History of Running USA
Running USA, a non-profit organization for the running industry, was launched on March 13, 1999 in Los Angeles. A joint and historic venture with USA Track & Field (USATF), Running USA resulted from a year of planning by the race directors of several leading U.S. road races along with USATF's Long Distance Running Chairs, President and its CEO Craig Masback. Steve Edwards was named its first executive director.
From its original press release, Running USA was created to improve the status of road racing in the United States through collective marketing and promotions, services to runners and events and the development of American world class stars.
Running USA Timeline
March 13, 1999
Founded in Los Angeles; offices are established in St. Petersburg, Florida and Santa Barbara, California.
Running USA recognizes and thanks the following Founders and Founding Members who made the organization a reality.
FOUNDERS
Steve Bosley, David Coyne, Steve & Joy Edwards, Ed Froehlich, David Hannah, Basil & Linda Honikman, Danny Grimes, Wally Kastner, Creigh Kelley, Ryan Lamppa, Craig Masback, Tim Murphy, Bill Reef and Allan Steinfeld
51 FOUNDING MEMBERS (joined Running USA during its first year)
Active.com, adidas, All American Trail Running Association (AATRA), Alta Peruvian Lodge Downhill Dash 8K, America's Finest City Half-Marathon, American Ultrarunning Association (AUA), Army Ten-Miler, ASICS Corporation, Bank of America Gasparilla Distance Classic 15K, Big Sur International Marathon, BKB Ltd., Bolder Boulder 10K, ChampionChip, Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon, City of Los Angeles Marathon, Columbus Marathon, Crim Festival of Races, Do It Sports, Elite Racing, EMMI, Examiner Bay to Breakers 12K, Florida Running Festival, Food Fitness International, Freihofer's Run for Women 5K, Gate River Run 15K, GetFit.com, Gold Medal Event Management, Inc., Indian Path Medical Center & SunTrust Bank Crazy 8's 8K, Jefferson Hospital Philadelphia Distance Run, Kinane Events, Marty Liquori Productions, Methodist Health Care Houston Marathon, National Sports Network, New York City Marathon, Nike, Inc., Park Forest Scenic 10 Mile Run, PhotoRun, PowerBar, Quad-City Times Bix 7, RhodyCo Productions, Runner's World, The Running Network, Salmini Films, Inc., Shooting Star Media, Steamboat Classic 4 Mile, Summit Exhibition Management, Tulsa Run 15K, Twin Cities Marathon, USA Track & Field, Utica Boilermaker 15K and Wharf to Wharf Race
March 28, 1999
First Running USA wire featuring the Carlsbad 5000 published and distributed via email and posted on website.
March 2000
In its first year, Running USA recognized 51 Founding Members, and by 2009, the organization had more than 250 members that included road races, race services companies, running-related media companies and organizations and the athletic industry.
Spring 2000
In response to the dearth of U.S. distance running success since the early 1990s, athlete development program researched and put together. Later, the New York City Marathon pledges $20,000 seed money ($1 for every U.S. entrant in 2000 race) to start the program.
July 21, 2000
The Team USA Distance Running program is announced by Running USA and USATF in Sacramento at the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials.
Fall 2000
Steve Edwards replaced by Basil Honikman as Running USA executive director.
November 3, 2000
Two Team USA Training Centers - Hansons Running Shop Team USA Michigan and Team USA BrownStone (NY) - announced at New York City Marathon.
February 2001
Paul Banta named Member Services Director.
March 2001
Third Team USA Training Center - Team USA California based in Mammoth Lakes - announced with three-year sponsor commitment by Nike. Key athletes are 2000 Olympians Deena Drossin, Meb Keflezighi and Jen Rhines with renowned coaches Bob Larsen and Joe Vigil.
May 2001
Fourth Team USA Training Center - Team USA Minnesota - announced.
October 2002
Running USA and USATF announced City and State Road Running Rankings with searchable database that features 2 million performances and comprehensive calendar.
August 2003
Running USA E-News featuring running industry news launched by Paul Banta.
December 2003
Fifth Team USA Training Center - Team USA Monterey Bay - announced.
January 2004
Inaugural Running USA Industry Conference attracts 150 attendees in Scottsdale, Arizona at the Radisson Resort & Spa; conference tied to the debut P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona event. The inaugural Running USA Hall of Champions class - Steve Bosley, Amby Burfoot, Mike Burns & David Simms, Tim Murphy and Joe Vigil - was also inducted at the conference.
The annual "must-attend" conference is now the largest (more than 400 attendees) and arguably the best in the sport.
January 2004
Team USA California renamed "Team Running USA" as the Team USA Distance Running program disbands.
August 2004
Two Team Running USA athletes - Meb Keflezighi and Deena Kastor - win Olympic Marathon medals (silver and bronze) in Athens, Greece; the first medals by the USA in the Olympic Marathon since 1984.
January 2005
Terrence Mahon joins Team Running USA coaching staff; Mahon is an original member of the training group.
February 2005
Live and silent auction introduced at the Running USA Industry Conference to raise funds for Team Running USA and Running USA programs such as youth running. To-date, the auctions have generated more than $250,000.
September 2005
Running USA and Active Sports Technologies launched comprehensive online Runner Rankings for national, regional and local runners of all abilities. In 2008, the Runner Rankings had 5 million runner performances.
October 2006
Running USA with RRCA began the first National Runner Survey to identify attitudes, habits and demographics of all types of runners as well as potential runners in order to better serve participants and build the sport.
November 2007
Basil Honikman, one of the Founders of Running USA in 1999 and its executive director / CEO since 2000, announced his retirement effective after the Running USA 2008 Conference in February.
March 2008
Susan Weeks is selected as third Running USA CEO; organizational office moved to Colorado Springs.
September 2008
RunningRocks.com, a resource and support center for kids running and fitness programs, launched and produced by Running USA.
March 2009
Running USA marked and celebrated a decade of achievement to build and promote the sport.
Team Running USA becomes Mammoth Track Club led by Terrence Mahon.
February 2010
Running USA 2010, at the spectacular La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California, drew a conference record 402 attendees from the running industry.
Team USA Minnesota was selected for the inaugural Allan Steinfeld Development Award. The development award was named after Allan Steinfeld, a long-time leader in the sport, who jump-started the U.S. distance running resurgence when as head of the New York Road Runners he allocated $20,000 seed money ($1 per U.S. entry at the 2000 New York City Marathon) for the development program Team USA Distance Running launched in November 2000 that produced training groups such as Team Running USA (two Olympic medals in 2004 and major marathon wins) and Team USA Minnesota and inspired others.
Since its inception in March 1999, Running USA's ten major accomplishments to build and promote the sport include:
1) jump-started the U.S. distance running resurgence
2) established Team Running USA which led to two Olympic medals and many other noteworthy achievements
3) resource center and clearinghouse for the sport and media
4) annual running industry conference - the sport's largest
5) Running USA wire - twice weekly news on the sport
6) Running USA E-News - weekly industry news
7) annual marathon and State of the Sport reports - widely cited
8) grown from 51 Founding Members to more than 250 members
9) coordination and promotion of youth running programs - RunningRocks.com
10) comprehensive Runner Rankings with Active.com - 5 million runner performances in 2008