Blog
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Winter Update from Bike Walk RVA
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Fitness Warriors Celebrate Five Years of Impacting the Community
Friday, February 7th
By: Jacki Quinlan, Director of Community Outreach Sports Backers' Fitness Warriors program hasn’t been around that long; in fact we are only in our sixth year of operation. But a lot has been achieved during those first five years and we would be remiss if we didn’t take a…
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January Update from the 2020 General Assembly
Tuesday, February 4th
This year’s General Assembly is entering its fourth week, and there is much to report and support. This will be the first of a few posts to break down a few bills we are following with biking and walking implications. It is not an exhaustive list because it’s difficult to share all the details in…
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Fitness Warriors' Annual 'Warrior Nation Celebration' Set for Jan. 25
Friday, January 24th
RICHMOND, VA – With the Fitness Warriors program currently immersed in offering free fitness classes in communities around the Richmond region, the program will take the opportunity to highlight community health success stories on January 25 at the annual Warrior Nation Celebration. The event will take place at the Robinson Theater in Church Hill at 5:00pm and…
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Kids Run RVA Profiles: Changjwok Deng's Journey to Coach and Mentor
Friday, January 17th
By: Chaz Coleman, Kids Run RVA Program Manager Kids Run RVA Coaches come from all walks of life. They may differ in age, race, and nationality, but all are drawn to Kids Run RVA by a desire to help others through active living. Everyone has a story, but none are quite like Changjwok Deng's journey.…
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Celebrating 15 Years at Sports Backers: John Raigins
Thursday, December 19th
John Raigins may have the most unique resume of anyone at Sports Backers. Previous employers include: Raigins Farm and Ranch, in his hometown of Prairie, Mississippi. Duties: coordinate operations for field crops, feed crops, and cattle division of the farm. Supervise and execute planting and harvesting…
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Celebrating 15 Years at Sports Backers: Faith Hecht
Thursday, December 19th
For most people, the Sports Backers Marathon Training Team is the start of a running journey that leads to many races and many miles. For Faith Hecht, it also led to a job at Sports Backers and a 15-year journey that combines her love of running with her commitment to creating active living opportunities for people…
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Kids Run RVA Profiles: Teresa Kessler, Kids Run RVA Volunteer of the Year
Wednesday, December 18th
By: Chaz Coleman, Kids Run RVA Program Manager I had the opportunity to sit down with the Kids Run RVA (KRRVA) Volunteer of the Year Teresa Kessler! She is a Physical Education (PE) teacher and has been Head Coach at Lakeside Elementary in Henrico County for the past four…
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Group Exercise: Believe the Hype!
Wednesday, December 11th
By: Kofi Nimo, Fitness Warriors intern Do you feel as if you’ve hit a roadblock in your fitness journey? Is there a lack of motivation to get into the gym and get started on the path to a healthier, more active lifestyle? If you’ve answered yes to either of these questions, you’re not alone. Many…
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Great Coaches Support Great Kids
Tuesday, December 3rd
Written by: Coach Jenika dela Cruz This past fall season was my first as a volunteer Kids Run RVA run club coach at John B. Cary (Cougars on the Run). I knew the importance of teaching kids healthy habits early on in their lives, and I wanted to become a part of that effort. But…
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Kids Run RVA Profiles: Meet Craig Dupont, Veteran Kids Run RVA Coach
Tuesday, November 19th
By: Chaz Coleman, Kids Run RVA Program Manager Before the end of the fall running season, veteran Kids Run RVA coach Craig Dupont sat down with us to discuss his time at Overby-Sheppard Elementary School. He is a fifth-year Head Coach and credits returning students for the success of the program. “We seem to grow…
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Ashenafi Birhana wins VCU Health Richmond Marathon; Ayantu Hailema claims women’s title
Saturday, November 16th
RICHMOND, VA – Ashenafi Birhana of Washington, D.C., won the 2019 VCU Health Richmond Marathon, finishing ahead of Daniel Jaskowak, of Blacksburg, Va., and Abu Diriba, of Ethiopia. Ashenafi, originally from Ethiopia, finished in a time of 2:19:43 while Jaskowak, a former Virginia Tech standout, finished in 2:20:54. Diriba had a time of 2:21:34. Birhana…
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Newly-formed Richmond Families for Safe Streets to host World Remembrance Day ceremony Nov. 18
Wednesday, November 13th
RICHMOND, VA – Victims of life-altering traffic crashes and those who have lost someone in a traffic crash have come together to form a new group called Richmond Families for Safe Streets to support others who find themselves in this situation and to advocate for change to make our streets safer. The group’s first effort…
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Full Schedule of Events Now Available for VCU Health Richmond Marathon
Wednesday, November 13th
RICHMOND, VA – The 42nd running of the VCU Health Richmond Marathon will take place this Saturday, November 16, along with the Markel Richmond Half Marathon and Allianz Partners 8k. All participants must pick up their bib number at the pre-race Health and Fitness Expo at the Arthur Ashe Center. The expo is open Thursday,…
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Sports Backers announce voting contest for 2020 Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k participant shirt
Thursday, November 7th
RICHMOND, VA – For the first time in the history of the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k presented by Kroger, Sports Backers is hosting a public vote to help select the design for the participant shirt for the 2020 event. Voting is open now until December 7 at https://www.tfaforms.com/4772182 and the winning design will be revealed…
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Kids Run RVA Showed Up and Showed Out at the kaléo Marathon Jr.
Thursday, October 31st
By: Chaz Coleman, Kids Run RVA Program Manager On a perfect fall day on Saturday, October 26th, 1,070 young runners filled Byrd Park to participate in the kaléo Marathon Jr. The youth running event for kids ages 4-14 featured three distances: half mile (for ages 7 and under),…
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New Fitness Warriors Classes Expand Active Living Opportunities to More People
Thursday, October 31st
By: Tiffany Copeland, Fitness Warriors Program Manager The strength of Sports Backers' Fitness Warriors program is that we have an amazing group of community leaders that continue to show up weekly to provide active living opportunities to their fellow residents. They are dedicated to being true agents of change for the communities in and around…
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Author Christopher McDougall has Stories to Help All Runners
Thursday, October 31st
Christopher McDougall, the best-selling author of ‘Born to Run,’ will visit the VCU Health Richmond Marathon expo on Friday, November 15, in conjunction with Richmond bookstore Chop Suey books, to talk about his new book, ‘Running with Sherman: The Donkey with the Heart of a Hero,’ meet expo attendees, and share a few tips (and…
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Fall Update from Bike Walk RVA
Wednesday, October 30th
By: Brantley Tyndall, Bike Walk RVA Director of Outreach As I am wont to exclaim, "It's fall, y'all!" - it is time for our next quarterly update on Bike Walk RVA. The air has cooled, the leaves are changing and dropping, and evening light leaves earlier and earlier. It can be a time of wonder…
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Kids Run RVA Profiles: Meet New Coach Erika Elford
Thursday, October 10th
By: Chaz Coleman, Kids Run RVA Program Manager This month, we had the opportunity to chat with a new Kids Run RVA coach, Erika Elford. Erika is the P.E. teacher at Elizabeth B. Redd Elementary in Richmond, which she joined at the start of this school year after teaching at John Marshall High School. She…
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Marathon Training Team Coach Q&A: Amanda Arno
Wednesday, October 9th
Over the past few months, we've been sharing a Q&A series that features each Sports Backers Marathon Training Team coach in an effort to share more about the Marathon Training Team and the work the coaches put into helping participants reach their goals for the VCU Health Richmond Marathon on November 16. As we get…
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Sports Backers Announce Two New Additions to Staff
Tuesday, October 8th
RICHMOND, VA – Sports Backers, a non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring residents from all corners of the Richmond region to live actively, is pleased to welcome new staff members Michelle Mertens and Chaz Coleman. Michelle will serve as Controller, while Chaz will serve as Kids Run RVA Program Manager. Michelle Mertens - Controller Michelle Mertens joins…
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Meet the Niklawskis: The First Family of the CarMax Tacky Light Run
Tuesday, October 1st
Just moments after 12:00pm on July 25th, right after the opening of the 'Christmas in July' registration block for the CarMax Tacky Light Run, Rainey Niklawski, her husband Kile, and their children Zack, 10, and Arielle, 11, were the first family to register for this year's event on December 14. We caught up with Rainey…
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Marathon Training Team Coach Q&A: Carrie Parker
Tuesday, October 1st
For the past few months, we've been sharing a Q&A series that features each Sports Backers Marathon Training Team coach in an effort to share more about the Marathon Training Team and the work the coaches put into helping participants reach their goals for the VCU Health Richmond Marathon on November 16. As we get…
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Kids Run RVA Profiles: Meet Coach Katie Daniel
Friday, September 27th
This month we sat down with Katie McTavish Daniel, who was recently promoted to Program Manager at Greater Richmond Fit4Kids. In this new role, Katie now leads the Wellness Integration and Learning Garden programs throughout the Greater Richmond region. Katie got her start as a PE teacher but after switching career paths to do wellness…
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Kids Run RVA Profiles: Get to Know PB&J (AKA Faith & Jacki)
Friday, August 23rd
By: Jacki Quinlan, Director of Community Outreach With the beginning of the school year right around the corner and the kickoff of Kids Run RVA run clubs looming, it’s almost time for the dynamic duo, aka Jacki Quinlan and Faith Hecth, to rock the famous PB&J costumes at the kaléo Marathon Jr. on October 26.…
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Marathon Training Team Coach Q&A: Chris White
Thursday, August 22nd
Over the next few months, we'll be sharing a Q&A series that features each Sports Backers Marathon Training Team coach in an effort to share more about the Marathon Training Team and the work the coaches put into helping participants reach their goals for the VCU Health Richmond Marathon on November 16. As we get…
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Sports Backers announce new partnerships for Allianz Partners 8k and kaléo Marathon Jr.
Tuesday, August 13th
RICHMOND, VA – Sports Backers today announced a new multi-year partnership with Henrico-based Allianz Partners, making the consumer specialty insurance provider the new title sponsor of the Allianz Partners 8k. The 8k, now in its 30th year, is part of the VCU Health Richmond Marathon weekend on November 16, which also features the Markel Richmond Half Marathon. The 8k…
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Marathon Training Team Coach Q&A: Kevin Barger
Tuesday, August 13th
Over the next few months, we'll be sharing a Q&A series that features each Sports Backers Marathon Training Team coach in an effort to share more about the Marathon Training Team and the work the coaches put into helping participants reach their goals for the VCU Health Richmond Marathon on November 16. As we get…
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2019 RVA Bike Month Awards
Tuesday, August 13th
By: Brantley Tyndall, Bike Walk RVA Director of Outreach Another spring has come and gone, and for the 6th year, RVA Bike Month has grown the opportunities to ride in all corners of the Richmond Region for just about anyone. RVA Bike Month keeps growing, in part because of our support from Bon Secours,…
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Sports Backers Half Marathon Training Team kicks off on Aug. 10 and 11
Wednesday, August 7th
RICHMOND, VA – The Sports Backers Half Marathon Training Team kicks off the training period for this year’s team with group runs at City Stadium beginning on Saturday, August 10. Registration remains open for the Half Training Team, which has been under the direction of head coach Ro Gammon since its creation in 2009. This…
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Applications for Fall 2019 Regional Bike Walk RVA Academy Now Open
Tuesday, July 30th
The greater Richmond region has been making some big strides over the last few years to become more walking and bicycling friendly. By focusing attention on plans, policies, and funding for active living projects, bikeways in the Richmond region have grown from 37 miles in 2013 to 89 miles in 2019 - a 52 mile…
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Marathon Training Team Coach Q&A: Greg Barch
Friday, July 26th
Over the next few months, we'll be sharing a Q&A series that features each Sports Backers Marathon Training Team coach in an effort to share more about the Marathon Training Team and the work the coaches put into helping participants reach their goals for the VCU Health Richmond Marathon on November 16. As we get…
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CarMax Tacky Light Run registration kicks off with ‘Christmas in July’
Thursday, July 25th
RICHMOND, VA – Registration is now open for the CarMax Tacky Light Run, and the event is celebrating Christmas in July with a limited number of entries currently available for a special price of $25 for adults and $10 for youth under the age of 18. The rate is only available to the first 500…
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Summer Update from Bike Walk RVA's Director of Outreach
Wednesday, July 17th
By: Brantley Tyndall, Bike Walk RVA Director of Outreach 2019 has been a wild ride so far. We, as in hundreds of community advocates, started the year winning the fight against two city councilors’ ordinance to ban the City of Richmond’s biggest protected bike…
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Marathon Training Team Coach Q&A: Brigetta Wilson
Tuesday, July 16th
Over the next few months, we'll be sharing a Q&A series that features each Sports Backers Marathon Training Team coach in an effort to share more about the Marathon Training Team and the work the coaches put into helping participants reach their goals for the VCU Health Richmond Marathon on November 16. As we get…
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Marathon Training Team Coach Q&A: Maggie Rice
Tuesday, July 16th
Over the next few months, we'll be sharing a Q&A series that features each Sports Backers Marathon Training Team coach in an effort to share more about the Marathon Training Team and the work the coaches put into helping participants reach their goals for the VCU Health Richmond Marathon on November 16. As we get…
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Kids Run RVA Profiles: Meet Coach Kirk
Tuesday, July 16th
By: Jacki Quinlan, Director of Community Outreach and Kids Run RVA Enthusiast Kids Run RVA run clubs happen across the region during the school year (click here to check out a map of our clubs!) but this summer some of the Kids Run RVA coaches have…
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Fitness Warriors Celebrate Graduation of 7th Class of Recruits, Kick Off Training for 8th Class
Tuesday, July 16th
By: Tiffany Copeland, Fitness Warriors Program Manager At Sports Backers, we believe that Richmond can be among the most active cities in the country and we are working hard to make that dream a reality. A key part of that mission is Sports…
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Registration now open for October 5 Trails and Ales festival; race will feature new dog-friendly wave
Monday, July 1st
RICHMOND, VA – A celebration of Richmond’s urban trail system and popular craft brewery culture, the fifth-annual running of Trails and Ales is set for Saturday, October 5th. The event will take place in Manchester at W. 10th Street and Semmes Avenue, adjacent to the SunTrust Mortgage offices, with the three-mile Pint Glass course starting…
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Marathon Training Team Coach Q&A: Susie Leahy
Sunday, June 30th
Over the next few months, we'll be sharing a Q&A series that features each Sports Backers Marathon Training Team coach in an effort to share more about the Marathon Training Team and the work the coaches put into helping participants reach their goals for the VCU Health Richmond Marathon on November 16. As we get…
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Marathon Training Team Coach Q&A: Pam Faulkner
Sunday, June 30th
Over the next few months, we'll be sharing a Q&A series that features each Sports Backers Marathon Training Team coach in an effort to share more about the Marathon Training Team and the work the coaches put into helping participants reach their goals for race day at the VCU Health Richmond November on 16. As…
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Second-annual Walmart Biz Bowl set for Thursday, Sept. 26
Monday, June 24th
RICHMOND, VA – Sports Backers recently announced the second annual Walmart Biz Bowl to take place on Thursday, September 26, at the River City Sportsplex in Chesterfield County. The corporate-themed challenge offers companies from around the Richmond region the opportunity to enter teams and compete against each other in a variety of sports, activities, and fitness…
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Marathon Training Team Coach Q&A: Victoria Maddocks
Monday, June 24th
Over the next few months, we'll be sharing a Q&A series that features each Sports Backers Marathon Training Team coach in an effort to share more about the Marathon Training Team and the work the coaches put into helping participants reach their goals for the VCU Health Richmond Marathon on November 16. As we get…
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Marathon Training Team Coach Q&A: Barb Jewell
Monday, June 24th
Over the next few months, we'll be sharing a Q&A series that features each Sports Backers Marathon Training Team coach in an effort to share more about the Marathon Training Team and the work the coaches put into helping participants reach their goals for the VCU Health Richmond Marathon on November 16. As we get…
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Registration open for Virginia Credit Union Moonlight Ride, will feature new 28-mile course option
Tuesday, June 11th
RICHMOND, VA – Registration is now open for the Virginia Credit Union Moonlight Ride, which will take place on Saturday, August 24. This year’s ride will feature a new 28-mile supported ride option that kicks off at 5:00pm, followed by the family-friendly three-mile course ride at 8:00pm and the eight-mile course ride at 8:15 pm.…
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Marathon Training Team Coach Q&A: Judy Wood
Monday, June 10th
Over the next few months, we'll be sharing a Q&A series that features each Sports Backers Marathon Training Team coach in an effort to share more about the Marathon Training Team and the work the coaches put into helping participants reach their goals for race day on November 16. As we get closer to race…
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Marathon Training Team Coach Q&A: Ashley Simard
Monday, June 10th
Over the next few months, we'll be sharing a Q&A series that features each Sports Backers Marathon Training Team coach in an effort to share more about the Marathon Training Team and the work the coaches put into helping participants reach their goals for race day on November 16. As we get closer to race…
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Over 200 teams, 5,900 participants take part in 10th annual Anthem Corporate Run on June 6
Friday, June 7th
RICHMOND, VA – 206 teams representing companies from across the region came out to Innsbrook Office Park last night to compete in Richmond’s 10th annual Anthem Corporate Run. Awards were presented to the fastest male and female CEO, fastest overall male and female winners, as well as the fastest companies in each division. In the…
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Corvell Poag, Molly Grube earn top Times-Dispatch/Sports Backers Scholar-Athlete Awards
Tuesday, June 4th
Richmond, VA – The Richmond Region’s finest high school scholar-athletes were rewarded for their hard work last night at the Times-Dispatch/Sports Backers Scholar-Athlete Awards Dinner at The Jefferson Hotel. Top honors and $7,500 scholarships went to Corvell Poag of Armstrong High School and Molly Grube of Manchester High School. Poag is the first overall winner…
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Fairfield District candidates weigh in on safer streets and regional connectivity
Friday, May 31st
On June 11, residents in Henrico County's Fairfield District will vote for a member of the Board of Supervisors in the primary election. Often the primary election can be more important than the general election for determining who will represent residents locally in Henrico. Candidates Joseph Brown, Frank Thornton, and Maurice…
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Chickahominy District candidates weigh in on safer streets and regional connectivity
Friday, May 31st
On June 11, residents in Hanover County's Chickahominy District will vote for a member of the Board of Supervisors in the primary election. Locally, the primary election is often more important than the general election for determining who will represent residents in Hanover. Hanover County boasts…
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Three Chopt District candidates weigh in on safer streets and regional connectivity
Friday, May 31st
On June 11, residents in Henrico County's Three Chopt District will vote for a member of the Board of Supervisors in the primary election. Often the primary election can be more important than the general election for determining who will represent residents…
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Over 200 teams now registered for Anthem Corporate Run, representing companies from across Richmond region
Wednesday, May 29th
RICHMOND, VA – The Anthem Corporate Run will celebrate its 10th running on Thursday, June 6, with over 200 teams and more than 5,500 participants currently registered for the event. Registration is still available until June 6, and a price increase is set for June 1. The 5k has grown to become one of the…
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Sports Backers kick off 18th annual Marathon Training Team on June 1
Wednesday, May 29th
Richmond, VA – The Sports Backers Marathon Training Team kicks off on Saturday, June 1, and Sunday, June 2, celebrating its 18th year of growth and success as participants prepare for the November 16 VCU Health Richmond Marathon. As the June 23rd deadline to sign up for the training team approaches, the program has already attracted…
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Times-Dispatch/Sports Backers Scholar-Athlete finalists announced for June 3 awards dinner
Wednesday, May 22nd
RICHMOND, VA – The Richmond Region’s finest high school scholar-athletes will be on display and rewarded for their hard work on Monday night, June 3, when the 28th annual Times-Dispatch/Sports Backers Scholar-Athlete Awards Dinner takes place at The Jefferson Hotel. This year the program is awarding $70,000 in college scholarships to 20 outstanding high school…
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6th Annual RVA Bike Month launches April 27th!
Thursday, April 25th
RVA Bike Month presented by Bon Secours is back for the sixth year with a theme of ‘Bikes Mean Business'! We've got over 50 events coming up over the next five weeks, and all the event info is over on www.rvabikemonth.com! Highlights of the calendar include the always-popular Pizza Crawl, Black Girls Do Bike’s kickoff…
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Ashland to Petersburg Trail: A Spine for Regional Transportation
Wednesday, April 24th
By: Louise Lockett Gordon, Director of Bike Walk RVA Central Virginia is no stranger to the concept of a multi-use trail. Construction of the 51.7 mile Virginia Capital Trail, which courses through Richmond, Henrico County, Charles City County, and Williamsburg, was completed in 2015 and experiences about 1,000…
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From Participant to Warrior: The Fitness Warriors Journey
Thursday, April 18th
By: Elicia Gordon, Fitness Warriors 5th Class Graduate Who in the world would put me in charge of motivating other people!?!? No one in their right mind...or so I thought. It was challenging enough to try to keep myself motivated. But sometimes you decide to make a minor decision which ends up being life changing.…
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Ashland to Petersburg Trail: a spine for regional active transportation
Thursday, April 18th
Central Virginia is no stranger to the concept of a multi-use trail. Construction of the 51.7 mile Virginia Capital Trail, which courses through Richmond, Henrico County, Charles City County, and Williamsburg, was completed in 2015 and experiences about 1,000 daily trail users. Every day people are out on the trail biking to and from work;…
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Bellevue Elementary Wins Inaugural Mayor's Cup Trophy
Thursday, April 18th
1,330 kids ages 5-12 participated in this year's Virginia529 Kids Run, which took place in conjunction with the Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k presented by Kroger on April 13. As part of the event, the inaugural Mayor's Cup was awarded to the City of Richmond school with the highest percentage of students participating on race day…
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Louise Lockett Gordon Named Director of Bike Walk RVA
Wednesday, April 17th
RICHMOND, VA – Sports Backers, a non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring residents from all corners of the Richmond community to live actively, is pleased to announce that Louise Lockett Gordon has been named the new Director of Bike Walk RVA. Created in 2012, Bike Walk RVA is a regional program of the Sports Backers to…
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Germano, Sachtleben Take Top Honors at 20th Running of Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k presented by Kroger
Saturday, April 13th
RICHMOND, VA – The Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k presented by Kroger kicked off its 20th annual running this morning with over 25,700 participants and continued with excitement in the men’s and women’s races. The 10k again hosted the Collegiate Running Association 10k Road Race National Championships, which drew several thousand college athletes to the streets…
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Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k presented by Kroger Announces Schedule of Events
Thursday, April 11th
RICHMOND, VA – With over 25,000 runners and walkers registered to participate, the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k presented by Kroger is set for Saturday, April 13. The event is the fourth largest 10k road race in the country and is celebrating its 20th running in 2019. The Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k will again serve as…
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Richmond Mayor's Budget Supports Street Safety
Tuesday, April 9th
When Richmond Mayor Levar M. Stoney signed a commitment to Vision Zero, the international movement to reduce traffic fatalities to the only acceptable number of zero, he knew it would involve infrastructure improvements. Following Vision Zero best practices, his Department of Public Works transportation team has been busy installing crosswalks, bike lanes, and reducing speed…
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House Resolution 350 Recognizes 20th Running of Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k
Monday, April 8th
RICHMOND, VA (April 8, 2019) - In recognition of the 20th running of the Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k presented by Kroger on April 13, Delegate Dawn Adams introduced House Resolution 350, which passed the Virginia House of Delegates and commends the 20th anniversary of the community event. The history of the 10k will now be…
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Fitness Warriors Now Accepting Applications for Next Class of Recruits
Monday, April 1st
RICHMOND, VA — Sports Backers and the Richmond City Health District announced the launch of the next class of the Fitness Warriors program, and the application period for those interested in joining the program is now open. The deadline to apply is May 4th, and the link to the application is available here: https://www.tfaforms.com/4728001. The…
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Brian P. Brown Selected to Dash for the Cash at Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k presented by Kroger
Tuesday, March 26th
RICHMOND, VA – Brian P. Brown, a Mechanicsville resident and marketing professor in the VCU School of Business, has been selected for an opportunity to win $2,500 on Saturday, April 13, as the Dash for the Cash participant at the 2019 Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k presented by Kroger. Brown…
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Over 170 Organizations Receive Active RVA Certification for Activity Programs
Friday, March 8th
RICHMOND, VA – Over 170 local organizations were honored for their innovative efforts at supporting active living during the seventh-annual Active RVA Awards presented by Cigna. The awards took place in conjunction with the Movement Makers Active Living Summit held at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture. Keynote speakers for the Summit included Pamela…
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Subaru of America, Dominion Energy Riverrock, and James River Park System Partner on New Water Fountain Project
Friday, February 8th
RICHMOND, VA – Subaru of America, in conjunction with Richmond-based dealerships Colonial Subaru and Hyman Brothers Subaru, partnered with Dominion Energy Riverrock and the James River Park System (JRPS) to raise funds to construct and unveil a new year-round water fountain at JRPS’ Reedy Creek trailhead location. The new fountain, now open for public use,…
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Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k, Richmond Raceway partner for Ultimate RVA Race Day sweepstakes
Wednesday, January 23rd
RICHMOND, VA - Richmond Raceway (Richmond) announces a partnership with Sports Backers and the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k presented by Kroger to bring fans the Ultimate RVA Race Day sweepstakes. The TOYOTA OWNERS 400 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race and Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k presented by Kroger are both on Saturday, April 13. From…
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Fitness Warriors Hosting Annual 'Warrior Nation Celebration' on January 26
Wednesday, January 16th
RICHMOND, VA – With the Fitness Warriors program currently immersed in offering free fitness classes in communities around the Richmond region and a new class of Warrior recruits just starting their training journey, the program will take the opportunity to highlight community health success stories on January 26 at the annual Warrior Nation Celebration. The…
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Kids Run RVA Brings Childhood Friends Back Together as Run Club Coaches
Thursday, January 10th
By: Pete Woody As coaches for Sports Backers’ Kids Run RVA youth running program, LaShawn Moore and Kisha Holloway get excited for the opportunity to greet their run club members at the finish line of races and share their excitement at completing a goal. But that excitement was nothing compared to the feeling the two…
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We Do Exist: Biking on Brook Road
Wednesday, January 2nd
Brook Road can be challenging and problematic for Northside residents, with its wide lanes, excessive speeding, and faint crosswalks. Traffic data shows that 65 percent of drivers go over 40 miles per hour on the 35 mph street. This makes it extremely dangerous for anyone who isn't in a car and able to move at…
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Fitness Warriors Now Accepting Applications for Next Class of Recruits
Thursday, October 11th
RICHMOND, VA — Sports Backers and Richmond City Health District today announced the launch of the next class of the Fitness Warriors program, part of Sports Backers’ community fitness initiatives. The application period for those interested in joining the program is now open, and the deadline to apply is November 4. Applications can be found…
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Meet Alan Delbridge - Kids Run RVA Head Coach
Thursday, October 11th
By: Jacki Quinlan, Director of Community Outreach for Sports Backers On the 1st of October, I sat down with Alan Delbridge to learn more about him and his new part-time role at Sports Backers. Read on to get to know the first-ever Head Coach of Kids Run RVA, which aims to provide support throughout the…
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Volunteer Guide to Marathon Water Stops
Wednesday, October 10th
To all the volunteers at the Anthem Richmond Marathon water stops: Thank you! Your role is critical for the safety and well-being of the participants in the marathon, as well as the Markel Richmond Half Marathon and VCU Health 8k. Your encouragement to all the participants makes the Anthem Richmond Marathon known as 'America’s Friendliest Marathon.'…
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Fitness Warriors: Sharing the Message and the Impact!
