Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k to host USA Men’s 10 km Championship
Posted Tuesday, 29 January, 2008
RICHMOND, VA - The ninth annual Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k presented by POWERade will host the USA 10k Men’s Championships the Sports Backers announced today, drawing a highly competitive field who will vie for national championship honors and an overall purse of $25,000.
“Having the USA 10k Men’s Championships as part of the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k puts our community celebration on a national stage in an Olympic year,” says Jon Lugbill, Sports Backers executive director. “Runners from across the country will see firsthand what a fun and festive day we have here in Richmond.”
The men’s national championship field will start at the head of the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k field. Only natural born or naturalized American citizens are eligible for the national championship so the winner of the men’s race will claim the $7,500 first prize. The national championship runners will also be running against the AT&T Dash For the Cash contestant, giving them a chance to win an additional $2,500 for a total of $10,000.
“It’s a beautiful area and I think the 10k championship will be a great event for the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k,” said Dan Browne, a two-time Olympian and world class distance runner who was stationed at Fort Lee in 1997 and 2006 while in the Army. Browne has committed to entering the USA 10k Men’s Championships and will be one of the athletes to watch.
“We welcome the addition of the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k to our USA Men’s Championship circuit,” said Glenn Latimer, of USA Track and Field. “In an Olympic year, this is a chance for our top distance runners to race on the roads in a quality event, before their focus turns to track racing.”
The women’s field will not feature a national championship competition. First prize for the women’s race remains at $2,000 as in past years and is available to both Americans and foreign nationals.
With registration already underway at a brisk clip, Lugbill urges those who have not yet registered for the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k to sign up before the price increase. The registration fee for the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k is $25 through Thursday, January 31. The First Market Mile Kids Run costs $10 through January 31. The fee for both events increases $5 beginning February 1. Registration is available at www.sportsbackers.org. Anyone wishing to mail in their registration for either event may download an entry form off the website or pick one up at any Ukrop's Super Market.
In addition to Browne, who raced in the 2004 Olympics in the 10,000 meters (a track event) and the marathon (a road event), other notable American distance runners who may compete include Abdi Abdirahman and Ryan Hall, who has already qualified for the US Olympic Team in the marathon.
The USA 10km Men’s Championship Hosted by the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k prize list breaks down as follows:
1 7,500
2 4,000
3 3,000
4 2,500
5 2,000
6 1,500
7 1,250
8 1,000
9 750
10 500
11 500
12 500
Winners of last year’s USA 10km Men’s Championship:
1 Abdi Abdirahman , 30 Tucson, AZ 28:12
2 Ryan Hall, 24 Mammoth Lakes, CA 28:35
3 Ed Moran, 25 Williamsburg, VA 28:52
4 Jason Lehmkuhle, 29 Minneapolis, MN 28:54
5 Brian E Sell, 29 Rochester Hills, MI 28:58
6 Josh Moen, 25 Readlyn, IA 28:59
7 Justin Young, 27 Louisville, CO 29:18
8 Patrick T Gildea, 27 Knoxville, TN 29:21
9 Mbarak Hussein, 42 Albuquerque, NM 29:22
10 Celedonio Rodriguez, 26 Santa Rosa, CA 29:23
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