The Cleveland Half Marathon in Cleveland, has been chosen as the 2019 Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) Half Marathon Southern Region Championship.
The championship event designation for the race, scheduled for May 11, was made by Ron Macksoud, RRCA Southern Region director.
“I am thrilled to have the Cleveland Half Marathon included in the RRCA Championship Event Series, one of the oldest traditions in U.S. distance running that dates back to 1958, the year RRCA was founded,” said Mr. Macksoud. “This will tie in nicely with the selection of the city of Cleveland as an ‘RRCA Runner Friendly Community’ earlier this year.”
The Cleveland Half Marathon will serve as the championship for the 11 states in RRCA’s Southern Region that includes Tennessee.
The goal of the RRCA Championship Event Series is to shine a spotlight on well-organized, community-based events, and to promote the sport of running by recognizing RRCA Champions from top male and female finishers in the Open, Masters, Grand Masters, and Senior Grand Masters categories.
The Cleveland Half Marathon is in its third year and includes a 5k race sponsored by Bayer. The race is produced by Terra Running Company.
"This is a remarkable opportunity to show off our town and Greenway to the southern region,” said Councilman Bill Estes. “This selection is an honor and I know the City and Terra Running Company will put on a great event for all the guests coming in May.”
The Cleveland Half Marathon will be one of two regionals to be held in Tennessee and the sixth event on the 2019 RRCA Southern Region Championship slate. The entire list of eight regional events is as follows:
Ultra: Locomotion 8, January 12, Hixson
10 Mile: Al Comeaux LA 10, January 26, Lafayette, La.
Marathon: Hilton Head Island Marathon, February 9, Hilton Head Island, SC
10K: TD Bank Reedy River Run, April 20, Greenville, SC
5K: Swampers 5K, April 27, Muscle Shoals, Al.
Half Marathon: Cleveland
Half Marathon, May 11, Cleveland
1 Mile: GO! Mile, June 15, Little Rock, Ar.
Cross Country: Minuteman Cross Country 5K, September 7, Little Rock, Ar.