INDIANAPOLIS - USA Track & Field on Monday announced the USA Running Circuit (USARC) schedule for 2009. The fifteenth edition for the men and fourteenth for the women, the 2009 USARC has ten events for men and ten events for women. The USA Running Circuit (USARC), a USA Track & Field road series, features USA Championships from one mile to the marathon and attracts the best U.S. distance runners, including Olympians Deena Kastor, Ryan Hall, Shalane Flanagan and Anthony Famiglietti. "We are proud to announce that the 2009 USARC will offer a record amount of circuit prize money for a non-Olympic year," said USA Track & Field CEO Doug Logan. "This will allow us to continue our commitment to providing our athletes with important competitive opportunities for both our current and developing stars." In addition to competing for a total prize purse of $613,000, U.S. athletes will have the opportunity to qualify for various Team USA events, including the IAAF World Championships Marathon, the IAAF World Road Running Championships and the Chiba International Ekiden. The 2009 USARC kicks off at the USA Half-Marathon Championships hosted by the Aramco Houston Half-Marathon on January 18. 2009 USA Running Circuit Schedule Men USA Half-Marathon Championships, Houston, Tex., $29,750, Jan. 18 USA 15 km Championships, Jacksonville, Fla., $26,500, March 14 USA 1 Mile Road Championship, Minneapolis, Minn., $10,000, May 7 USA 25 km Championships, Grand Rapids, Mich., $10,600, May 9 USA Men's 10 km Championship, Atlanta, Ga., $30,000, July 4 USA 7 Mile Championships, Davenport, Iowa,$22,500, July 25 USA 20 km Championships, New Haven, Conn., $20,000, Sept. 7 USA 5 km Championships, Providence, R.I., $15,000, Sept. 20 USA Men's 10 Mile Championship, Minneapolis, Minn., $25,000, Oct. 4 USA Men's Marathon Championship, New York, N.Y., $150,000 Nov. 1 Subtotal $339,350 USARC Grand Prix $12,500 Total $351,850 Women USA Half-Marathon Championships, Houston, Tex., $29,750, Jan. 18 USA 15 km Championships, Jacksonville, Fla., $26,500, March 14 USA 1 Mile Road Championship, Minneapolis, Minn., $10,000, May 7 USA 25 km Championships, Grand Rapids, Mich., $10,600, May 9 USA 7 Mile Championships, Davenport, Iowa,$22,500, July 25 USA Women's 10 Mile Championship, Flint, Mich., $17,200 August 22 USA 20 km Championships, New Haven, Conn., $20,000, Sept. 7 USA 5 km Championships, Providence, R.I., $15,000, Sept. 20 USA Women's Marathon Championship, Minneapolis, Minn., $72,500, October 4 USA Women's 10 km Championships, Boston, Mass., $23,000, Oct. 12 Subtotal $249,500 USARC Grand Prix $12,500 Total $262,000 USARC Grand Prix Champions (1995-2008) 1995 Keith Brantly not contested 1996 Mark Coogan Anne Marie Lauck 1997 John Sence Kim Jones 1998 Rod DeHaven Shelly Steely 1999 Todd Williams Libbie Hickman 2000 Rod DeHaven Libbie Hickman 2001 Dan Browne/Scott Larson Milena Glusac 2002 Dan Browne Colleen De Reuck 2003 Ryan Shay Colleen De Reuck 2004 Ryan Shay Colleen De Reuck 2005 Abdi Abdirahman Nicole Aish 2006 Mbarak Hussein Marla Runyan 2007 Ryan Hall Deena Kastor 2008 Fernando Cabada Deena Kastor The first ten U.S. runners earn points at each USARC race (15 for first, 12 for second, 10 for third, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1), with a final $12,500 grand prix purse ($6000, $4000, and $2500) for the top three men and women point scorers overall. The USARC points at the USA Marathon Championships will be doubled. The mission of the USA Running Circuit is to showcase, support, and promote U.S. runners. Since its inception in 1995, the USARC and its races have provided over $6 million dollars to U.S. distance runners. For more information on the 2009 USARC visit www.usatf.org. |