Wednesday, October 10th
By: Tiffany Copeland, Fitness Warriors Program Manager It’s an exciting time in the Fitness Warriors world! With over 53 classes in 37 different sites Fitness Warriors continue to touch communities all around Richmond and the surrounding area with Free, Fun, Inclusive classes for all!! Don’t take our word for it. Let’s hear from our participants.…
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Sports Backers Now Accepting Applications for Active RVA Certification
Wednesday, October 10th
RICHMOND, VA - Sports Backers and Active RVA are now accepting applications for the Active RVA Certification and Awards program. The program recognizes the Richmond region’s exceptional employers, schools, and early childhood education providers that are implementing innovative programs to promote physical activity. All certified organizations will be honored at the Active RVA Awards presented…
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Brookland District candidates sound off on safer streets and regional connectivity
Wednesday, October 3rd
On November 6, voters in Henrico County's Brookland District will elect a new member of the Board of Supervisors. Henrico County boasts welcoming neighborhoods and great schools and parks, but residents know the County also has some very unsafe streets - there have already been over 4,300 crashes on Henrico roads this year resulting in over 1,900…
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Sports Backers, Lyft Announce Multi-Event On-Demand Transportation Partnership for 2018-19
Wednesday, October 3rd
RICHMOND, VA – Lyft announced on Tuesday a multi-event partnership with Sports Backers for the 2018/2019 season as the official on-demand transportation partner. The sponsorship features eight events from August 2018 through July 2019, including the Anthem Richmond Marathon, Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k presented by Kroger, Dominion Energy Riverrock and more. This innovative partnership aims…
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CarMax Tacky Light Run registration Now Open
Tuesday, October 2nd
RICHMOND, VA – Registration has reopened for the CarMax Tacky Light Run, and is currently available for $30 for adults and $17 for youth under the age of 18. The holiday-themed fun run will take place Saturday, December 8th, and the event combines one of Richmond’s favorite traditions – tacky holiday lights – with a celebration…
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Mayor Stoney, City Councilman Jones join Sports Backers to celebrate Active Aging Week on Sept. 24th
Thursday, September 20th
RICHMOND, VA – Sports Backers, in partnership with a coalition of community health and active living organizations, will be joined by Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney and City Councilman Michael Jones to host a ‘Flashback Field Day’ on September 24 at Southside Community Center (6255 Old Warwick Road). The free community event kicks off at 10:00am…
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Registration Now Open for Ragnar Trail Richmond-VA
Thursday, September 13th
RICHMOND, VA - Ragnar Trail has joined forces with Sports Backers to once again bring Ragnar Trail Richmond-VA presented by Salomon to Pocahontas State Park. The unforgettable overnight trail running experience takes place April 26-27, 2019, and registration for the event is now open at www.runragnar.com/event-detail/trail/richmond_va#overview Teams of eight (or four) will set up camp…
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Sports Backers 8k Training Team Kicks Off September 15
Thursday, September 13th
RICHMOND, VA - Registration remains open for the Sports Backers 8k Training Team, which will hold its first group runs on September 15 at eight convenient locations around the area. The eight-week program is designed to prepare runners for the VCU Health 8k on Saturday, November 10, during the Anthem Richmond Marathon weekend. The program…
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Walmart Biz Bowl 101: What You Need to Know
Wednesday, August 15th
Walmart Biz Bowl: Saturday, September 29 River City SportsPlex What Is It? Field days were the best days. Tug of war, wiffle ball, obstacle courses, grass stains, and big wins! We’re bringing the good ‘ole days back with the Walmart Biz Bowl! Show off your company pride and build team spirit in a friendly…
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Sports Backers Half Marathon Training Team Celebrating 10th Anniversary in 2018
Monday, August 6th
RICHMOND, VA – The Sports Backers Half Marathon Training Team is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2018, and coaches and participants held a birthday party at its first group sessions on August 4th and 5th complete with a cake to mark the occasion. Registration remains open for the Half Training Team, and the program has…
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Celebrate 'Christmas in July' with the CarMax Tacky Light Run
Wednesday, July 25th
RICHMOND, VA - Registration is now open for the CarMax Tacky Light Run, and the event is celebrating 'Christmas in July' with a limited number of entries currently available for a special price of $25 for adults and $10 for youth under the age of 18. The rate is only available to the first 500…
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The Virginia Credit Union Moonlight Ride is a Family Affair
Tuesday, July 24th
By: Mary Rockwell For Allison Johnson, the Virginia Credit Union Moonlight Ride is all about family. Since hearing about the event in 2009 from a co-worker, Allison and her husband Ethan have participated in nine Moonlight Rides throughout the years. In 2016, the Henrico residents signed…
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Sports Backers announce 'Walmart Biz Bowl' corporate games event for Sept. 29
Tuesday, July 17th
RICHMOND, VA – Sports Backers today announced the inaugural ‘Walmart Biz Bowl’ to take place on Saturday, September 29 at the River City Sportsplex. The corporate-themed challenge offers companies from around the Richmond region the opportunity to enter teams and compete against each other in a variety of sports, activities, and fitness challenges during the…
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Registration now open for Trails and Ales festival on Oct. 6
Wednesday, July 11th
RICHMOND, VA (July 11) - A celebration of Richmond’s urban trail system and popular craft brewery culture, Trails and Ales is set for Saturday, October 6th, and will take place in Manchester at W. 10th Street and Semmes Avenue, adjacent to the SunTrust Mortgage offices, at 4:30 p.m. Registration for the fourth-annual trail running and…
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Kids Run This Town Up, Down, and All Around
Monday, July 9th
By: Faith Hecht, Youth Programs Manager Another school year has come and gone, and the kids have been moving! Thanks to the coaching efforts of dozens of volunteers who provide guidance and training opportunities at schools and community locations, kids around the region achieved their running goals through Kids Run RVA during the 2017-18 school…
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Looking back on 5 years of RVA Bike Month
Tuesday, June 19th
By: Brantley Tyndall, Bike Walk RVA Some people like to say "Every day is Bike to Work Day," and for an ever-growing number of people, that is true. For some, Bike Month is becoming increasingly, well, more months than just May. In the Richmond region, RVA Bike Month now includes March, April, and June. It's…
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Sports Backers announce ‘Pulse Pedal Pursuit’ on July 21 to highlight GRTC Pulse, RVA Bike Share
Tuesday, June 19th
RICHMOND, VA – Sports Backers today announced the first-ever ‘Pulse Pedal Pursuit’ to take place on Saturday, July 21. During the event, participants will utilize the GRTC Pulse bus rapid transit system and RVA Bike Share to visit destinations along the Pulse corridor to collect points while traveling by foot, bus, or bike. During Pulse…
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Fitness Warriors: Putting Purpose Into Practice
Friday, June 15th
By: Kara Bacile "Purpose, purpose, purpose, purpose, purpose!" Purpose, the mantra of the Fitness Warriors 5th Class, was on full display this weekend at the culminating event for a new group of community fitness leaders who are ready…
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Over 200 Teams, 6,100 Participants Take Part in 2018 Anthem Corporate Run
Friday, June 8th
RICHMOND, VA – 213 teams representing companies from across the region came out to Innsbrook Office Park last night to compete in Richmond’s ninth-annual Anthem Corporate Run. Awards were presented to the fastest male and female CEO, fastest overall male and female winners, as well as the fastest companies in each division. In the CEO…
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Matthew Whelan, Lexi Long Earn Top Times-Dispatch/Sports Backers Scholar-Athlete Awards
Tuesday, June 5th
Richmond, VA – The Richmond Region’s finest high school scholar-athletes were rewarded for their hard work last night at the Times-Dispatch/Sports Backers Scholar-Athlete Awards Dinner at The Jefferson Hotel. 2018 celebrates the 27th anniversary of the program that honors area scholar-athletes for their athletic, academic, and extracurricular achievements. Since the program’s inception in 1992, over…
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2018 Anthem Corporate Run Sets New Registration Record
Wednesday, May 30th
RICHMOND, VA – The Anthem Corporate Run, which will celebrate its ninth running on Thursday, June 7, has surpassed its previous entry record of 5,669 individuals. Currently there are nearly 5,700 participants registered for the event, with registration still available until June 7 and a price increase set for June 1. The 5k has grown…
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Sports Backers Kick Off 17th Annual Marathon Training Team on June 2
Wednesday, May 30th
Richmond, VA – The Sports Backers Marathon Training Team kicks off on Saturday, June 2, and Sunday, June 3, celebrating its 17th year of growth and success as participants prepare for the Anthem Richmond Marathon. As the June 24th deadline to sign up for the training team approaches, the program has already attracted nearly 1,000…
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Registration Now Open for Virginia Credit Union Moonlight Ride
Tuesday, May 22nd
RICHMOND, VA – Registration is now open for the Virginia Credit Union Moonlight Ride, which will take place on Saturday, August 25. The casual nighttime bike ride has grown into one of Richmond’s favorite cycling events, and 2018 marks the 10th anniversary of the ride. The Virginia Credit Union Moonlight Ride takes riders on a…
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Finalists Announced for Times-Dispatch/Sports Backers Scholar-Athlete Awards
Tuesday, May 22nd
RICHMOND, VA – The Richmond Region’s finest high school scholar-athletes will be on display and rewarded for their hard work on Monday night, June 4, when the 27th annual Times-Dispatch/Sports Backers Scholar-Athlete Awards Dinner takes place at The Jefferson Hotel. This year the program is awarding $70,000 in college scholarships to 20 outstanding high…
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Virginia Credit Union joins as title sponsor of Virginia Credit Union Moonlight Ride
Tuesday, May 15th
RICHMOND, VA – Sports Backers today announced a new partnership with Virginia Credit Union, naming the Richmond-based financial cooperative the multi-year title sponsor of the Virginia Credit Union Moonlight Ride. The casual nighttime bike event will take place this year on Saturday, August 25, at 8:00 p.m., and registration will open on Tuesday, May 22,…
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Andre Ingram to be Featured Speaker at Times-Dispatch/Sports Backers Scholar-Athlete Awards on June 4
Tuesday, May 8th
RICHMOND, VA – Andre Ingram, a Richmond native whose 10-year journey to the National Basketball Association and standout performance with the Los Angeles Lakers in early April captured the nation’s attention, will serve as the featured guest at the 2018 Times-Dispatch/Sports Backers Scholar-Athlete Awards Dinner on Monday, June 4. Ingram is a Highland Springs High…
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RVA Bike Month presented by Bon Secours set for May 2018
Thursday, April 26th
RICHMOND, VA – With a theme of ‘Bike to the Future,’ RVA Bike Month 2018 presented by Bon Secours features a full calendar of events. 2018 marks the fifth year that Bike Walk RVA, a program of Sports Backers, is coordinating the bike-related events with the help of dozens of volunteers and advocates from across…
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RVA Bike Month: Alex is here to help!
Monday, April 16th
New for 2018, Bike Walk RVA will have another set of hands to help your RVA Bike Months succeed. Meet Alex Cortes, our Bike Month intern for April and May as we Bike to the Future! My name’s Alex Cortes, and I’m very excited to be working with Bike Walk RVA to help make this…
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McDonald, Sachtleben Take First Place in Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k presented by Kroger
Saturday, April 14th
RICHMOND, VA – The 19th annual Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k presented by Kroger kicked off this morning with an enthusiastic greeting from Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, the official starter who then became just the second Governor of Virginia to participate in the race, and…
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Fitness Warriors Now Accepting Applications for Next Class of Warrior Recruits
Tuesday, April 10th
Richmond, VA — Sports Backers and the Richmond City Health District announced the launch of the next class of the Fitness Warriors program, part of Sports Backers’ Keep It Moving community health initiative. The application period for those interested in joining the program is now open and the deadline to apply is May 6th. The…
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New Bike Lane Day is Around the Corner
Tuesday, April 3rd
May is less than a month away, which means RVA Bike Month is approaching quickly. We are working hard on our grassroots calendar of more than a month's worth of community-grown bike events - so stay tuned! In the meantime, construction of the Franklin Street two-way protected bike lanes is underway, adding to our growing…
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Fitness Warriors: Here We Grow Again!
Friday, March 30th
By: Candace Benn The Fitness Warriors program provides active living opportunities in our local communities on a daily basis through free quality fitness classes. The program continues to grow with the recent recruitment of Warrior Recruit 5th Class--and the addition of more Fitness Warriors brings an increase in classes in our communities that need them…
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Sports Backers announce 'Run Bike Relay presented by Ragnar' for June 22-23
Tuesday, March 27th
RICHMOND, VA – Sports Backers, in partnership with Ragnar Relay, is announcing the new ‘Run Bike Relay presented by Ragnar’ to be held on June 22-23, 2018. The overnight relay event will go from Richmond to Jamestown and back, utilizing trails in the James River Park System, the Virginia Capital Trail, the T. Tyler Potterfield…
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No Stopping Us Now: Kids In RVA Are On The Move!
Friday, March 16th
Written by: Destini Orr, Kids Run RVA Intern It’s that awesome time of the year again: Kids Run RVA and the Kids Challenge have kicked off for the spring season! Both programs have one common goal: KEEP CHILDREN MOVING! The Sports Backers' Kids Challenge began on February 5th. The Kids Challenge is a FREE incremental…
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Amy Garber to take on Dash for the Cash at the Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k
Friday, March 9th
RICHMOND, VA – Amy Garber, a Mechanicsville resident, has been selected for an opportunity to win $2,500 on Saturday, April 14, as the Dash for the Cash participant at the 2018 Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k presented by Kroger. Garber was chosen at random from over 16,000 people who were registered for the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k as…
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A Night To Remember with the Fitness Warriors
Wednesday, February 7th
By: Destini Orr WOW! What an amazing Annual Warrior Nation Celebration we had on January 27 to celebrate our dedicated Fitness Warriors, along with their friends and families, host site organization leaders, and members of Sports Backers Board of Directors. Every face in the Robinson Theater Community Arts Center was filled with joy and laughter…
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Fitness Warriors' Annual 'Warrior Nation Celebration' Set for January 27
Tuesday, January 23rd
RICHMOND, VA – With the Fitness Warriors program currently immersed in offering free fitness classes in communities around the Richmond region and a new class of Warrior recruits just starting their training journey, the program will take the opportunity to highlight community health success stories on January 27 at the annual Warrior Nation Celebration. The…
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This is how we Keep It Moving
Thursday, January 11th
Keep It Moving – it’s the name of our initiative that focuses on increasing opportunities for physical activity in underserved parts of our community and it’s exactly what we’ve been up to these days. We’ve made some changes to how we manage the Fitness Warriors program so that we can now offer year-round training for…
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Kids Run RVA - Reflecting on 2017 and Looking Ahead to 2018
Thursday, January 11th
Man what a year Kids Run RVA had! In 2017, we supported 70 run clubs that got kids moving across the region, from Amelia to Henrico, Hanover to Petersburg, and everywhere in between! As we reflect back on the year, there were so many special moments and countless people who made each of those moments…
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Bike Walk Hanover Gains Traction Going into The New Year
Thursday, January 11th
In 2017, Bike Walk RVA really turned its attention to Hanover County for the first time in the five years we have been active. We did this in order to help County government and residents take some important steps to becoming a safer and more healthy and active community. Progress continues into the New Year,…
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Active RVA Now Accepting Applications for Certification and Awards Program
Thursday, January 4th
Sports Backers and Active RVA are now accepting applications for the Active RVA Certification and Awards program. The program recognizes the Richmond region’s exceptional employers, schools, and early childhood education providers that are implementing innovative programs to promote physical activity. All certified organizations will be honored at the Active RVA Awards presented by Cigna on…
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Sports Backers Announces Two New Additions to Staff
Tuesday, January 2nd
RICHMOND, VA – Sports Backers, a non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring residents from all corners of the Richmond region to live actively, is pleased to welcome new staff members Brittney Antozzi and Mara George. Brittney will serve as Sponsorship Manager, while Mara will serve as Event Production Coordinator. Brittney Antozzi - Sponsorship Manager Brittney joins Sports…
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Sports Backers Named 'Gold Level' Bike Friendly Business by League of American Bicyclists
Thursday, December 21st
RICHMOND, VA – The League of American Bicyclists recently recognized Sports Backers with a Gold Level Bicycle Friendly Business (BFB) award, joining over 1,000 visionary businesses across the country that have received the award. Sports Backers has been a Bike Friendly Business since 2013 and this marks the first time the non-profit organization has earned…
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Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k Named a Top Event in the BibRave 100
Tuesday, December 5th
RICHMOND, VA – The Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k presented by Kroger was recently named to The BibRave 100: A Definitive List of the Best Races in America, by the BibRave race promotions and event management company. The event was listed among the top 15 10k-distance races in the country and is an annual favorite for…
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Registration Now Open for Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k presented by Kroger
Tuesday, November 28th
RICHMOND, VA – Registration is now open for the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k presented by Kroger, with the event taking place on Saturday, April 14, 2018. This marks the 19th running of the community event and offers participants the opportunity to collect the second piece of the special three-piece finisher medal that will celebrate the event’s 20th anniversary in…
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Sports Backers Launches New Online Store for Merchandise, Apparel, and Accessories
Tuesday, November 21st
Sports Backers has launched a new online store for event merchandise, training gear, and a great selection of other RVA-themed active living apparel, all available at https://www.sportsbackers.org/shop/. The online shop went live on November 15 and is currently accepting orders for all items in stock. Marathon Finisher Items Available For participants in the Nov. 10…
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Catching the Running Bug with the Half Marathon
Friday, November 3rd
Most people catch the running bug after taking part in a race and deciding they want to keep going. Meredith Colton Funnell, a Mechanicsville resident, only needed to watch a friend run to discover her love for the sport. “I had run a few 5k races, but didn’t run on a regular basis. I also…
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Kids Run RVA run clubs are ready for Whole Foods Market Marathon Jr.
Thursday, October 26th
By: Alexis Davis On Saturday, October 28, kids from all over the Richmond region will participate in the Whole Foods Market Marathon Jr. This annual youth running event is part of the Nov. 11 Anthem Richmond Marathon, held two weeks earlier in Byrd Park. Kids Run RVA, a program of Sports Backers that serves as the…
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Brookland District Candidates Detail Commitments to Safer Streets
Monday, October 23rd
On November 7th, voters in Henrico County's Brookland District will elect a new member of the Board of Supervisors. Henrico County boasts welcoming neighborhoods and great schools and parks, but residents know the County also has some very unsafe streets - Henrico leads the region in pedestrian deaths and there have already been nearly 4,000 crashes on…
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Sports Backers kicks off 'Building an Active Future' fundraising campaign
Tuesday, October 17th
RICHMOND, VA –Sports Backers, a non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring residents from all corners of the Richmond community to live actively, kicked off their ‘Building an Active Future’ campaign with the announcement that the campaign has already raised nearly $1 million towards its $2.5 million, five-year goal. “The Building an Active Future campaign will raise…
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Fitness Warriors Now Accepting Applications for Next Class
Monday, October 2nd
Richmond, VA - Sports Backers and Richmond City Health District today announced the launch of the next class of the Fitness Warriors program, part of Sports Backers’ Keep It Moving initiative. The application period for those interested in joining the program is now open, and the deadline to apply is November 5. Those accepted in…
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Savoring Bike Restaurant Week
Monday, October 2nd
By: Brantley Tyndall, Bike Walk RVA (feature photo by Staci Griffith Rogge) Ask your favorite search engine if Richmond is a city with a thriving restaurant scene. The answer is emphatically yes. Ask it again if Richmond is a great place to ride bikes. You’ll find tons of options for rides of many varieties, a…
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Coach's Corner With Ricky Martin: Recollections As We Move Forward
Monday, October 2nd
By: Ricky Martin, Fitness Warriors Head Coach My daughter has to do a bio of her life for school. She remembers her first birthday totally different from what I remember. I recall her asking that everyone say surprise when she came into the room, orchestrating her surprise party. She just remembers having a surprise party.…
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Run Clubs in Full Swing as Kids Run RVA Gears Up for Whole Foods Market Marathon Jr.
Monday, October 2nd
By: Faith Hecth, Kids Run RVA Youth Programs Coordinator Long, lazy summer days have given way to crisper evenings and falling leaves—always a sure sign that autumn is here. What else lets you know? Area kids have returned to school, and just like that, they are lacing up their shoes for fall run clubs. Did…
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Mayor Stoney, Councilwoman Gray Celebrate New 'UpSwing' Jump Rope Stations in Downtown Richmond
Thursday, September 21st
RICHMOND, VA – The City of Richmond officially welcomed the installation of five new ‘UpSwing’ jump rope stations located in downtown neighborhoods, with Mayor Levar Stoney helping to kick off the new venture. Mayor Stoney was joined at the announcement at McCormick’s Progressive Barber Shop, one of the host locations, by Councilwoman Kimberly Gray. He…
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Sports Backers 8k Training Team Kicks Off Sept. 16
Thursday, September 14th
RICHMOND, VA - Registration remains open for the Sports Backers 8k Training Team, which will hold its first group runs on September 16 at seven convenient locations around the area. The eight-week program prepares runners for the VCU Health 8k on Saturday, November 11 during the Anthem Richmond Marathon weekend. The program emphasizes the group…
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Bike Walk RVA Announces First-Ever Bike Restaurant Week for Sept. 17-21
Tuesday, September 12th
RICHMOND, VA – Bike Walk RVA, a program of Sports Backers, is announcing the launch of its first-ever Bike Restaurant Week, a five-day promotional period from September 17-21 for participating restaurants in Richmond to celebrate riding to dine out. Over the course of the week, restaurants in neighborhoods throughout Richmond will offer discounts, deals, or…
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Kids Get Moving Thanks To Kids Run RVA Coaches
Friday, August 18th
By: Faith Hecht, Youth Programs Coordinator It’s 7:20am on a crisp and sunny morning in late October 2016 when I pull up to the back parking lot at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School. As I arrive, I notice a handful of cars and a few munchkins in school uniform gathering near the softball field.…
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The Anthem Moonlight Ride Lets Families Shine
Tuesday, August 8th
By: Cameron Murphy The Anthem Moonlight Ride is a safe and exciting summer outing for all ages For Shannon Couvillion, her husband Doug, and their daughters Emily and Mariel, the Anthem Moonlight Ride is a signature part of summer. Every August, wearing glow sticks and sporting lights on their bikes and helmets, the Couvillions illuminate the…
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Registration Now Open for Trails and Ales presented by Capital Ale House
Tuesday, August 1st
*UPDATE 8/3/17: Block One is sold out, and Block Two of registration is now open at a rate of $35 for the 5k course and $45 for the 8-mile course. RICHMOND, VA – A celebration of Richmond’s urban trail system and popular craft brewery culture, Trails and Ales presented by Capital Ale House is set…
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Closing the Streets to the People
Thursday, July 27th
By: Max Hepp-Buchanan, Director of Bike Walk RVA UPDATE (8/1/2017): Since this blog was originally posted, a couple of things have changed and we've received some new information. The people have spoken (or Tweeted, as it were) and it has already made a difference. Over the weekend, at least a couple of places identified as…
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CarMax Tacky Light Run 'Christmas in July' block sells out in 24 hours; registration will reopen on Oct. 2
Thursday, July 27th
RICHMOND, VA – Initially open for a limited time to the first 500 participants, the ‘Christmas In July’ registration block for the CarMax Tacky Light Run sold out in 24 hours. Registration is now closed and will reopen on Monday, October 2, at a rate of $30 for adults and $17 for youth under the…
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Sports Backers Announce New Date, One-Day Option for RVA to DC Ride
Wednesday, July 19th
RICHMOND, VA – Registration is now open for the RVA to DC bike ride, which is back with a new date and new one-day ride option. The two-day, fully-supported ride from Richmond to Arlington, VA, takes place October 7-8, while the one-day option will offer cyclists the opportunity to ride from Richmond to Fredericksburg on October…
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Let’s talk about sharing the road.
Thursday, July 6th
By: Brantley Tyndall, Bike Walk RVA Bike Walk RVA (a program of Sports Backers) was recently awarded a grant from DMV's Virginia Highway Safety Office to help educate people on how to behave around the new bike lanes in Richmond. Bike Walk RVA produced three different billboards (below), which were posted in seven different locations…
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In Pursuit of Vision Zero
Thursday, July 6th
By: Max Hepp-Buchanan, Director of Bike Walk RVA On the crisp evening of January 12, 2017, Sharon Parker was waiting for a bus on West Broad Street at the corner of Chantilly Street, across the street from Cook Out. The particular GRTC bus stop where she was waiting is in front of a Shell gas…
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Kids Run RVA Is On The Move
Thursday, July 6th
With 69 Kids Run RVA clubs meeting (and running) throughout the region, there are plenty of activities to spotlight and ways to get involved moving forward. Check out these highlights and upcoming events, and get in touch if you’re interested in serving as a coach or volunteer! Whole Foods Marathon Jr. The Whole Foods Marathon…
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Four years of bike count data: If you build it, they will come (most of the time)
Wednesday, June 28th
By: Max Hepp-Buchanan, Bike Walk RVA Director Twice a year, for the past four years, Bike Walk RVA deploys dozens of volunteers onto the streets of Richmond over a three-day period to manually tally the number of people biking and walking at specific locations throughout the city. The purpose of this project is to collect…
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Velo-City Global Cycling Summit Journal: The Final Days
Thursday, June 22nd
Max Hepp-Buchanan, Director of Bike Walk RVA for Sports Backers, is attending the annual Velo-City Global Cycling Summit,this year in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. While there, he is leading a session alongside Heather Barrar of Chesterfield County to bring a story of advocacy and community engagement in Chesterfield County to a global audience. He’ll be sharing his…
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Velo-City Global Cycling Summit Journal: Day 6 & 7
Monday, June 19th
Max Hepp-Buchanan, Director of Bike Walk RVA for Sports Backers, is attending the annual Velo-City Global Cycling Summit, this year in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. While there, he is leading a session alongside Heather Barrar of Chesterfield County to bring a story of advocacy and community engagement in Chesterfield County to a global audience. He’ll be sharing…
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Coach's Corner: Announcing New Warrior Captains!
Friday, June 16th
By: Ricky Martin, Fitness Warriors Head Coach So this is me at the graduation of Fitness Warriors Third Class in January. I like this picture for the Coach's Corner this time because in the last one I was in workout gear during a training session. Yes it showed the hard work, but this one shows…
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Velo-City Global Cycling Summit Journal: Day 3-5
Thursday, June 15th
Max Hepp-Buchanan, Director of Bike Walk RVA for Sports Backers, is attending the annual Velo-City Global Cycling Summit, this year in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. While there, he is leading a session alongside Heather Barrar of Chesterfield County to bring a story of advocacy and community engagement in Chesterfield County to a global audience. He’ll be sharing…
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Velo-City Global Cycling Summit Journal: Day 1 & 2
Monday, June 12th
Max Hepp-Buchanan, Director of Bike Walk RVA for Sports Backers, is attending the annual Velo-City Global Cycling Summit, this year in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. While there, he is leading a session alongside Heather Barrar of Chesterfield County to bring a story of advocacy and community engagement in Chesterfield County to a global audience. He'll be sharing…
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4th Annual RVA Bike Month ends on high note!
