the country, understanding firsthand the challenges and joys of guiding volunteer-led organizations.<\/p><blockquote><p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-80942 alignright\" title=\"knaack.kids3\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/knaack.kids3_-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"knaack.kids3\" width=\"248\" height=\"331\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/knaack.kids3_-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/knaack.kids3_-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/knaack.kids3_-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/knaack.kids3_.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 248px) 100vw, 248px\" \/>Jean\u2019s commitment to the RRCA has been both professional and personal.\u00a0\u201cMy children, now adults, have grown up alongside the RRCA,\u201d she said. \u201cFrom recess running clubs to their first races, they\u2019ve experienced the confidence and joy that our sport provides. That\u2019s the heart of what we do\u2014creating positive, healthy experiences through running.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote><p>As the RRCA embarks on developing its next strategic plan for 2026\u20132030, Knaack remains focused on the future: \u201cThe foundation we\u2019ve built together is strong, but we still have work to do. We must continue to champion safe, inclusive, and engaging opportunities for all runners\u2014especially youth and underserved communities.\u201d<\/p><p>The RRCA extends its heartfelt congratulations and gratitude to Jean Knaack for 20 years of service, vision, and leadership. Her dedication has strengthened not only the organization, but the broader running community it serves.<\/p><p>Jean Knaack extends her deepest gratitude to the countless individuals who have supported her throughout her 20-year journey with the RRCA\u2014too many to name, but each one valued and appreciated. She is especially thankful for the dedicated RRCA staff, including long-time colleagues Andy Smith, Erica Gminski, Mike Webb, and Randy Accetta, whose commitment has been instrumental in advancing the organization\u2019s mission. Jean also recognizes the exceptional teaching team behind the RRCA Coaching Certification Program, whose expertise and passion have helped shape thousands of coaches nationwide. A heartfelt thank you goes to all RRCA board members, especially the board presidents who provided steady leadership and guidance during her tenure: Bee McLeod, Brent Ayer, David Cotter, Mitch Garner, George Rehmet, and Lisa Rippe (current RRCA president). Their vision and support have been foundational to the RRCA\u2019s continued success.<\/p><p><strong>About the RRCA<\/strong><br data-start=\"3253\" data-end=\"3256\" \/>Founded in 1958, the Road Runners Club of America is the oldest and largest national association of running organizations dedicated to growing and supporting community-based running clubs, events, and programs that serve runners of all ages and abilities. Learn more at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/\">www.rrca.org<\/a>.<\/p><p><em>Photo:\u00a0 Jean Knaack with her husband Jim at the 2025 Boilermaker Road Race post-race party in Utica, NY.\u00a0 Photo credit:\u00a0 RRCA Certified Race Director Michelle Juehring from Bix 7.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Falls Church, VA \u2013 August 1, 2025 \u2013 The Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) is proud to celebrate Jean Knaack\u2019s 20th anniversary as Chief Executive Officer. Since stepping into the role on August 1, 2005, Jean has led the organization through two transformative decades of growth, innovation, and impact in the running community. \u201cIn [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":80946,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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Historic Men&#8217;s 5000m On Tap At USATF Championships"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"80963\" class=\"elementor elementor-80963\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-8d37cde elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"8d37cde\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-e046f57\" data-id=\"e046f57\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2356068 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2356068\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-size: large;\">By David Monti, @d9monti<br \/>(c) 2025 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved<br \/><br \/>EUGENE (30-Jul) &#8212; While American middle distance running has garnered a lot of attention over the last two seasons punctuated by a gold medal and Olympic record for Cole Hocker at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the 1500m, athletes in the 5000m have this season brought the longer event to a new zenith.\u00a0 So far this year five American men &#8211;Grant Fisher, Nico Young, Graham Blanks, Cooper Teare, and Cole Hocker&#8211; have broken 13 minutes.\u00a0 Five of the six-fastest USA marks in history have been set this year, and Fisher (12:44.09) and Young (12:45.27) have run national records indoors and outdoors, respectively (Fisher has the absolute record).<br \/><br \/>&#8220;The sport, especially in the U.S., has grown leaps and bounds in the last decade or so,&#8221; Fisher told reporters here at a press conference in advance of the four-day Toyota USATF Outdoor Track &amp; Field Championships at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon.\u00a0 &#8220;You look at the all-time marks now.\u00a0 We&#8217;ve had three guys break 12:50 in one year, whereas in the past you might have one guy that would break 13:00 every other year.\u00a0 The depth is increasing a ton.&#8221;<br \/><br \/>That depth will be on full display on Sunday afternoon when approximately 25 men will line up for a straight final in which the top three will provisionally qualify for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September.\u00a0 At last year&#8217;s Olympic Trials, also held here in Eugene, a field of 30 athletes was first narrowed down to 16 through two preliminary heats.\u00a0 This year&#8217;s race will more closely resemble a mass-start road race rather than a small, super-elite final.<br \/><br \/>&#8220;It gets harder and harder every year,&#8221; continued Fisher, who won the national 5000m title in both 2024 and 2022 and finished second in 2021.\u00a0 &#8220;There&#8217;s really stiff competition.\u00a0 Guys that are younger and younger are training harder and harder, and that is producing way more depth at younger ages.\u00a0 We have a really competitive 5-K team.&#8221;<br \/><br \/>Fisher, 28, who won bronze medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics in both the 5000m and 10,000m, is the oldest among the top contenders by at least three years.\u00a0 Blanks and Young are both 23, Hocker is 24, and Teare is 25.\u00a0 Fisher is also the only man among the top entrants who will also contest the 10,000m on Thursday (where he is also the defending champion) before running the 5000m on Sunday.<br \/><br \/>&#8220;My focus right now is the 10-K; that&#8217;s tomorrow,&#8221; Fisher told reporters.\u00a0 &#8220;The 10-K&#8217;s first.\u00a0 Again, very stiff competition.\u00a0 It doesn&#8217;t have quite the same depth at the 5-K, but still a very, very competitive field, several sub-27:00 guys.\u00a0 You look back to ten years ago you&#8217;ve got one guy, maybe, that breaks 27 minutes.&#8221;<br \/><br \/>While there is no way to predict how Sunday&#8217;s race will go, it&#8217;s likely to be tactical.\u00a0 According to World Athletics, only Fisher, Young, Blanks, Teare and Hocker have achieved the 13:01.00 entry standard for the World Championships.\u00a0 None of those men will want to push the pace and can focus exclusively on their finish place (the championships record is 13:08.85 by Fisher from 2024).\u00a0 All of them are strong kickers, especially Hocker, who ran his final 300 meters in the Paris 1500m Olympic final in a sizzling 39.6 seconds.\u00a0 LetsRun.com&#8217;s Jonathan Gault described that performance as &#8220;one of the greatest closes the sport has ever seen.&#8221;<br \/><br \/>Fisher also has wheels, and recently ran a lifetime best of 3:48.29 for the mile at the Prefontaine Classic here in Eugene on July 5th.\u00a0 If anyone beats him on Sunday, that will be an upset, although he acknowledged that both Blanks and Young are formidable competitors at just 23 years-old.<br \/><br \/>&#8220;When you look at what Nico and Graham did in college, now that they have made it in the pro ranks you look back like, oh that makes sense,&#8221; said Fisher, when asked to assess the development of his younger rivals.\u00a0 &#8220;Sometimes there are people who do really well at certain stages, but it doesn&#8217;t always translate (later).\u00a0 Those guys are mega-talented, the times and performances they were able to do in college (were amazing).\u00a0 When I was in college nobody was doing anything remotely close to that.&#8221;<br \/><br \/>Fisher said that he was in good shape and had tapered for these championships under coach Mike Scannell.<br \/><br \/>&#8220;I&#8217;ve been really intentional about when I&#8217;m pushing and when I&#8217;m not pushing in training,&#8221; said Fisher, who said that he has to save energy and fitness for the World Championships.\u00a0 &#8220;Little bit of a taper going into this week which feels good because\u00a0 I&#8217;ve been training hard the past month.\u00a0 So, the early part of my season was defined by indoors, then after that I was locked-in to Grand Slam.\u00a0 Took a little bit of downtime.\u00a0 Now it&#8217;s been a really, really solid build-up to now.&#8221;<br \/><br \/>Fisher was also asked whether he had been paid the $200,000 in prize money he is owed by Grand Slam Track for winning the long distance group titles in both the Kingston, Jamaica, and Miami meets.\u00a0 Meeting organizers said that they planned to pay the Kingston prize money by July 31.\u00a0 Fisher said he hasn&#8217;t seen that money yet.<br \/><br \/>&#8220;Tomorrow is the last day of July, so they do have a day,&#8221; Fisher said.\u00a0 &#8220;The last update I heard was that by the end of July they wanted Kingston prize money out.\u00a0 It has not hit my bank account, or any else&#8217;s that I know.\u00a0 So, fingers crossed, but tomorrow would be the last day or, I think, people will be pretty upset.&#8221;<br \/><br \/><em>PHOTO: Grant Fisher winning the 5000m at the 2024 USA Olympic Team Trials over Abdihamid Nur (photo by Jane Monti for Race Results Weekly)<\/em><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By David Monti, @d9monti(c) 2025 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved EUGENE (30-Jul) &#8212; While American middle distance running has garnered a lot of attention over the last two seasons punctuated by a gold medal and Olympic record for Cole Hocker at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the 1500m, athletes in the 5000m have this [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":80968,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-80963","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-running-community-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80963","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=80963"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80963\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":80967,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80963\/revisions\/80967"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/80968"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=80963"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=80963"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=80963"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":77957,"date":"2025-07-30T13:30:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-30T17:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/?p=77957"},"modified":"2025-07-30T13:31:57","modified_gmt":"2025-07-30T17:31:57","slug":"rrca-accepting-kids-run-the-nation-grant-applications-for-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/rrca-accepting-kids-run-the-nation-grant-applications-for-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"RRCA