2017 NATIONAL 10K ROAD RACE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Ryan Hagen, Rachel Ward Claim National Titles in Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k presented by Kroger
April 1, 2017
RICHMOND, VA – The 18th annual Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k presented by Kroger kicked off this morning with an enthusiastic greeting from Mayor Levar Stoney of the City of Richmond, the official starter who then became the first Richmond mayor to participate in the race, and continued with excitement in the men’s and women’s races and throughout the field of runners, joggers, and walkers. For the fourth consecutive year the 10k again hosted the Collegiate Running Association 10k Road Race National Championships, which drew several thousand college athletes to the streets of Richmond to compete for $10,000 in prize money specifically reserved for college students finishing among the top 10.
Ryan Hagen (Mary Baldwin University/VT Elite), 25, a Waynesboro, VA, native and former Virginia Tech track and field standout, took first place with a time of 30:37 collecting the $2,000 prize as the top college runner. He sprinted away over the final 400M to edge Nick Ciolkowski (Elon University), who finished with a time of 30:40 to claim $1,000 for his runner-up finish. Hagen, an indoor track All-American while at Virginia Tech, was runner-up in the 2016 Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k and is currently pursuing a graduate degree in physical therapy at Mary Baldwin University.
Rachel Ward (University of Phoenix/Ragged Mountain Racing), 27, of Charlottesville, VA, won her first Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k title with a time of 35:55 claiming $2,000 for her effort. She was followed by second-place finisher Rochelle Sceats (George Mason University) who ran 36:47 to earn $1,000. Ward is a former standout at the University of Virginia and holds the course record for the Richmond Half Marathon (1:12:23), set in 2015. She is currently enrolled in graduate classes making her eligible for the collegiate championships.
Although Hagen and Ward finished atop the standings, leading the pack today was AT&T Dash for the Cash contestant Kathy Hoverman, a Bon Air resident and former standout college soccer goalkeeper at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Hoverman was selected at random from over 16,000 people registered for the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k as of February 1, and based on her past race results was given a head start of 2.6 miles. For beating the rest of the field to the finish line, she takes home the $2,500 prize. This is the 10th year in a row that the AT&T Dash for the Cash contestant claimed the prize and the 11th time in the 13 years of the contest overall.
In addition to nearly 26,000 10k participants, 1,324 children ages 5-12 participated in the Virginia529 Kids Run. More than 40 bands, spirit groups, and porch parties lined the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k course, in addition to thousands of spectators, providing entertainment throughout the event.
Following the races the Collegiate Running Association hosted their 3rd ConnectCRA event. In partnership with Isley Brewing Company this public event provided a chance for all college participants, the general public, area business leaders, and fans of the sport to interact in a fun atmosphere.
Full results are available at www.sportsbackers.org. The 2018 Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k presented by Kroger will take place on Saturday, April 14. Registration is scheduled to open in December.
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