Wednesday, June 7th
May is our favorite time of year around Bike Walk RVA. It's the time of year when grassroots leaders volunteer to lead community events for the whole region in celebration of riding bikes during warming spring weather. This year has been exceptionally good with record participation, and here's why. Click to see video! Over 50…
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Marathon Training Team Participants Excited to Get Moving
Thursday, June 1st
“I found out that the training I received wasn’t just about running, but a whole lot more.” This is how Rosalind Hines-High described her first experience with the Sports Backers’ Marathon Training Team in 2016 and helps explain why she’ll be back again in 2017, along with many other…
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Active RVA Awards Recognizes Over 150 Active RVA Certified Organizations
Thursday, May 18th
RICHMOND, VA – Active RVA, a program of Sports Backers, hosted the fourth-annual Active RVA Awards presented by Cigna on Wednesday, May 17th at the Omni Richmond Hotel. The Active RVA Certification and Awards program recognizes organizations throughout the Richmond region that create a culture of daily physical activity and encourage active lifestyles. This year’s…
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Movement Makers Attendees Look Forward to Active Learning at Summit
Wednesday, May 10th
The Movement Makers National Active Living Summit presented by VCU Health takes place May 17-19 in Richmond and there’s no better way to illustrate what you’ll learn at the Summit than to hear it directly from the attendees who are visiting from all over the country to take part--so read on below to see what they…
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Uncorked Half Will Help All RVA Residents 'Keep It Moving'
Wednesday, May 3rd
The Keep It Moving community fitness initiative is the official event charity of the Uncorked Half on May 6, and helps hundreds of area residents get active and prepare for events throughout the year through income-based training programs. Check out this Q&A with Candace Benn, who will lead pre-race yoga sessions at the Uncorked Half. Candace is a…
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Fitness Warriors Program Now Accepting Applications for Next Class of Community Leaders
Thursday, April 27th
By: Ricky Martin, Fitness Warriors Lead Instructor The next class of Fitness Warriors is about to get started and it is an exciting time for the program as its positive impact continues to grow. Since its inception in 2014, the program has trained 74 fitness instructors, otherwise known as ‘Warriors.' After completing the program, these…
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RVA Bike Month 2017 presented by Bon Secours will feature over 40 bike-related events
Wednesday, April 26th
RICHMOND, VA – Proclamations of recognition and support from local government leaders helped kick off RVA Bike Month 2017 presented by Bon Secours, and this year’s month features a full calendar of events to go along with a theme of ‘Fall in Love with Bike Lanes.’ 2017 also marks the fourth year that Bike Walk…
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Sports Backers Partners with CarMax to Launch Movement Makers Scholarship Program
Wednesday, April 19th
RICHMOND, VA – CarMax and Sports Backers today announced an innovative partnership for the upcoming Movement Makers: National Active Living Summit presented by VCU Health, with CarMax generously providing $10,000 in scholarships for non-profit organizations interested in taking part in the summit. The CarMax Movement Makers Scholarship Program creates an opportunity for non-profits involved in…
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RVA Bike Month 2017: Fall in Love with Bike Lanes
Tuesday, April 18th
RVA Bike Month, presented by Bon Secours, is BACK for its fourth year in the Richmond region! Here are the ways you can make the most of it! 1) Come out to every event you can! There's something for everyone in Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield, and Hanover/Ashland! 2) Invite your friends! 3) Participate in the National…
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Get Out of the Silo to Help Build an Active City!
Friday, April 14th
By: Jeff McIntyre, Director of Active RVA Building an Active City is hard. This is behavior change on a large-scale level and yet most of us in the active living movement stay laser-focused on our individual projects on after-school programs, bike lanes, workplace wellness programs and any number of isolated initiatives. But, the evidence accumulated…
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Fitness Warrior Mentor Spotlight: Taimani "Tee" Scott
Friday, April 14th
By Anne Crenshaw "Be the mentor you wish you had" - Anonymous, is a quote our Fitness Warrior Mentor, Taimani Scott, can relate to. She comes from our first class of Fitness Warriors, where she learned to succeed beyond expectations without any guidance from past classes. You can read all about her fitness journey…
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At the Uncorked Half, Run Your Race and Help Others Run Theirs!
Wednesday, April 12th
Jacki Quinlan is Director of Community Outreach for Sports Backers and the Keep It Moving community fitness initiative. Keep It Moving is the official event charity of the Uncorked Half on May 6, and helps hundreds of area residents get active and prepare for events throughout the year through income-based training programs. Every Spring, thousands of Richmonders hit…
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Fitness Warrior Mentor Spotlight: Molly McFadden
Monday, April 10th
By Anne Crenshaw To be a Fitness Warrior you have to have a passion for helping others and be willing to dedicate the time to learn the skills it takes to constantly improve. A great way to gain top-notch training skills is to learn valuable lessons from past Warrior graduates. We call these hard working "heroes" our Warrior…
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VCU Health, Sports Backers Partner on Movement Makers Summit
Thursday, April 6th
By: Pete Woody ([email protected] / 804-285-9495) and Carrie Carroll ([email protected] / 804-827-0890) RICHMOND, VA (April 6, 2017) - Sports Backers and VCU Health today announced a new partnership for the Movement Makers: National Active Living Summit, making VCU Health the presenting sponsor of the event. The summit will take place May 17-19 in Richmond and…
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Echo Lake's 'Weekend Warriors' Plan to Shine at Virginia529 Kids Run
Thursday, March 30th
The term ‘Weekend Warrior’ has different meanings for different people, but for the crew at Echo Lake Elementary School in Henrico County, it means a dedicated group of students, teachers, and volunteers who get out every Saturday morning and celebrate the fun of active lifestyles. The Weekend Warriors run club, started 12 years ago as…
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Sports Backers, Markel Announce Partnership for Markel Richmond Half Marathon
Thursday, March 23rd
RICHMOND, VA – Sports Backers today announced a new three-year partnership with Markel, making the Richmond-based insurance provider the new title sponsor of the Markel Richmond Half Marathon. The race, now in its 10th year, is part of the Anthem Richmond Marathon weekend on November 11, which also features the VCU Health 8k. “Markel is…
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Active City Movement Runs into Challenges Despite Validation
Thursday, March 16th
Active cities feel vibrant and alive with people walking, biking, and running through the streets and playing at the schools and parks. People in these communities are healthier and more social when they are outside and full of energy. Active cities attract young people and spur business growth because they have a more productive workforce…
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Acclaimed author Richard Louv, KaBoom! CEO James Siegal to join Movement Makers Summit
Tuesday, March 14th
RICHMOND, VA – Sports Backers today announced the exciting addition of Richard Louv, acclaimed author and co-founder of the Children and Nature Network, to the Movement Makers National Active Living Summit agenda. In addition, Movement Makers is honored to host James Siegal, CEO of KaBoom!, a national non-profit dedicated to increasing play opportunities for all…
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Experts in Community Health, Physical Activity Added to Movement Makers Summit Agenda
Friday, March 3rd
RICHMOND, VA – Movement Makers: The National Active Living Summit announces the addition of experts in urban design, exercise as medicine, community health assessment, and sports event management to the roster of speakers at the summit to be held in Richmond May 17-19. Judy Robinson, Chair for Design for Active Sacramento (D4AS), will be joining…
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Applications due February 24 for the Bike Walk RVA Academy: Hanover
Thursday, January 26th
We are now accepting applications for the Bike Walk RVA Academy: Hanover! The Bike Walk RVA Academy is our program designed to develop Richmond region residents into grassroots leaders in their communities for better biking and walking infrastructure such as paved trails, sidewalks, crosswalks, and safe neighborhood streets. If you live in Hanover County or the…
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Hanover County: Bike Walk RVA wants to hear from you!
Friday, January 20th
Do you want to see more comfortable, connected places to bike and walk in Hanover County and the Town of Ashland? We do too. Here at Bike Walk RVA, we believe that people of all ages and abilities should be able to get around safely on foot or by bike. Whether it’s to get to work,…
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New Year, New Inspiration
Wednesday, January 11th
By: Theresa Caldwell, Fitness Warrior It’s the beginning of a brand new year and the end of what I’ve come to refer to as the "Eating Season.” It seems like every week from the end of October through New Year’s Day, someone with good intentions happily offers me something that defies whatever healthy eating plan…
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Fitness Warriors Mentor Spotlight: Adrienne Quarles-Smith
Monday, January 9th
By: Anne Crenshaw "A Mentor empowers a person to see a possible future, and believe it can be obtained." This quote said by a well known mentor, Shawn Hitchcock, expresses what our mentors do for our Fitness Warriors program. They work one on one with a fitness instructor-in-training, otherwise known as a Fitness Warrior, and give them…
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Exercise Makes A Difference for 'The Faithful Few'
Friday, December 23rd
From Sandra Alexander, Fitness Warrior I am in the 3rd class of the Fitness Warrior Program, and I teach two classes per week. The classes are held in the Church Hill area of Richmond on Mondays and Wednesdays, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The class size varies, and the largest class, so far, has…
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Active RVA Announces New Certification and Awards Program Updates for 2017
Wednesday, December 14th
RICHMOND, VA – Active RVA, a program of Sports Backers, today announced the addition of Early Childhood Education to the certification areas for the Active RVA Awards. The Active RVA Awards are scheduled for their new date on Wednesday, May 17, 2017, at 5:00pm at the Omni Richmond Hotel. The Active RVA Certification and Awards program…
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Henrico's First Bike Lane!
Wednesday, November 30th
Last week, Henrico County striped its first official bike/walk lane! The 1.5-mile beauty (pictured above) is located on Park Terrace Drive, in the Wellesley neighborhood of western Henrico. This is big news, and in addition to new sidewalk construction, the County administration's pledge to allocate $12.5 million to biking and walking projects over the next five…
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Sports Backers Announce Kroger as New Presenting Sponsor of Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k
Monday, November 28th
RICHMOND, VA - Sports Backers today announced a new partnership with Kroger, making the grocery retailer the presenting sponsor of the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k Presented by Kroger. The partnership takes effect immediately and was announced this morning in an event at Ukrop’s Homestyle Foods. “Kroger is very excited for this partnership and to be…
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The Big Bike Lanes Blog Post
Wednesday, November 23rd
"It's overwhelming, right?" asked Mike Sawyer, Richmond's Transportation Engineer. I have to admit my head was spinning a bit from the dozen or so boards illustrating about 25 miles of new bike lane design. I smiled and nodded. "That's what happens when we go big." The City of Richmond went big last night.In one meeting,…
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Fitness Warriors Mentor Spotlight: Terrica Woolridge
Tuesday, November 22nd
A mentor, by definition, is an experienced and trusted adviser. They are a key ingredient to the success of the Fitness Warriors program, part of Sports Backers' 'Keep It Moving' initiative, which trains community members to lead fitness classes in our region's most vulnerable communities. Mentors work one-on-one with Warriors to ensure they’re growing both…
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Fitness Warrior Guest Blog: Total Body Fitness For Women
Wednesday, November 16th
By: Taliah Muhammad, Fitness Warrior I am so honored to be a Fitness Warrior. This wonderful program, which is part of Sports Backers' Keep It Moving initiative, allows me to impact my community through fitness, which is one of my passions. When applying for the program, I remember being asked what community I would serve…
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The future of bicycling in RVA looks bright with Levar and #morebikelanes
Tuesday, November 15th
Today marks one week since Election Day. In case you were too distracted by what's going on nationally to catch up on local politics, a 35-year-old go-getter named Levar Stoney was just elected Mayor of Richmond. Levar won the popular vote and five of nine council districts, so this is not a contested result. I'm not…
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'Movement Makers: National Active Living Summit' Announced for May 2017
Monday, November 14th
RICHMOND, VA - Sports Backers is announcing the first-annual Movement Makers: National Active Living Summit to be held in Richmond May 17-19, 2017. Movement Makers provides individuals and organizations an opportunity to learn how to encourage and support physical activity initiatives in their communities. “Organizations across the country are developing movements to promote physical activity…
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Varina High School's Bike Walk RVA Academy
Thursday, November 3rd
After six after-school sessions and a big field trip ride on the Virginia Capital Trail, we are ready to share about the progress we've been making with Bike Walk RVA's fifth Academy, a youth academy at Varina High School. A Maggie Walker High School Fellow who has been working with us since the summer, Max…
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Call Federal Marathon Jr. Set for Saturday, Oct. 29
Thursday, October 27th
With nearly 1,000 participants already registered to take part, the fourth-annual Call Federal Marathon Jr. is set to take place on Saturday, October 29, at Byrd Park. The kids-only event for ages 4-12 is a past recipient of Running USA’s ‘Youth Running Event of the Year’ award, and many of the participants take part in…
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Celebrating 25 Years of Moving Richmond Forward
Thursday, October 13th
Sports Backers began as a traditional sports commission in 1991. Over the past 25 years, our mission has expanded from generating sports tourism in the region to increasing the physical activity of residents from all corners of our community. As we've developed and grown, equitable access to fitness opportunities has moved to the core of our mission.…
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Coaches' Corner with Ricky Martin
Monday, September 26th
By: Ricky Martin Sports Backers has its finger on the pulse of where wellness is headed in our region. Their partnerships with the Richmond City Health District and other leading organizations - from Hopewell to Henrico, Petersburg to Chesterfield, and everywhere in between - make for a wide reach…
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Where do Richmond's City Council candidates stand on biking and walking?
Friday, September 16th
For the 2016 City of Richmond elections, Bike Walk RVA administered a candidate questionnaire to each person running for City Council to see where they stand on issues relating to biking and walking in Richmond. Candidate responses are recorded by district -- click on your district below to see where your candidates stand! West End -…
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Call Federal Marathon Jr. Set for Oct. 29, Registration Open Now
Wednesday, September 7th
The fifth-annual Call Federal Marathon Jr. will take place on Saturday, October 29, at Byrd Park, and registration is now open for the event. This kids-only running event, winner of Running USA’s ‘Youth Running Event of the Year’ in 2014, will again be held at Byrd Park and will offer two different distance options: a…
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Where do Richmond’s Mayoral candidates stand on biking and walking?