Accepting Kids Run the Nation Grant Applications for 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"77957\" class=\"elementor elementor-77957\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-514d780 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"514d780\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-c50d63d\" data-id=\"c50d63d\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9dd70a9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"9dd70a9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><em>RRCA to Award Over $30,000 in Grants to Youth Running Programs Nationwide in 2025<\/em><\/strong><\/p><p><strong>Falls Church, Virginia<\/strong> \u2013 The Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) is proud to continue its support for youth running by awarding over <strong>$30,000 in grants ranging from $500 to $1,000<\/strong> through the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/programs\/kids-run-the-nation\/\">Kids Run the Nation<\/a><\/strong> program in 2025. Established in 2007, the Kids Run the Nation Fund assists running clubs, events, and schools interested in implementing or currently offering inclusive youth running programs in their communities.<\/p><p>The RRCA\u2019s vision through this program is to help establish <strong>locally managed, gender- and ability-inclusive youth running programs<\/strong> in every school and community across the U.S. Since its inception, the RRCA has awarded more than <strong>$385,000<\/strong> to youth programs, impacting over <strong>198,000 children<\/strong> nationwide.<\/p><p>In 2025, eligible applicants may include:<\/p><ul><li>Running clubs, events, or other organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) designation that host youth programs.<\/li><li>Elementary and middle schools offering organized after-school running programs.<\/li><\/ul><p>Program requirements:<\/p><ul><li>Youth must run <strong>regularly (more than once per week)<\/strong> over multiple weeks, ideally culminating in a fun run or organized event.<\/li><li>Programs must be <strong>structured and educational<\/strong>, incorporating running activities and topics\u2014ideally using the RRCA\u2019s Kids Run the Nation curriculum.<\/li><li>Both <strong>startup and established<\/strong> programs are eligible.<\/li><li>Programs must be <strong>inclusive and non-discriminatory<\/strong>, welcoming participants across genders, backgrounds, and economic status.<\/li><li>All programs must meet <strong>SafeSport Act<\/strong> requirements, including sexual abuse awareness training and ideally background checks for adult staff and volunteers.<\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Note:<\/strong> Grants are not awarded to individuals under any circumstances.<\/p><p>Applicants must be a <strong>501(c)(3) nonprofit<\/strong>, <strong>school<\/strong>, <strong>parent booster club<\/strong>, <strong>PTA<\/strong>, or similar entity. The <strong>deadline<\/strong> to submit completed applications is <strong>August 1, 2025, at 11:59 PM Eastern<\/strong>. Learn more and apply at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/programs\/kids-run-the-nation\/grant-fund\/\">RRCA.org<\/a>.<\/p><p>This grant program is made possible through <strong>restricted contributions<\/strong> from RRCA members, individuals, foundations, and corporations. <strong>100% of donations<\/strong> to the Kids Run the Nation Fund directly support youth programming\u2014no portion is used for administrative expenses. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.givesignup.org\/Race\/Donate\/VA\/Arlington\/RRCAKidsRuntheNationFund\">Learn more about how to <strong>support<\/strong><\/a> the Kids Run the Nation Fund and its impact.<\/p><p><strong>About RRCA:<\/strong><br \/><em>The Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) is the <strong>oldest and largest national association<\/strong> of running organizations and runners, dedicated to growing the sport since 1958. The RRCA champions the development of <strong>community-based running clubs and events<\/strong> that serve runners of all ages and abilities in pursuit of health and competition. <strong>Empowering Everyone to Run.<\/strong> Learn more: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\">www.RRCA.org<\/a><\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>RRCA to Award Over $30,000 in Grants to Youth Running Programs Nationwide in 2025 Falls Church, Virginia \u2013 The Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) is proud to continue its support for youth running by awarding over $30,000 in grants ranging from $500 to $1,000 through the Kids Run the Nation program in 2025. Established [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":3319,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-77957","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-rrca-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77957","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=77957"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77957\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":80936,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77957\/revisions\/80936"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3319"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=77957"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=77957"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rrca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=77957"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}]