Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10K presented by Kroger to host 2019 Collegiate 10k Road Race National Championships
$10,000 Prize Purse Reserved for College Students
November 28, 2018 - RICHMOND, VA – The Collegiate Running Association announced today the Richmond Sports Backers Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k presented by Kroger will serve as host to the organization’s 2019 Collegiate 10K Road Race National Championships. This will mark the sixth consecutive year the best and brightest college students will turn their focus to Richmond as a destination for the annual event.
Named one of the best races in the country by USA Today, Richmond’s biggest block party will be the place to be on April 13th. With 25,000 participants and over 2,000 college students expected, you’re bound to be entertained by the costumed runners, Spirit Groups, live music, and the beautiful, flat course. If you are looking for more of a challenge you can chase the $10,000 in prize money reserved for the top finishing college students participating in the Collegiate 10K Road Race National Championships.
“The Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10K turns twenty in 2019 and we could not be more excited to be part of the celebration. This event is one of the biggest and best road races in the U.S. and we could not be more thrilled to extend our partnership with this event and the Richmond Sports Backers to bring college athletes 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 college students, both top college runners and social runners, for the past five years. We are dedicated to helping it grow and look forward to continuing our partnership to support the Kids Run RVA program. Last year college students visited local schools with participating teams training for the Virginia 529 Kids Run. We will expand our support of this program in 2019 leading up to the Ukrop’s 10K. The amazing opportunities for runners, both social and competitive, are what make this event so special.”
Over 13,000 college students have registered for Collegiate Running Association events, including the Monument Avenue 10k, over the last five years, and there has been a substantial elite presence at the front of the fields as well. 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. Kellyn Johnson, 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 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon. And last year’s champions, Bethany Sachtleben (2:31:19) and Matthew McDonald (2:14:05) recently achieved the U.S. Olympic Marathon Team Trials “A” Standard at the California International Marathon.
“Our Collegiate Running Association mission is to create new opportunities for all college students who enjoy running and active, healthy lifestyles,” said Collegiate Running Association co-founder, Jon Molz. “Our vision includes 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 2014, 2015,2016, 2017 and 2018 Collegiate Running Association 10k Road Race National Championships attracted a slew of highly decorated runners enrolled in college classes across the country as they battled for a $10,000 prize purse. In 2019 the streets of Richmond will once again welcome the nation’s college students for an amazing view of the city of Richmond, Virginia. Whether you are looking for social or competitive opportunities, the 2019 Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10K presented by Kroger will provide it all.