Monday, August 22nd
For the 2016 City of Richmond Elections, Bike Walk RVA administered a candidate questionnaire to each person running for the office of Mayor to see where they stand on issues relating to biking and walking in Richmond. We asked questions on the following five topics, and each candidate’s responses are recorded below: Transportation Equity Complete Streets…
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Sports Backers Mourn the Passing of Ray Patterson
Tuesday, August 16th
Sports Backers is mourning the loss of our colleague and dear friend Ray Patterson. Ray passed away at home on Friday, August 12, after a battle with brain cancer at the age of 69. Ray joined Sports Backers in 2006 and served as Manager of Community Affairs. This was a perfect role for Ray because…
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Through the Eyes of a Kids Run RVA Coach
Tuesday, August 16th
Written by Kids Run RVA Coach Ali Molitor I didn’t always enjoy running. In fact, in elementary school, I was usually the last one to finish the mile run when it came time for the Presidential Physical Fitness Test. It wasn’t until high school when I began to enjoy running and college when I ran…
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Trails And Ales Registration Block One Sells Out; Block Two Now Open
Thursday, August 11th
To celebrate Richmond’s urban trail system and popular craft brewery culture, Sports Backers’ second annual ‘Trails and Ales’ trail run and craft beer festival will take place Saturday, September 24. The event will again be held in Manchester at W. 10th Street and Semmes Avenue, adjacent to the SunTrust Mortgage offices, at 4:30 p.m. Registration…
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Trails and Ales Registration Block One Now Open
Wednesday, August 10th
To celebrate Richmond’s urban trail system and popular craft brewery culture, Sports Backers is announcing the second annual ‘Trails and Ales’ trail run and craft beer festival, set for Saturday, September 24. The event will take place in Manchester at W. 10th Street and Semmes Avenue, adjacent to the SunTrust Mortgage offices, at 4:30 p.m.…
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Five Things to Know for the Anthem Moonlight Ride
Thursday, July 28th
By: Richie Bozek With the eighth annual Anthem Moonlight Ride rolling up fast next weekend, here are five things that will help you gear up for the fun-filled evening: 1. When and Where Just in case you registered for Moonlight Ride without bothering to check when and where the event is, or if you are pondering…
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CarMax Tacky Light Run Registration Now Open
Monday, July 25th
Registration for the fourth-annual CarMax Tacky Light Run is now open for the six kilometer (3.72 mile) holiday-themed fun run. The date for this year’s event is Saturday, December 10th, and it will once again combine one of Richmond’s favorite traditions – tacky holiday lights – with a celebration of an active lifestyle. To celebrate…
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Announcing the 2016 Class of Fitness Warriors
Wednesday, July 20th
The Fitness Warriors program, which is a part of Sports Backers' Keep It Moving initiative and now entering its third year, kicked off on July 16th with an orientation at the Downtown YMCA. In attendance were 34 of the region’s most community-minded individuals, now collectively known as the 2016 Class of Fitness Warriors. They went through…
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Bike Advocacy Groups Play Big Role in RVA to DC Ride
Thursday, July 14th
By: Richie Bozek On the morning of July 23, hundreds of people on bikes will take off from Richmond and pedal north to our nation’s capital in the inaugural RVA to DC ride. The two-day, 156-mile event on July 23-24 will grow support for Sports Backers’ mission to build active communities while showcasing some of…
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A look back on our third RVA Bike Month.
Monday, July 11th
RVA Bike Month 2016 was a lot of things. It was wet. Like, the wettest on record. It was huge, with over 60 events (though a few got rained out). It was vivacious, with lots of new faces and organizations joining in the work and the fun. It had more ice cream, photography, art, pizza,…
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An update on the Bike Walk RVA Academy!
Friday, July 8th
The Bike Walk RVA Academy is a program of Sports Backers designed to develop biking and walking advocates into grassroots leaders of the biking and walking movement in their communities. Over the course of eight weeks, we teach the basics of local government, bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, campaign planning, and more. We’ve had a blast running…
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Partnership of Local Nonprofits Announces 'Mayorathon 2016' Candidates Forum
Thursday, June 16th
RICHMOND, VA – A partnership of local nonprofit organizations announced today ‘Mayorathon 2016’ – a Richmond City mayoral candidate forum to be held at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts on Thursday, September 29. The James River Association, Richmond Forward, RVA Rapid Transit, Sports Backers, and Storefront for Community Design have teamed up with Richmond…
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Altria Clubfit Helps Employees Get Active and Prep for Corporate 4-Miler
Thursday, June 9th
By: Richie Bozek For Altria Group, participating in the Connects Federal Credit Union Corporate 4-Miler is about more than just competing in a race — it’s about supporting healthy and positive activities and reconnecting with fellow colleagues. “If more people are staying active, that leads to better physical health and translates to better mental health,…
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Area Companies Gearing Up for Corporate 4-Miler
Wednesday, June 8th
Companies from all over RVA, including some of the region's biggest like Capital One, are eagerly awaiting the Connects Federal Credit Union Corporate 4-Miler on June 9. By: Richie Bozek In 2016, Capital One was again recognized as one of Fortune’s ‘100 Best Companies to Work For,’ marking the eighth time they have received the…
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O'Neill, Call Earn Top Scholar-Athlete Awards
Tuesday, June 7th
Richmond, VA – The Richmond Region’s finest high school scholar-athletes were rewarded for their hard work last night at the Times-Dispatch/Sports Backers Scholar-Athlete Awards Dinner at The Jefferson Hotel. 2016 celebrates the 25th anniversary of the program that honors area scholar-athletes for their outstanding achievement in the classroom and in athletic competition. Top honors…
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Sports Backers' Marathon Training Team Kicks Off 15th Year
Monday, June 6th
The Sports Backers Marathon Training Team kicked off on Saturday, June 4, and Sunday, June 5, celebrating its 15th year of growth and success. As the June 26 deadline to sign up for the training team approaches, the program has already attracted over 1,000 participants, with plenty of time still left to register to be…
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Bill Hughes plans to set longest Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k course record
Friday, May 27th
This Sunday, Northern Virginia runner Bill Hughes will finish the 2016 Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k in a record time of 50 days and 7 hours. He started the race on April 9, and as he made his way to the halfway point of the course, the last thing he remembers is thinking is, ‘It’s all…
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Fitness Warriors Gearing Up For Next Class To Start
Wednesday, April 27th
Over the past two years, Sports Backers’ Fitness Warriors program has trained over 40 community members to become group fitness instructors. These Warriors, as they have become known throughout the Richmond region, have been leading free weekly fitness classes in the communities that need them the most. Beyond those weekly classes and the countless hours…
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Frantz, Traynor Take First In Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k
Saturday, April 9th
The 17th annual Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k presented by MARTIN’S went off this morning with more than 29,400 participants and a distinctly local flavor to the overall men’s and women’s winners. The 10k again hosted the Collegiate Running Association 10k Road Race National Championships, which drew several thousand college athletes to the streets of Richmond…
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Sports Backers Named Best Sports Commission in the Country
Tuesday, April 5th
The Metropolitan Richmond Sports Backers have again been recognized as the leader in its industry, receiving the National Association of Sports Commissions' (NASC) 2015 Member of the Year award. NASC made the announcement today during its annual Sports Event Symposium in Grand Rapids, MI. Sports Backers becomes the first four-time winner of the Member of…
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Governor McAuliffe Announces Inaugural 'RVA to DC' Ride for July 23-24
Wednesday, March 23rd
RICHMOND, VA - Governor Terry McAuliffe today announced the inaugural ‘RVA to DC’ cycling event, a two-day ride on July 23-24, 2016, from Richmond to Arlington, VA, to help support bike and pedestrian safety and infrastructure projects throughout the Commonwealth. Official event charities will include bike advocacy groups in areas along the course, including Sports…
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So you ride. And what else?
Wednesday, March 16th
Why I rode my bike 161 miles to the National Bike Summit in Washington, D.C. from my home (actually, my office) in Richmond, VA. I noticed something the other day that’s been in front of my face for some time: the national bike advocacy organization People for Bikes sponsors the pro tour bike racing team…
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Applications due March 21 for the Bike Walk RVA Academy: Henrico
Friday, March 11th
We’ve spent the last month hosting Bike Walk Talk happy hours all over Henrico County and one thing is clear: Henrico residents are chomping at the bit to get rolling. At our Bike Walk Talks, we talked to hundreds of people who want to see more comfortable, connected places to bike and walk in Henrico…
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Final Registration Block Open for Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k
Thursday, March 10th
The fourth and final registration block for the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k presented by MARTIN’S is now open, with registration rates of $45 for adults and $35 for youth age 14 and under. Once the final block fills, race registration will be closed and the event will be at capacity (30,000 total registrants). The 17th…
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Things to Consider Before Running in RVA
Tuesday, March 8th
When I’m getting ready to go on a run or head out for a race, I undoubtedly have a few things I need to think about before I can get a successful run in. Most runners do. For instance, we have to consider the weather and if we are wearing the right layers to accommodate…
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Arvat McClaine Selected for AT&T Dash for the Cash
Wednesday, February 17th
Arvat McClaine, a Richmond resident, has been selected for an opportunity to win $2,500 on Saturday, April 9, as the AT&T Dash for the Cash participant at the 2016 Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k presented by MARTIN’S. McClaine was chosen at random from over 19,000 people who were registered for the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k as of the…
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YMCA 10k Training Team Participants Take Steps To Fitness Goals
Monday, February 1st
"This is like a big reunion!" Those were the words of David Renn around 7:30am this past Saturday morning at the kickoff of the 2016 YMCA 10k Training Team. David is a long-time coach for the team at the Shady Grove YMCA, and he was describing the feeling of seeing so many friends and familiar…
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Henrico County - Bike Walk RVA wants to hear from you!
Wednesday, January 27th
HENRICO COUNTY - do you want to see more comfortable, connected places to bike and walk in your neighborhood? Let’s talk about it over a beer. We've been working hard here at Bike Walk RVA to advocate for more bike lanes, sidewalks, safe neighborhood streets, and multi-use trails throughout greater Richmond. We've seen the City of…
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Active RVA Summit presented by VCU Health Set for March 7
Wednesday, January 20th
On March 7, Sports Backers will host the Active RVA Summit presented by VCU Health. The Summit will be held at the Larrick Center at VCU Health and will feature the Active RVA Awards presented by Cigna. The Active RVA Summit will feature programs and sessions geared towards engineering physical activity into schools, workplaces, and…
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10k Participants Be Like...
Monday, January 18th
If you've ever participated in the Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k before, we're sure you'll be able to relate to these. Haven't done it? Here are 10 experiences to expect when you sign up for the 10k... 1.) When you roll up to your first day of YMCA 10k Training Team 2.) When you realize…
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Registration Block Two Open for Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k
Wednesday, December 30th
The second registration block for the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k presented by MARTIN’S is now open, with registration rates of $35 for adults and $25 for youth age 14 and under. Registration for the YMCA 10k Training Team is also open at a rate of $60, which includes race entry and a 10-week training program…
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CarMax Tacky Light Run - Tacky Training Blog
Thursday, December 10th
In the latest installment of the CarMax Tacky Light Run Tacky Training Blog, Katy Lloyd-Mustian describes the excitement that is building in Walton Park for the event on December 12, as well as a few pesky electrical and weather issues that created some extra challenges to their ‘Christmas in Margaritaville’ theme (all photos courtesy of…
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What's next in Chesterfield?
Wednesday, December 9th
As you’ve probably heard (here, here, here, here, or here), Chesterfield County took some major steps forward for biking and walking last month. Your efforts signing our petition, contacting your local officials, and attending public hearings paid off - the Bikeways and Trails Plan and Bon Air Special Area Plan were adopted by the Board…
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Sports Backers Honors Volunteers of the Year
Wednesday, December 9th
‘Tis the season to be thankful, gather with friends and family, and celebrate all of the incredible and joyous moments we’ve experienced in the past year. Here at Sports Backers, we’ve been privileged enough to experience many of those moments with you. From helping leaders emerge to advocate for better fitness opportunities and infrastructure in…
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CarMax Tacky Light Run - Tacky Training Blog
Friday, November 27th
Little by little, festive decorations are becoming more and more visible on Dawnridge Court in Walton Park as neighbors prepare for the influx of tacky light tourists and the CarMax Tacky Light Run. This past Saturday, Katy Lloyd-Mustian, her husband Tom Mustian, and their friends and neighbors Paula and Bryan Chamberlain spent seven hours installing…
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Grace, Giving, and Gratitude for an Active Community
Wednesday, November 25th
By: Cindy DiCello It is the season of the 3 G’s – Grace, Giving and Gratitude. Here at Sports Backers we like to take a (quick) break from the frenzy of our fall events and programs to reflect on what the 3 G’s mean to our community. Grace, as defined as “the quality or state…
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Coach's Corner with Ricky Martin: From a Mission to a Movement
Wednesday, November 25th
Hi! This is the Coach Rick from the Fitness Warriors program. Our second season of offering free fitness classes in the communities that need them the most is now in full swing. We are building a movement that is improving the health and lives of people across the Richmond region. This has been an inspiring and…
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CarMax Tacky Light Run - Tacky Training Blog
Friday, November 6th
The Lloyd-Mustian family, along with their friends and neighbors Paula and Bryan Chamberlain, are among the residents of Dawnridge Court in Walton Park that go all out on their holiday decorations and tacky lights. And when we say all out, we mean ALL OUT, as you can see from the photos. They are serious about…
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Call Federal Marathon, Jr. Set for October 24th
Thursday, October 22nd
Online registration for the fourth-annual Call Federal Marathon, Jr., is set to close at 11:59pm tonight, October 22. Currently there are almost 1,000 kids, many of whom take part in Kids Run RVA programs in their schools and communities, signed up to participate. Walk-up registration will be available on race day at Byrd Park for…
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In their own words: Chesterfield County residents want bikeways and trails
Monday, October 12th
Over the last few months, we've been engaging with residents from all over Chesterfield County, hearing their stories and why they want to see Chesterfield County become a more walkable, bikeable place to live. The stories we've heard reflect the diversity of the county - we've spoken with recreational cyclists in Brandermill, bike commuters on…
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You can COUNT on bike infrastructure getting more to ride!
Tuesday, October 6th
If you're reading this, you might have been one of the crucial volunteers who have made our efforts to count people walking and biking at various places in the City of Richmond as part of the National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project. If you are, thanks so much! We started coordinating this effort to document…
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Act now to support bikeways and trails in Chesterfield County
Tuesday, October 6th
This is not a drill: it's time to take action. The Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors is hearing the Bikeways and Trails Plan on Nov. 18. While the future of the plan is uncertain, we know one thing for sure: your elected official wants to hear from you when deciding whether or not to adopt the plan. Please…
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Around the Worlds: Taking A Trip to the Virginia Capital Trail
Thursday, September 24th
The recently-completed Virginia Capital Trail is a destination for walkers, runners, and cyclists, and it is getting even more attention this week thanks to its proximity to the road circuit course for the UCI Road World Championships. Racing will take place on that circuit on Friday, Saturday,…
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Around the Worlds: Behind the Camera
Wednesday, September 23rd
By: Pete Woody Richmond is always a very photogenic region, with many landmarks and scenes of natural beauty, and on any given day there are amateur and professional photographers snapping shots all over the area. So hosting an international sporting event like the UCI Road World Championships has only served to multiply the number of…
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Around the Worlds: The Hills Are Alive
Tuesday, September 22nd
Tuesday brought us more time trial racing at the UCI Road World Championships, in the form of the Junior Men’s Individual Time Trial and the Elite Women’s Individual Time Trial. The talk of the course was the climb up Governor’s Street, past the Governor’s Mansion (I’m guessing…
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Around the Worlds Notebook
Monday, September 21st
After an exciting opening weekend (including a victory for American Taylor Phinney and his BMC Cycling team) of the UCI World Road Championships, there was more action on the streets of RVA today, including the Junior Women’s Individual Time Trial and the Under-23 Men’s Individual Time Trial. In the Women’s race, riders from Team USA took…
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Bike Valet for the World Championships!
