Anyone who’s run in it or watched a friend or family member run knows the Monument Avenue 10K is a big race. Apparently, it just keeps getting bigger. It wasn’t too long ago the race cracked the Top 25 worldwide in participation. Just last year it broke the 40,000 entries barrier. Now, according to Running USA, it’s reached even rarer heights.

The Metro Richmond Sports Backers, the race organizer, announced that “the event has been recognized as the 8^th largest fully-timed running race of any distance in the United States by Running USA in preliminary rankings for 2011.  In addition, the race is the 15^th largest fully-timed race in the entire world.”

The rankings are based on the total number of finishers in each race. They are compiled each year by Running USA, a non-profit organization that was created to improve the status of road racing in the United States.

“The Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k has experienced incredible growth since its inception in 2000,” said Lisa Randolph, race director for the 10k. “Being able to say that it’s the 15^th largest race in the world goes to show how much the community supports this event.”

Now in its 13^th year, the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k has seen impressive growth since its inception: