Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10K to host 2020 and 2021 Collegiate 10k Road Race National Championships
$10,000 Prize Purse Reserved for College Students
For Immediate Release
August 11, 2019 - RICHMOND, VA – The Sports Backers announced the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k presented by Kroger will serve as host to the Collegiate Running Association’s 2020 and 2021 Collegiate 10K Road Race National Championships. This will mark the seventh and eighth consecutive years the best and brightest college students will turn their focus to Richmond as a destination for the annual event.
“The Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10K is one of the biggest and certainly best road races in the U.S. and we could not be more thrilled to extend our partnership with this event and the Sports Backers to bring college students to Richmond,” said Collegiate Running Association co-founder, Steve Taylor. “The Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10K has been a cornerstone for our national championships and a destination for top college runners, along with social runners, since hosting our first championship in 2014. The commitment to continue hosting the Collegiate National Championships gives students from across the nation the opportunity to plan and schedule this event as part of their spring schedules for the next two years. We are dedicated to helping it grow. The amazing opportunities for runners, both social and competitive, are what make this event so special.”
"We are very excited to continue our partnership with the Collegiate Running Association to host the 2020 and 2021 10k Road Race National Championship in Richmond," said Meghan Keogh, Event Director for Sports Backers. "The Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k is one of our signature events and a perfect way to further Sports Backers' mission of encouraging active lifestyles and creating fitness opportunities for people of all ages. We’re happy to work with an organization like the Collegiate Running Association that shares these goals, and we look forward to exciting events in 2020 and 2021."
Over 15,000 college students have registered for the Monument Avenue 10k since the first college championship in 2014. On the men’s side, 2016 Olympic Games 5K Silver medalist Paul Chelimo, who captured the first U.S. Olympic medal in the event since the 1968 Olympic Games, won back in 2014; Joe Gray, the 2016 World Mountain Running Champion, won in 2015. Two time champion Bethany Sachtleben, the 2019 Pan American Games Marathon silver medalist for the U.S., claimed titles in 2018 and 2019. Kellyn Johnson Taylor, a two-time champion on the women’s side (2014 & 2015), finished 4th in the 2016 Olympic Trials in the 10,000m and 6th in the 2016 Olympic Trials Marathon.
“Our Collegiate Running Association mission is to continue creating opportunities for all college students who enjoy running and active, healthy lifestyles,” said Collegiate Running Association Co-Founder, Jon Molz. “Our vision is always inclusive to include elite runners, club runners, and social runners all converging at the same road, mountain and trail running events. Since the first year our dream has become reality at the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k and we could not be more excited and dedicated to this event and everything it offers participants. This is not just a race, it’s a huge social event with an electric atmosphere.”
As the first road race with prize money reserved specifically for college students, the Collegiate Running Association 10k Road Race National Championships have attracted a slew of highly decorated runners enrolled in college classes across the country as they battled for a $10,000 prize purse. In 2020 and 2021 the streets of Richmond will once again welcome the nation’s college students and fitness enthusiasts for an amazing view of the city and the welcoming community. Whether you are looking for social or competitive opportunities, the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10K will provide it all.
Interested in other Collegiate Running Association Championship events? Go to our championships page.
DATES:
March 28 – 2020 Collegiate 10K Road Race Championships within the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10K
March 27 – 2021 Collegiate 10K Road Race Championships within the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10K
Questions? Contact Collegiate Running Association: info@collegiaterunning.org
Sports Backers is a non-profit organization that inspires Richmond area residents from all corners of the community to live actively. For the past 27 years, Sports Backers has developed nationally significant events and programs to motivate our community to embrace active living. Visit www.sportsbackers.org for more information on our organization and mission.
About the Collegiate Running Association
The Collegiate Running Association (CRA) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded November, 2013 with a mission to promote healthy lifestyles among college students by providing and expanding opportunities in the sport of running. The CRA offers national championship events in road, mountain, and trail running with prize money specifically reserved for college students that are open to all college students enrolled in at least one class. Since their first championship in 2014, the CRA has awarded over $120,000 in prize money specifically reserved to college students in road, mountain and trail running events. Membership is open to the public (click here).
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