Wednesday, September 16th
The best way to get to the races during next week's UCI Road Cycling World Championships is by BIKE. But you'll need a place to put it. That's where we come in! We'll be providing free bike valet services, as capacity allows, during the major days of the World Championships at the Branch Museum of…
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Floyd Ave. will be Richmond's first 20mph zone!
Tuesday, September 15th
Last night Richmond City Council passed Ordinance 2015-138, which will lower the maximum speed limit on Floyd Ave from 25mph to 20mph, Richmond's first such street optimized for lower speed vehicles in order to make riding and walking safer and more comfortable for everyone. The change will take effect at the end of March, 2016…
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Walk to School Day expands to Oak Grove-Bellemeade
Monday, September 14th
In 2012, ten Richmond Public Schools celebrated National Walk to School Day. The number dropped to 6 in 2013. It was five in 2014. Well, with 2012 being its most recent year with a Walk to School Day event, Oak-Grove Bellemeade Elementary School is back on the list for 2015! And they'll have these great…
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PHOTO POPPIN' Infrastructure Update - September 2015
Friday, September 4th
It's been a while since we've done a bike and pedestrian infrastructure update. Take a look at projects popping up left and right around the city! Oregon Hill / Belvidere Bridge / Riverside Dr. / 2nd St. Bike Lanes This is the city's first contraflow bike lane (only bicycles can go the opposite direction of…
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Marathon Training Team Q&A: Max Hepp-Buchanan
Tuesday, September 1st
Welcome to the latest in an occasional series on Sports Backers staff members participating in the Marathon Training Team, which leads up to the Anthem Richmond Marathon on November 14, 2015. Get to know Max Hepp-Buchanan, Director of Bike Walk RVA, Seattle native, and huge fan of listening to Macklemore while running. How is training going…
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Record Number of Participants Enjoy Anthem Moonlight Ride
Monday, August 24th
More than 3,300 cyclists, an event record, came to Sports Backers Stadium decked out in bright lights to participate in the seventh-annual Anthem Moonlight Ride on Saturday, August 22. The ride featured a "Full Moon" (15 miles) and a "Half Moon" (8 miles) route through Lakeside, Bryan Park, and the near West End. Then, participants were…
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Sports Backers Announce 'Trails and Ales' Trail Run and Craft Beer Festival for Oct. 3
Tuesday, August 18th
To celebrate Richmond’s urban trail system and fast-growing craft brewery culture, Sports Backers is announcing the first-ever ‘Trails and Ales’ trail run and craft beer festival, set for Saturday, October 3. The event will take place in Manchester at W. 10th Street and Semmes Avenue, adjacent to the SunTrust Mortgage offices, at 4:30 p.m. Registration…
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Get the Wheel Story on the Anthem Moonlight Ride!
Friday, August 14th
The Anthem Moonlight Ride is coming up on August 22. This year’s event is red, white and blue themed as a nod to a little ride coming to RVA in September. We spoke to Event Director Meghan Keogh as she gets her team in gear to tackle the lit-up lunar event. Q: How would you describe…
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Bike Prep Tips for the Anthem Moonlight Ride
Thursday, August 13th
The Anthem Moonlight Ride is set for August 22 at 8:00pm, and as you get ready to ride (and plan your costume and tacky light designs) be sure to check out these great tips on bike maintenance and group riding etiquette from local experts! First, we got some advice about how to make sure your…
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Kids Run RVA Gearing Up for Exciting Start to the School Year!
Wednesday, August 12th
Kids Run RVA, an award-winning youth running initiative of Sports Backers that promotes physical activity for kids in the Richmond region, is gearing up for the start of another exciting school year. Kids Run RVA provides a variety of programs and events to instill healthy habits that last for a lifetime, including: Kids Run RVA…
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A lesson learned from Mr. Carter
Friday, July 31st
MEET MR. CARTER Samuel Carter that it is - a Richmond resident for the entirety of his 74 years and the most recent winner of the Anthem Foundation 150 Minute Fitness Challenge. In early April, Mr. Carter took on the challenge presented by Sports Backers. He set out to attain at least 150 minutes of…
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Walgreens Richmond International Dragon Boat Festival Hits the James on August 1
Friday, July 31st
The James River will be filled with paddling teams racing each other for the prestigious title of Walgreens Richmond International Dragon Boat champions this Saturday, August 1 at Rocketts Landing. Great White North, a company based out of Toronto, Canada, and Sports Backers are joining forces to put on the sixth annual event. Teams of…
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Active Children Develop Character
Thursday, July 23rd
Exercising With Kids There is evidence which suggests that exercise helps more than just physical development. Children who get regular physical activity are better able to pay attention in school and are more likely to improve their grades than children who do not. They are also less likely to have behavioral issues than children who…
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Ride to Washington D.C.
Tuesday, July 21st
This spring I suggested to our Bike Walk RVA team of Max Hepp-Buchanan and Brantley Tyndall that we should determine the feasibility of organizing an event that would take cyclists on a two-day journey from Richmond to Washington, DC. I was thinking of an event to promote long distance cycling. Now, this initial idea has…
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Fun, Fitness Bring Families to the Anthem Moonlight Ride
Thursday, July 9th
By: Becky Seidel The Anthem Moonlight Ride is back this year on August 22 at 8:00pm, providing an exciting opportunity to ride a great course around RVA under the stars. With two course options, the Full Moon (15 miles) and Half Moon (8 miles), it’s a great way for families to get active together (and…
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How to Make Your Own Training Plan
Wednesday, July 1st
By: Becky Seidel Starting a running program and developing your own training plan can be intimidating. Of course, you can always join one of the Sports Backers’ training teams to simplify the process and receive personal attention as you start running. However, if the training teams aren’t an option for you, then here are…
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Tips for Running in the Heat
Wednesday, June 24th
By: Becky Seidel As we all know, Richmond gets HOT and HUMID. These southern summers can be tough, especially for those of us trying to keep up with a fitness routine. When the sun starts beating down, it is important to change your running appropriately to stay safe in the heat. One bad run…
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Marathon Training Team Q&A: Shihan Wijeyeratne
Tuesday, June 23rd
Welcome to the latest in an occasional series on Sports Backers staff members participating in the Marathon Training Team, which leads up to the Anthem Richmond Marathon on November 14, 2015. Get to know Shihan Wijeyeratne, Community Outreach Coordinator for Bike Walk RVA and a chocolate milk aficionado. Q. How many marathons have you done? [caption…
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Marathon Training Team Q&A: Nan Turner
Thursday, June 11th
Welcome to the first in an occasional series on Sports Backers staff members participating in the Marathon Training Team, which leads up to the Anthem Richmond Marathon on November 14, 2015. First up is Nan Turner, Customer Engagement Coordinator and social media extraordinaire. Q. Hello Nan. A. Hi! How’s training going so far? It’s going…
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Record-Setting Night for Connects Federal Credit Union Corporate 4-Miler
Friday, June 5th
It was another record-setting night at Innsbrook Office Park for Richmond's sixth-annual Connects Federal Credit Union Corporate 4-Miler, as 231 teams and 5,100 participants, representing companies from across the region, came out to run, walk, and party with friends and coworkers. Both the number of teams and participants were new records for the event, continuing…
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Reflections on #rvabikemonth 2.0
Thursday, June 4th
Bike Walk RVA coordinated Richmond's first National Bike Month calendar of events in 2014. It was the first time our region had ever participated for the full month, with previous efforts really only focusing on National Bike to Work Day, the third Friday in May. We hosted a few events, helped local grassroots leaders organize…
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Tips for Running Safely on the Roads
Wednesday, June 3rd
By: Becky Seidel Those of you participating in the Sports Backers’ Marathon Training Team have just started going on those weekly group runs. To ensure everyone remains safe out on the roads, we wanted to share a few of our tips for road running safety. Running on the roads requires a particular knowledge and awareness of…
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Employee Health, Wellness, and Fun Are All Part of Corporate 4-Miler
Thursday, May 28th
On Thursday, June 4th, thousands of people will descend on Innsbrook for one of Richmond’s most exciting events. But they aren’t coming for ZZ Top or the Beach Boys; no, they’re turning out in their running shoes and team shirts for the sixth-annual Connects Federal Credit Union Corporate 4-Miler (also known as Richmond’s Biggest Office…
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Marathon Training Team Provides Support Network
Thursday, May 21st
by Jon Lugbill The thought of running a marathon can be daunting. I sat in on a Sports Backers Marathon Training Team information session to learn what first time participants are thinking about before they start our program. Sean Cusack, Assistant Head Coach of the Marathon Training Team, provided information about the program to 20…
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Commuter Stations back for Bike to Work Day '15
Tuesday, May 12th
Bike Commuter Aid Stations are back! Stop by one of our five (5) pit stops on your way to work the morning of Bike to Work Day (Friday May 15) from between 7 and 9 AM to grab a coffee and snack, chat with our amazing volunteers, pick up some of the latest bike-related information,…
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Second Class of Active RVA Fitness Warriors Program Announced
Wednesday, May 6th
Sports Backers, the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation, and the Richmond City Health District announced the launch of the second class of the Active RVA Fitness Warriors Program. The application period for those interested in joining the program opens on May 11 and the deadline to apply is June 12. With support from…
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The Three Bs - Bellevue Bike-Friendly Business District
Tuesday, May 5th
Bikes mean business. It's a message carried successfully in cities across the country. If your business is accessible by bike and accommodating to those who arrive by bike, people simply will ride there. And they'll buy your stuff, eat your food, and keep coming back. And building for and accommodating people on bikes is cheaper…
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Everything you need to know about Bike Month 2015
Tuesday, April 28th
Bike Month 2015 is just about underway! Click on the calendar below for a full list of events. VCU Alumni Ride Slave Trail Ride Bike Walk RVA Bike Month Kickoff Party Northside Family Fun Ride May the Force Bike With You Star Wars Ride Cinco De Mayo Taco Crawl Craft Brewery Cruise Bike Train Group…
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Running Group Ready to Fly at Tent to Trail Relay
Thursday, April 9th
By: Shihan Wijeyeratne At the inaugural Tent to Trail Relay in Pocahontas State Park on April 17-18, the EagleRiders Cross Country Pack will add another chapter to what is already an impressive record of fitness exploits. “Most of us went to high school together, but we’ve added a few guys since then,” says Will McClain,…
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Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k Healthy School Challenge Winners Announced
Thursday, March 26th
Now in its 10th year, the Healthy School Challenge presented by the Virginia529 College Savings Plan rewards middle schools and high schools for having students sign up for the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k presented by MARTIN’S. Prize money is awarded to schools with the highest percentage of participation based on total school enrollment. Awards are…
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What to Expect on Race Day
Wednesday, March 25th
YMCA 10k Training Team Head Coach Carrie Parker offers some great tips for first timers on what to expect and how to prepare for this weekend’s Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k. Race Day Tips for First Timers: Leave home early on race day – There will be over 80,000 people converging on downtown Richmond this weekend…
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Richmond Bike Startups worth checking out!
Friday, March 13th
Olivia here! What else to say about these two community opportunities? We are excited to see two Richmond organizations with incredible bike-focused ideas find support through the community! Secretly Y’all, the brainchild of Chris Milk and Kathleen Brady, a Richmond project that uses stories to build community, is planning “Bicycle Y’all”, a Bike Month-themed event…
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Chris Calfee Reflects on Record-Setting Trail Run
Monday, March 9th
By: Shihan Wijeyeratne With our inaugural Tent to Trail Relay just over a month away, we decided to get a little insight from someone who knows a thing or two about running long miles in Pocahontas State Park. Christopher Calfee, an English and Publications teacher at Swift Creek Middle School, ran 318.25 miles in the…
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The big win on Floyd Avenue.
Tuesday, February 24th
Yesterday, the Floyd Ave Bike-Walk Street project was finally given the green light! In their third and final hearing of the project, the Planning Commission voted to approve a revised design and send the city’s first Bike-Walk Street forward into the implementation phase. But there’s more to the story that what was reported in the…
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What the sneck?
Thursday, February 19th
Taking advantage of the recent snow blanketing the region, Bike Walk RVA intern Olivia Mobayed set out to investigate travel patterns at intersections. See what she found out below! While a new batch of snow can make getting around a bit trickier in the short run, snow can be very helpful in long-term planning and…
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New Shoes Bring Joy and Fitness
Wednesday, February 18th
by Jon Lugbill I can still remember when I was in the 4th grade and got a new pair of tennis shoes (that’s what we called anything that wasn’t a dress shoe). They had these orange sides and made me feel like I could run like the wind. I remember going outside and racing around…
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Bike Walk RVA Nominated for Advocacy Organization of the Year
Friday, February 13th
by Jon Lugbill Wow! According to Bicycling Magazine, Bike Walk RVA is one of the nine best bike and pedestrian advocacy organizations in the country. In 2012, when the Sports Backers created the Bike Walk RVA program, we had no idea that this program would take off like it has in RVA. The Richmond Memorial…
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New Tent to Trail Relay Lands in RVA
Friday, February 6th
by Jon Lugbill Sports Backers is constantly looking for new trends in the endurance sports industry. Relay events have become wildly popular throughout the country. Team members take turns running, and with combined mileage, cover great distances over the course of each event. Our relay format will have each team member…
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Upward Spirals of Happiness Swirl at the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k
Thursday, January 29th
by Jon Lugbill I’ve often marveled how year after year the participants in the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k turn the event into a huge street party. The positive, happy environment sweeps up and down the course, and the atmosphere is difficult to describe in words. Despite this difficulty, we’ve still tried to capture the magical…
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Active RVA Fitness Warriors Graduation Sends Ripples through RVA
Monday, January 26th
by Jon Lugbill The 2015 Active RVA Fitness Warriors program trained 17 individuals over five months to be certified group fitness instructors. In exchange for the instruction, the Warriors offered free classes in underserved neighborhoods. Sports Backers created this program with the help of the Anthem Foundation to bring active living classes to all corners…
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The Planning Commission did what?
