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The Runner’s Rite of Spring ®

staging area was completely redesigned; there was a new The action at the front of the men’s pack was never tighter
headquarters hotel, the Grand Hyatt Washington; and there with a photo finish that had to be decided by the finish line
was a new expo site at the National Building Museum. The judges (and then was protested by the runner-up who felt
entire organizing committee was exhausted by the time race he had been impeded in the final sprint). In the end Stephen
weekend rolled around. However in a show of magnanimity, Tum of Kenya was declared the winner over Lelisa Desisa
Mother Nature provided one of the most perfect days ever, of Ethiopia (Desisa later dropped the protest). Almost lost
with brilliant sunshine, temperatures about 50-degrees ris- in the drama was that Tum was a scant 5 seconds off Ismael
ing to the mid-60s for the awards ceremony, and blossoms Kirui’s event record set back in 1995, with a finishing time
just a tinge past peak. However, some things remained the of 45:43. The women’s race was a run-away and a three-peat
same, most notably the winners, as Ridouane Harroufi and by Kenya’s Lineth Chepkurui, who has gotten faster every
Lineth Chepkurui repeated as champions, both running year. Her time of 51:51 eclipsed Julliah Tinega of Kenya
faster (45:56 and 53:32 respectively) than in 2008. A rela- by 48 seconds. Chepkurui’s third consecutive win tied her
tively unknown American woman, Sally Meyerhoff, raced with Julie Shea, who won three in a row between 1975 and
to a new American record for a women’s only race when she 1977. The sponsoring Credit Unions raised $923,000 for
clocked 54:38 to finish 7 overall. For some unexplained Children’s Miracle Network. The event also hired an envi-
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reason the number of no-shows plummeted, resulting in ronmental consultant to look for ways to reduce its environ-
a record number of 14,969 finishers, some 3,000 over the mental footprint. The plan was to have the event certified
number stated on the National Park Service Permit. Due as “Green” by the Council for Responsible Sport in 2011.
to the committee’s and volunteer’s extraordinary efforts to Deputy Race Director Irv Newman relinquished his role
clear the streets by 10:30 a.m. for the cherry blossom tour- and the event hired longtime volunteer Becky Lambros as
ists, the NPS did not protest. Despite a tightening economy, the second salaried staff member.
Credit Union Miracle Day still raised $1 million dollars for
the Children’s Miracle Network. 2011 (April 3)
Ethiopian Lelisa Desisa was not a happy man after losing
the 2010 race in a photo finish. After initially protesting
the judge’s call, he backed down. A year later, he ran like
a man with something to prove as he broke Ismael Kirui’s
1995 event record by two seconds, clocking 45:36. His five-
second margin over Kenyan Allan Kiprono seemed vast in
comparison with his 2010 loss. Desisa’s interpreter said, “He
wanted to make sure it didn’t come down to the finish again
this year.” Three-time winner Lineth Chepkurui was un-
able to return for her attempt at matching Bill Rodgers’ four
consecutive wins, paving the way for Juliah Tinega, who,
like Desisa, was runner up in 2010. Tinega powered her way
home in 54:02, a single second up on fellow Kenyan Risper
Gesabwa. The event earned a “Silver Level” designation
by the Council for Responsible sport as environmentally-
friendly. The 2011 race marked the 10 year of sponsorship
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by Credit Union Miracle Day. With an additional $578,000
raised for the Children’s Miracle Network, the total amount
of funds raised during the Credit Union era eclipsed the
$5 million dollar mark. Just a year before the 40 running,
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the event logged its 200,000 all-time finisher, Adrianna
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Swinson of Centreville, VA. After the race, the organiz-
ers unveiled an all-time searchable database listing every
finisher since 1973.

Lineth Chepkurui en route to her third consecutive victory 2012 (April 1)
in 2010 The Gala 40 Running of the race featured some dazzling
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2010 (April 11) solo front-running by Kenyan Allan Kiprono, who, like Le-
With the race a week later than its traditional first weekend lisa Desisa in 2011, was out to avenge a runner-up finish at
in April date due to Easter, the blossoms were nearly gone the previous year’s race. After teammate Lani Kiplagat sug-
but a glorious spring day was enjoyed by all 15,600 finishers. gested pushing the pace around the three-mile mark, Kip-
60 2019 Credit Union Cherry Blossom Media Guide