2 July 2019

Media Contact Information:
(not for publication)

Keith Peters, Media Coordinator
307-690-6803 or [email protected]

Website: www.cherryblossom.org

2019 Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run Final Results Uploaded to All-time Searchable Database

2020 T-shirt Design Contest Underway

July 2, 2019, Washington, DC: Race organizers announced today that the names of all 17,437 official finishers in the 2019 Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run and 2,915 finishers in the 5K Run-Walk have been uploaded to the event's All-time Searchable Database. The addition of results from the 2019 event brings the total number of performances in the database to 372,624 since the first running of the race in 1973. The All-time Searchable Database can be accessed via the URL www.cherryblossom.org, allowing participants to view their entire competitive history in the Runner's Rite of Spring®.

Event Director Phil Stewart said, "The All-time Searchable Database contains an astonishing amount of history about each and every finisher extending all the way back to 1973 when only 129 individuals completed the event. The Credit Union Cherry Blossom is one of the few races which have been around for 40-plus years to provide complete, searchable finisher data and individual graphics depicting trends."

The All-time Searchable Database also makes it easy for race organizers to identify members of the "100 Mile Club," runners whose finishes total 100 miles or more in the event. Members of the 100 Mile Club are eligible for a guaranteed entry into next year's race, set for April 5, 2020. (Note: The 100 miles required for entry into the 100 Mile Club do not need to be consecutive and can consist of any combination of finishes in the 10-mile and 5K events that total 100 miles or more.)

One other recent update to the Cherry Blossom website is a downloadable PDF or Flipbook, which contains the names and times of all 2019 finishers in both the 10-mile and 5K as well as photos, articles and interesting statistics about the event. By not printing and mailing the results booklet to all participants, as was done up until 2009, over 50,000 pounds of CO2 is being kept out of the atmosphere each year.

Before closing the books on this year's event, here's one last look at some notable results from the 47th Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile:

Defending champion, Jemal Yimer, from Ethiopia, won the men's race in a time of 45:36, while Kenyan Rosemary Wanjiru ran 50:42 to win the women's race. Unfortunately, a semi-circle of cones on the course marking the turn-around point on Ohio Drive on an out-and-back segment between miles three and four had been misplaced. The net effect of that mistake was to shorten the 10-mile course by 240 feet, negating the apparent American record time run of 46:00 run by Stanley Kebenei as well as what was surely the fastest 10-mile time ever run on U.S. soil in a women's-only race by Wanjiru. Kebenei is determined to become the official American record holder, and says he will be back in 2020 to claim the record.

Bethesda, MD's Ben Beach, running his 47th Cherry Blossom Ten Mile just eight days before completing his 52nd consecutive Boston Marathon, finished in a time of 1:44.45. Other finishes among the event's special guests included a time of 59:15 for the 2004 Olympic Women's Marathon bronze medalist, 46-year-old Deena Kastor, of Mammoth Lakes, CA; a time of 1:10:44 for 57-year-old Joan Nesbit Mabe, from Chapel Hill, NC, who is the last American woman to win the Cherry Blossom Ten Mile (1996); and a time of 53:28 for 44-year-old Michael Wardian, of Arlington, VA.

For the second year in a row, the top local runners were Clint McKelvey from Washington, DC, and Bethany Sachtleben from Fairfax, VA. Both McKelvey and Sachtleben won trips to the 2020 PRRO Circuit Championship, to be held in Utica, NY, at the Boilermaker 15K on July 12, 2020.

New York City's Jose Donado (18:24), and Madeline Hanley of Arlington, VA (21:08), took top honors in the 5K Run-Walk, which had a total of 2,915 finishers.

This year's team results recognize the accomplishments of 118 teams in 12 different categories; team scoring is based on the combined times of a team's first three runners. $1,000 in prize money is awarded to the winning men's and women's teams in the Washington Metropolitan Elite Team division; all other teams compete simply for bragging rights.

Capital Area Runners prevailed in the men's Washington Metropolitan Elite Team division with a time of 2:33:43, while Pacers/GRC New Balance won the women's Washington Metropolitan Elite Team division with a time of 3:00:37. Booz Allen Hamilton Values won the corporate team competition in a time of 3:10:16; NASA FCU Asteroids was the first credit union team with a time of 3:34:46. Dojo of Pain I won the open men's club title in 2:43:14; MCRRC Triple Threat won the open women's club title in 3:13:48. The fastest co-ed masters team was PR Racing DC Elite Masters with a time of 2:49:19.

Bourne to Run won the hotly contested race among teams from the U.S. Senate in a time of 3:33:18, while Red White and Blumenauer was the fastest team from the U.S. House of Representatives with a time of 3:52:21. Model Runners won the race among Capitol Hill agencies in a time of 2:57:56. In two uncontested races, Royal Norwegian Embassy ran 3:35:35, and GVPT UMD (the Government & Politics Department of the University of Maryland) had a time of 4:03:35.

Over 27,000 runners submitted applications to participate in the 2019 Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile and 5K Run-Walk, and the list of accepted runners represents all 50 states and 14 foreign countries.

The 2019 Credit Union Cherry Blossom Run marked the 18th year of title sponsorship by Credit Union Miracle Day. Since 2002, over $9.5 million has been raised for the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, including $400,000 this year.

The first event of the 2020 race cycle, the 2020 t-shirt design contest, is already under way. Artists of all ages are encouraged to submit designs for the official race poster and t-shirt for the 2020 race. The deadline is July 15. The winning adult artist will receive a $1,000 prize and travel expense reimbursement for the Fall Kick Off and the 2020 race weekend. The design contest for the Kids' Run t-shirt for artists ages 10-and-under opens in September. Details are at  http://www.cherryblossom.org/art_design.php.

About the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile

The Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile, 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.

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. Other sponsors include Garmin, the presenting technology sponsor; and supporting sponsors E-Trade, Gatorade, Gold's Gym, Honey Stinger, Mamma Lucia, MedStar Sports Medicine, ParkMobile, Peet's Coffee, Potomac River Running, Suburban Solutions, Under Armour and UPS.

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; and Utica, NY. The circuit is committed to a drug-free sport and funds 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 and follow the event on social media @CUCB and #CUCB2020.

About Credit Union Miracle Day

Credit Union Miracle Day is a partnership of over 100 credit unions, CUSOs and partner organizations united to sponsor the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run, promoting awareness of the credit union difference and benefitting Children's Miracle Network Hospitals nationwide.

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 115 million Americans do their banking at one of America's 5,500 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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