The USA Running Circuit, a USA Track & Field road series, returns for another year of action. The 2001 USARC, the seventh edition for the men and sixth for the women, offers over $195,000 in prize money plus a $25,000 grand prix purse. The 2001 Circuit features five events for men and six events for women. All USARC events are USA Championships. For U.S. men and women, the Gate River Run 15K in Jacksonville, Florida on March 10 opens the 2001 season.

Per race, the first ten U.S. runners earn points (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.

In the last edition, 2000 Olympians Libbie Hickman and Rod DeHaven won the USARC Grand Prix titles with top performances at their respective finales. Hickman from Ft. Collins, Colorado became the first athlete, male or female to win consecutive USARC crowns, while DeHaven from Madison, Wisconsin was the first male to win more than one USARC title (also 1998). The other grand prix prize money winners were Sylvia Mosqueda and Susannah Beck and Kristy Johnston (tie) and Shawn Found and Phillimon Hanneck.

For the 2000 Circuit, 39 men and 38 women scored USARC points and U.S. athletes earned over $670,000 in prize money. Since its inception in 1995, the USA Running Circuit and its races have provided over $2.9 million dollars to U.S. distance runners.

The USARC mission is to support, develop and promote U.S. runners. Past USARC Grand Prix champions include Olympians Keith Brantly ('95), Mark Coogan ('96), Rod DeHaven ('98/'00), Libbie Hickman ('99-'00), Anne Marie Lauck ('96), Shelly Steely ('98) and Todd Williams ('99).

Here is the 2001 USARC schedule:

MEN
1) Gate River Run 15K, Jacksonville, FL             $23,400 March 10
2) Old Kent River Bank Run 25K, Grand Rapids, MI    $10,600 May 12
3) Parkersburg Half-Marathon, WV                    $18,475 August 18
4) New Haven Labor Day 20K, New Haven, CT           $10,000 September 3
5) Delchamps Senior Bowl
  Charity Run 10K, Mobile, AL                       $25,000 November 3*
                            SubTOTAL    $87,475
                       USARC Grand Prix $12,500
                            TOTAL       $99,975

WOMEN
1) Gate River Run 15K, Jacksonville, FL             $23,400 March 10
2) Old Kent River Bank Run 25K, Grand Rapids, MI    $10,600 May 12
3) Freihofer's Run for Women 5K, Albany, NY         $25,000 June 2
4) Parkersburg Half-Marathon, WV                    $18,475 August 18
5) New Haven Labor Day 20K, New Haven, CT           $10,000 September 3
6) Delchamps Senior Bowl
Charity Run 10K, Mobile, AL                         $25,000 November 3*
                            SubTOTAL   $112,475
                      USARC Grand Prix $12,500
                            TOTAL      $124,975
*date may change

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Special thanks to 
Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Coordinator for providing us this press release.
USATF Road Running Information Center
5522 Camino Cerralvo, Santa Barbara, CA 93111
(805) 696-6232, fax (805) 696-6252
http://www.runningusa.org
http://www.usaldr.org