FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Trio Of American Olympic Marathon Medalists Adds Luster To
2018 Credit Union Cherry Blossom Run Festivities
Joan Benoit Samuelson, Meb Keflezighi and Deena Kastor Highlight Race and
Health & Fitness Expo Lineups
March 27, 2018, Washington, DC: The 2018 Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten
Mile and 5K Run-Walk, to be held on April 8, will truly offer something for
everyone with an interest in distance running. In addition to hosting the
2017-18 Professional Road Running Organization (PRRO) Championship, and the
Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) National 10-Mile Championship - both
detailed in previous press releases - America's three most highly decorated
marathon runners will be making appearances and signing autographs leading
up to and including race day.
"We are pleased to have true American marathon royalty appearing at our
Health and Fitness Expo this year," said Event Director Phil Stewart.
"Joan, Deena and Meb have been the dominant names in American marathon
running going back to the 1980s when Joan won the gold medal in the first
women's Olympic Marathon in 1984. This is a rare, must-attend event for
runners and fans."
Winner of the inaugural Women's Olympic Marathon in 1984 in Los Angeles,
Joan Benoit Samuelson returns to run the 10-mile race for the fourth year
in a row, and for the sixth time since 2010. On each previous occasion,
"Joanie," as she is known to all, has won her age group; she set a
single-age record for 59-year-old women last year with a time of 1:04:01.
As she moves into the 60-64 age group this year, she'll be taking aim at
the time of 1:08:17, which is the single-age record for 60-year-old women.
In addition to running the 46th Runner's Rite of Spring®, Joanie will be
speaking at the Health & Fitness Expo, to be held at the National Building
Museum, on Saturday, April 7th at noon, and will be signing autographs from
1-2 p.m.
As he did in 2016, 2004 Olympic Marathon Silver Medalist Mebrahtom "Meb"
Keflezighi will pace runners yearning to break the coveted 60-minute
barrier for 10 miles. Having retired from competitive running following
last fall's TCS New York City Marathon, Meb loves nothing more than
"running with the people." Capitol Hill staffers entered in Cherry
Blossom's Capitol Hill Competition will have the opportunity to meet Meb at
the Capitol Visitor's Center on Thursday morning, April 5th, between 11:30
a.m. and 2 p.m. Meb will also be speaking and signing autographs at the
Health & Fitness Expo on both Friday and Saturday - he'll speak at 3 p.m.
both days, and sign autographs from 4-5 p.m.
Deena Kastor, 2004 Olympic Marathon Bronze Medalist, will be making her
first appearance at the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile and 5K
Run-Walk. While she won't be running, Deena will be promoting the release
of her first book, Let Your Mind Run: A Memoir of Thinking My Way to
Victory. With an expected shipping date of April 10th, Health & Fitness
Expo attendees will be able to pre-order a copy of Let Your Mind Run, and
receive a signed book plate at Deena's booth in the expo hall.
Two other very notable runners round out the Health & Fitness Expo clinic
schedule: 1976 Olympic Marathon fourth-place finisher and author Don
Kardong, and prolific marathon and ultra-marathon runner Mike Wardian, who
set a world record for the fastest time for seven marathons run on seven
different continents in seven consecutive days in January 2017 (average
pace of 2:45:56). Kardong will speak at the expo at 4 p.m. on Friday, then
again at 1 p.m. on Saturday, and will sign autographs for an hour following
each of his talks. Wardian will speak at the expo at 11 a.m. on Saturday,
and will sign autographs from noon-1 p.m.
Early commitments to the elite field of runners indicate that the
combination of $102,900 in prize money and bonuses, coupled with PRRO and
RRCA Championship titles, may result in the deepest, most competitive field
to toe the starting line of the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile in
years. The final pre-race press release, scheduled for Wednesday, April
4th, will provide a comprehensive look at the invited field.
The 2018 Credit Union Cherry Blossom Run will mark the 17th year of title
sponsorship by Credit Union Miracle Day. Since 2002, over $8 million has
been raised for the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.
About the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile
The Credit Union Cherry Blossom, organized by Cherry Blossom, Inc., a
501c(3) chapter of the Road Runners Club of America, is known as "The
Runner's Rite of Spring®" in the Nation's Capital. The staging area for the
event is on the Washington Monument Grounds, and the course passes in sight
of all of the major Washington, DC Memorials. The event serves as a
fundraiser for the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, a consortium of
170 premier children's hospitals across North America. About one-third of
the funds raised support Washington, DC's own Children's National
("Children's Hospital"). The event also funds two $5,000 Road Runners Club
of America "Roads Scholar" grants designed to support up-and-coming U.S.
distance running talent.
The event is a proud member of the PRRO Circuit (PRRO.org), a series of
non-marathon prize money road races in Tampa, FL; Washington, DC; Spokane,
WA; Utica, NY; and Pittsburgh, PA, with the 2018 PRRO Championships to be
hosted by the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile on April 8. The circuit
is committed to a drug-free sport and funds Clearidium to conduct drug
testing at all circuit events in compliance with the standards of
international and U.S. drug testing authorities.
In addition to being sanctioned by USA Track & Field and the Road Runners
Club of America, the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Run has earned Gold Level
Inspire Certification from the Council for Responsible Sport in recognition
of its legacy of commitment to sustainability and thoughtful resource
management. To learn more, visit www.CherryBlossom.org.
Credit Union Miracle Day, Inc., a consortium of credit unions and credit
union suppliers in partnership with CUNA Mutual Group and PSCU, is the
title sponsor of the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run, 5K Run-Walk
and Kids' Run. Hood Cottage Cheese is the presenting sponsor of the 5K
Run-Walk. Supporting sponsors include E-Trade, Garmin, Gatorade, GEICO,
Gold's Gym, Mamma Lucia, MedStar Sports Medicine, Navy Federal Credit
Union, Old Ox Brewery, Potomac River Running, Suburban Solutions, and Under
Armour.
About America's Credit Unions:
Credit unions provide consumers choices for financial services such as
checking accounts, investments and loans of all kinds including mortgages.
Funds are federally insured, but unlike banks, there are no stockholders at
credit unions. Earnings are returned to member-owners in the form of lower
loan rates, higher savings rates, low or no-fee products and services. The
credit union philosophy of placing members' needs first is why more than
113 million Americans do their banking at one of America's 5,800 credit
unions. Credit unions are for everyone - no matter where you live, there is
a credit union to meet your needs.
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