On-Line Entry Opens at 10 a.m. on December 15
The Credit Union Miracle Day Committee, a partnership of credit unions and affiliated organizations, has signed a three-year commitment as the title sponsor of the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile. The 2004 event, which will be the third year of sponsorship by the Miracle Day committee, will be held on April 4th and will again utilize the popular West Potomac Park and Rock Creek Parkway course in Washington, D.C. Last year, through the credit union sponsorship, the event raised $195,000 for the Children's Miracle Network.

Juri Valdov, Chairman of Credit Union Miracle Day, Inc. and CEO of Northwest Federal Credit Union, said ``We are thrilled to be making a long-term commitment to the area's premier running event. We are especially excited about raising funds through the event for the Children's Miracle Network. Over 40 Credit Unions will compete in the team competition and nearly 500 Credit Union employees will volunteer on race day. This event truly epitomizes the 'Credit Union Spirit' of people helping people and returning to the community."

Entry into the race is available online or by mail-in entries. The on-line entry process will open at 10 a.m. sharp on Monday Dec. 15. Entries will be taken online at the race Web site. Mail-in entries will be mailed in early December and may be returned as soon as they are received. Runners should enter using only one of the two methods. Everyone who entered the race last year--even those who were rejected--will receive a mail-in entry form and those who supplied e-mail addresses will receive an e-mail reminder about the opening of the online process.

Prospective registrants may obtain entry details online or request a mail-in form at http://www.cherryblossom.org or by calling the race hotline at (301) 320-3350, or by mailing a request to Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile, PO Box 5366, Rockville, MD 20848. The field has been expanded to 8,500 runners for the 2004 race; however, it is expected to fill up quickly. Last year's event filled its 6,500-runner allotment in just 17 days.

The 2004 Credit Union Cherry Blossom will feature an exciting new feature. The inaugural "Metropolitan Cup" is a first-time team competition among teams from Washington, DC and the surrounding Maryland and Virginia counties and cities. Teams consisting of men and women in the open and age group divisions will represent their county (Montgomery, Fairfax, Prince George's, Washington, DC, etc.) as they battle similar teams from other counties for bragging rights (and a trophy) as the most physically fit place to live in the Metropolitan area. Race participants will be automatically entered in the competition by including their county of residence on their online or mail-in entry forms.

Event Director Phil Stewart said, "The new three-year commitment from the Credit Union Miracle Day Committee strengthens a great partnership between the participating credit unions and our event. I am excited about our agreement and the impact it will have on our ability to make this race even better and to increase our ability to raise money for the Children's Miracle Day Network."

The event will continue its status as the Washington Metropolitan area's only World Class elite running event by offering $30,000 in prize money, its largest purse ever. Both the men's and women's world records were set in the 1995 event and the women's world-record was set in 1998. The event has attracted Olympic Gold Medallists, World Champions and world- record holders. "This is a truly outstanding opportunity and the only opportunity to run in the same event with, or to come out and watch, world-class athletes running on the streets of Washington, D.C.," said Stewart. The event also supports American distance running by underwriting two $4,000 grants for up-and-coming U.S. stars through the AARC-RRCA Roads Scholar program.

The event is part of the National Cherry Blossom Festival and the Professional Road Running Organization Circuit.

For information on the race, visit the official race Web site at http://www.cherryblossom.org.

See photos of the 2003 Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile.