22 March, 2006

CONTACTS: (Please do not publish these numbers. THE NUMBER FOR PUBLICATION IS THE RACE HOTLINE AT 301-320-3350):

Frank McNally
Media Coordinator
703-801-2566 (cell); 703 572-4040 (d); 540-338-5648 (e)

Phil Stewart
Event Director
301-320-6865 (d); 301-802-2194 (cell)

Three Distance Running Hall of Famers to Conduct Clinics at Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run®; Economic Impact of Race Under Study

WASHINGTON – Bill Rodgers, Greg Meyer and Kathrine Switzer will conduct clinics and greet runners at the Runner’s Expo and Packet Pick-up at the Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel in Arlington, VA on Saturday, April 1st, the day prior to the 34th Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run. The clinics run from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. and are open to the public.

“We have expanded our clinic program greatly this year,” said Event Director Phil Stewart, “and we are very pleased to bring in three runners who have been inducted into the National Distance Running Hall of Fame. Bill Rodgers is the four-time winner of the Boston and New York City Marathons. He also won the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 mile four times. Greg Meyer set the American 10 mile record at the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 mile back in 1983. His time of 46:13 still remains the fastest 10-mile ever run by an American. Meyer went on the win the Boston Marathon that same year. No American man has won at Boston in the intervening 23 years. Switzer also has links to both the Boston Marathon and the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 mile as well. She became the first woman to run the Boston Marathon with a race number when she signed up as “K. Switzer” in 1967. Boston’s legendary race director Jock Semple attempted to remove her from the course because women were not allowed to run marathons. Six years later, Switzer was the first female winner of the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 mile in 1973. She went on to press the case for women to be included in long distance races that culminated in a women’s marathon being added to the Olympic Games in 1984. Besides conducting the clinic, Switzer will hold the tape for the first female finisher in the separate elite women’s race which will start at 7:50 a.m. on Sunday, April 2, ten minutes before the mass race. This new format will allow far greater visibility for the women’s competition and will establish a women’s world record for 10 miles in an all-female, loop course race.

It was also announced today that the event also has contracted with George Washington University to conduct an economic impact study of the race weekend. “While the city of Washington does not incur any costs from the event, it has a tremendous economic impact on the city with 10,000 runners, many from out of town, participating,” Stewart said. “We are in discussions with the new Washington Convention Center about moving our expanding expo to the facility and we will explore the feasibility of moving our race headquarters hotel into Washington for 2008. We’d like to consider ourselves Washington, DC’s premier hometown running event.”

The organizers expect the total of charity donations made by the sponsoring Credit Unions and the race participants to the Children’s Miracle Network to surpass the $1.5 million mark this year. The funds raised by runners and Credit Unions in the Washington, DC Metropolitan area go to the Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC. Funds raised from outside the Metropolitan area go to CMN affiliates in home states of the participating Credit Unions.

Entries to the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run® closed in 5 days last December. With a record number of 10,000 participants expected, the organizers, with the support of the Credit Unions, have arranged to have Metro begin its Sunday operations an hour early -- at 6 a.m., on Sunday morning, April 2nd. Shuttle buses will provide round-trip service between the Metro Center stop to the race site.

The course starts and finishes in West Potomac Park and includes stretches of Independence Ave., Memorial Bridge and an out-and-back stretch on Rock Creek Parkway. In addition to the 10-mile, there will be a 5k Run Walk (also closed) and a 1k Kids Run. Spectators are invited to see all the action starting with the elite women’s start at 7:50 a.m. and the mass start at 8:00 a.m.

The event is part of the National Cherry Blossom Festival and the Professional Road Running Organization Circuit.