Thursday, January 22nd
On Tuesday, the City Planning Commission chose to defer their final decision on the Floyd Ave Bike-Walk Street project for 30 days. While this may be frustrating to those who want to see the project move forward now, it will likely result in a better design for everybody. Among the topics the Planning Commission asked…
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The YMCA 10k Training Team Secret
Friday, January 16th
by Jon Lugbill Today I was on a quest to find out why people sign up for the YMCA 10k Training Team to prepare for the Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k presented by MARTIN'S. There must be something that is key to people signing up year after year in such large numbers. What is the secret to…
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Applications open for Sports Backers Ambassadors and Bike Walk RVA Academy
Wednesday, January 7th
We are pleased to announce the launch of the newly-created Ambassador Team, as well as the re-launch of the Bike Walk RVA Academy, and the application period for both programs is now open through January 30. To apply, follow the appropriate link below! Sports Backers Ambassador Team Bike Walk RVA Academy The Ambassadors will work locally and regionally…
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Pride, Fitness, and Fun All Part of 10k Media Day
Wednesday, January 7th
by Jon Lugbill Media Day for the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k was special again this year. Sports teams do this before their seasons to let the reporters have access to all of the players and coaches. It is hard to have all 40,000 of the 10k participants over for lunch, therefore, Pete Woody, Sports Backers’…
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Make Your Resolution a Habit in 2015
Wednesday, December 31st
by Jon Lugbill This is the time of year when many of us make a New Year’s resolution to do something better in our lives in 2015. I’ve witnessed the increased number of people visiting the YMCA the first month of the year. Unfortunately, by February, the number of people at visiting the YMCA calms…
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Make Family Fitness One of Your Holiday Traditions
Tuesday, December 23rd
by Jon Lugbill This time of year we all look forward to our family holiday traditions. I know we like to bake my mom’s Christmas cookie recipe with the tree, bell and candy cane cookie cutters. Decorating our house is part of the season. Of course, going to see the Tacky Lights continues to be…
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Time to Set Your Fitness Calendar
Friday, December 19th
by Jon Lugbill I have to admit I’m controlled by my calendar at work. Once I agree to a meeting, I tend to schedule everything else around it. I map out my work year by setting up board meetings and other work related functions. I add our big events and functions to my calendar, like…
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The lonely sign that could.
Tuesday, December 16th
Continuing on Rachel's post from last week, let's talk a little bit more about the importance of signage. I'd like to start with what I call the lonely Share the Road sign. I've been riding in Richmond since 2007, and I cannot recall seeing a Share the Road sign other than this one. I'm not…
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Experiment to navigate from Northside to the Capital Trail.
Wednesday, December 10th
Richmond’s Strategic Multi-modal Transportation Plan, Richmond Connects, which was released in 2013 after two years of development, recommended extending connections from the Cannon Creek Greenway in Highland Park south to Shockoe Bottom and west to neighborhoods in Northside via Brookland Park Boulevard and Brookland Parkway. This would create a contiguous leg of a developing bikeway…
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CarMax Tacky Light Run Brings Smiles
Monday, December 8th
by Jon Lugbill The CarMax Tacky Light Run is the craziest and wackiest of Sports Backers’ events. I wanted to share with you how this wonderful, new tradition started. I have to admit. I love tacky lights. I know it’s a little weird, but it just puts a smile on my face to see houses…
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Our first Bike Walk RVA Academy graduates!
Friday, December 5th
Three months ago, we and 20 eager City of Richmond residents dispersed among 7 council districts embarked on Richmond’s first Bike Walk RVA Academy, an 8-week course to train them to advocate for spaces dedicated to safety, comfort, and accessibility for bike riders and pedestrians. We are so proud to announce they graduated this week!…
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Give Back to Our Active Community
Tuesday, December 2nd
by Jon Lugbill Last week, I wrote about how fortunate we all are to live in a city with so many attributes. From our peaceful urban trails that offer awe-inspiring views of the city and James River to our growing bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, our community is full of opportunity for and celebration of active…
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Thankful for Tacky, Crazy, Authentic Active RVA
Wednesday, November 26th
by Jon Lugbill Residents of RVA, we have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. Tacky lights are going up all around the region as we get ready for another incredible holiday season. We have amazing street art, a feature that continues to gain momentum. Our thriving outdoor scene is driven by whitewater running…
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Sportsmanship Shines in St. Louis at the Musial Awards
Monday, November 24th
by Jon Lugbill I just left St. Louis feeling inspired and proud of the St. Louis Sports Commission. I went out there to see the Musial Awards ceremony and see if we could learn anything from the experience. Our counterparts at the St. Louis Sports Commission created the Musial Awards to recognize the coaches, athletes…
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The Anthem Richmond Marathon Continues to Inspire
Tuesday, November 18th
by Jon Lugbill After my 17th time being involved in organizing the Anthem Richmond Marathon, you would think I would have already heard all of the stories and would be numb to the emotions of Marathon Day. While I was a little numb from the cold as the morning started around 26 degrees, it didn’t…
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Inside Marathon Week
Friday, November 14th
by Jon Lugbill Kids Run RVA-official charity of the Anthem Richmond Marathon I had the opportunity this week to visit one of the running clubs we support through our Kids Run RVA program at Marguerite Christian Elementary School in Chesterfield County. This running club meets on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, and Jeff Seho with Fit4Kids…
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Companies Work to Improve Employee Health
Friday, November 7th
by Jon Lugbill Here at Sports Backers, we like to keep score: how many entries in an event, how many people in a training program, the number of kids in a running club, and how many miles of bicycle infrastructure. You get the idea. Well, we also track how many companies are Active RVA Certified.…
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High-LIGHTS from Halloween!
Tuesday, November 4th
Halloween is a great time to ride a bike in Richmond. The weather is pleasant (if a touch CHILLING this year), the spirit is high, and there's lots of fun stuff to see and do! The festivities on Hanover Avenue in the Fan with its orange lights and pedestrian-friendly street closure and the Oregon Hill…
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Run Time is Fun Time in RVA
Thursday, October 30th
by Jon Lugbill Seeing more than 1,000 kids sprinting around Fountain Lake in Byrd Park last Saturday made me thrilled about what is going on in our community to promote physical activity. The children were smiling, yelling, and running and really enjoying their kids only running event—the Call Federal Marathon Jr. There was so much…
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Richmond women begin to organize around biking.
Wednesday, October 29th
The Bike Walk RVA team attended RideRichmond's Richmond Women's Cycling Summit last week, and here are Bike Walk RVA's intern Rachel Jordan's thoughts about the event! Why do we like to ride bikes? For fun, exercise, community, to be able to eat whatever we want—the reasons are endless. Last night [10/23] we talked about the…
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Prescribing Exercise Gains Momentum
Tuesday, October 21st
Here's the second blog post from the Sports Backers executive director Jon Lugbill. Enjoy! This past weekend I was invited to speak at a medical training session for area nurses and physicians. The “Rhythm in Richmond 6” event was hosted by the Virginia Cardiovascular Specialists at the Jefferson Hotel. I was a little nervous because my…
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Richmond streets on the way to becoming more Complete!
Tuesday, October 21st
Before talking about complete streets, let's talk a little about incomplete streets. Pick a street in your area that is prioritized for moving motor vehicles. Moving them in quickly, storing them for indeterminate lengths of time in on-street parking spaces, and getting them out again. Have you tried to walk across one of these streets,…
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Behind the Scenes with Jon Lugbill
Thursday, October 16th
Jon Lugbill here (also known as the Executive Director for the Sports Backers). I'm happy to welcome you to my first blog post. I’m sure I will get better at it as we go along. I hope this becomes an opportunity for you to see what we are working on at Sports Backers and potentially get…
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Second batch of Richmond bike/ped counts wrap up!
Tuesday, October 14th
Many thanks to every one of our volunteers who helped make the Richmond Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project possible. The results of our second count are in! We appreciate your time and effort; the data you collected is invaluable to us. The high rate of volunteerism for a project like this just goes to show…
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Bike Walk RVA Academy off to a strong start.
Monday, October 13th
The Bike Walk RVA Academy has begun! This week we are preparing for the third workshop out of eight for our 20 participants learning to be top-notch bike and pedestrian infrastructure advocates. During our application period in August and September, over 65 high-quality and highly motivated folks from around the Richmond region applied, and it…
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Middle schoolers struggle with biking and walking on Forest Hill Ave
Tuesday, October 7th
Bike Route 1 is a great amenity for recreational road bicycling in the Richmond region. Its general concurrence with Riverside Drive on the south bank of the James River in Richmond is a popular route for bike enthusiasts. We even featured it in our Martin's Tour of Richmond with positive reception. But while it is…
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Bike lanes currently being installed on Forest Hill Ave!
Monday, September 29th
The construction of bike lanes on Forest Hill Avenue and Semmes Avenue, which will connect crossings of the James River at both Westover Hills Boulevard and Cowardin Avenue, has begun! Construction will continue for at least the next few weeks, as the Semmes Avenue portion is a separate construction project. Bike symbol stencils are also…
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Max's Tales from the Trail - Volume 5
Thursday, September 18th
Max Hepp-Buchanan, Director of Bike Walk RVA, is currently riding his bike from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C., on the Great Allegheny Passage and C&O Canal Towpath trails, a 334.5 mile route free from traffic and motorized vehicles. He is chronicling his journey, and below you’ll find his thoughts, observations, musings, and menu selections. Day 5…
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Floyd Ave. Bike/Walk Street Update
Wednesday, September 17th
September has been a big month for Floyd Avenue's proposed Bike/Walk Street project. After the two big open houses at the Virginia Historical Society over the summer, September saw the conceptual plan (developed after May's open house, reviewed and revised in July) go before the City of Richmond's Urban Design Committee and the Planning Commission…
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Max's Tales from the Trail - Volume 4
Tuesday, September 16th
Max Hepp-Buchanan, Director of Bike Walk RVA, is currently riding his bike from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C., on the Great Allegheny Passage and C&O Canal Towpath trails, a 334.5 mile route free from traffic and motorized vehicles. He is chronicling his journey, and below you’ll find his thoughts, observations, musings, and menu selections. Day 4…
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Max's Tales from the Trail - Volume 3
Monday, September 15th
Max Hepp-Buchanan, Director of Bike Walk RVA, is currently riding his bike from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C., on the Great Allegheny Passage and C&O Canal Towpath trails, a 334.5 mile route free from traffic and motorized vehicles. He is chronicling his journey, and below you'll find his thoughts, observations, musings, and menu selections. Day 3…
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Max's Tales from the Trail - Volume 2
Monday, September 15th
Max Hepp-Buchanan, Director of Bike Walk RVA, is currently riding his bike from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C., on the Great Allegheny Passage and C&O Canal Towpath trails, a 334.5 mile route free from traffic and motorized vehicles. He is chronicling his journey, and below you’ll find his thoughts, observations, musings, and menu selections. Day 2…
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Max's Tales from the Trail - Volume 1
Friday, September 12th
Max Hepp-Buchanan, Director of Bike Walk RVA, is currently riding his bike from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C., on the Great Allegheny Passage and C&O Canal Towpath trails, a 334.5 mile route free from traffic and motorized vehicles. He is chronicling his journey, and below you'll find his thoughts, observations, musings, and menu selections (note: when…
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Sports Backers Announce New Additions to Staff
Tuesday, September 2nd
RICHMOND, VA - The Sports Backers, a non-profit sports commission dedicated to making Richmond the most physically active community in the nation, are pleased to welcome Brenna Creech, Andrew Kennedy, Jacki Quinlan, Robbie Rusbuldt, Ashlee Snider, and Amy Waters as new members of the team. They will work in a variety of roles throughout the…
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The Truth Behind the Anthem Moonlight Ride
Friday, August 22nd
By all accounts, the Anthem Moonlight Ride was a smashing success! See Richmond Outside's article and the latest Sports Backers' blog post on it. The largest bike ride in the Richmond region drew over 3,000 riders of all ages and abilities, including whole multi-generational families, to ride 8- or 17-mile courses, totally free of vehicles,…
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Anthem Moonlight Ride Helps Family Embrace Active Lifestyle
Wednesday, July 23rd
By: Shihan Wijeyeratne School, work, long runs, soccer, swimming, summer camps, and baseball, topped off with a family bike ride on the Buttermilk Trail. All this and more is part of a typical week for the Janus family. Since recently moving to the area from Tennessee, Scott and Jennifer Janus have enjoyed continuing their active…
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Floyd Ave Bike/Walk Street moving into next phase
Thursday, July 17th
Tuesday night was the follow-up to the City’s first open house in May for what is now officially recognized as the Floyd Avenue Bike/Walk Street project (no longer “bicycle boulevard”). Over 300 residents and interested citizens attended the open house at which the consultant designing the project, Andy Boenau of Timmons Group, and City staff…
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Eastern Speedgolf Open Combines Pace and Putting
Wednesday, June 18th
The second annual Eastern Speedgolf Open benefiting The First Tee of Richmond & Chesterfield will be contested at the Foundry Golf Club in Powhatan, Va. on Saturday, June 21. The unique tournament will feature players running between shots with a winner crowned by adding golf score and running time to determine the lowest combined total.…
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High Performance Meets High Technology at XTERRA East Championship
Wednesday, June 11th
Richmond, VA - High-performance meets high-technology at this year’s XTERRA East Championship/USA Triathlon Off-Road National Championship media day in Richmond, Virginia as XTERRA pros face-off in a pre-race shoot-out to showcase their talents, the City of Richmond, and the innovation of Luck Stone. The “shootout” is the first-of its kind and a prelude to the…