Road Runners Club of America Announces 2023 RunPro Grant Recipients

December 28, 2023

Two up-and-coming U.S. distance runners receive $3,000 each in financial support from RRCA

Arlington, VA /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – The Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) congratulates its 27^th RunPro Grant class of Jeralyn Poe and Nadir Yusuf.

Since 1996, the RRCA has awarded $750,500 in grants that support aspiring professional U.S. runners. The goal of RunPro Grants (an evolution of the Roads Scholars grants) is to assist American post-collegiate runners who have attended the RRCA’s RunPro camp and who show great promise to develop into national and world class professional runners. The RRCA has provided grants to 146 athletes, including those selected in 2023 (74 women and 72 men). The grants awarded by the RRCA go directly to the athletes to help support their goals and training needs.

Congratulations:

Jeralyn Poe (Flagstaff, AZ): Jeralyn grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska where she was a six-time All-Class State Champion in Cross Country and Track & Field. She graduated from Michigan State University, earning All-American honors at the NCAA 2019 Cross Country Championships and helping her team to a 6th place finish. In 2020, Jeralyn started her PhD in the Ecological and Environmental Informatics program at Northern Arizona University. During her first year as a PhD student, she completed her 6th year of NCAA eligibility on the NAU Track & Field team. After completing her eligibility, Jeralyn attended the 2022 RRCA RunPro Camp, and continues to train and study in Flagstaff, AZ. Jeralyn holds a personal best of 1:10:39 in the half marathon, which has qualified her for the 2024 US Olympic Trials – Marathon.

Nadir Yusuf (Moorhead, MN): Nadir migrated to the United States at 10 years of age after living in refugee camps to escape war-torn Somalia. In 2021, he became the first member of his family to graduate from college, receiving his Bachelor’s degree from Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM). While at MSUM, Nadir broke multiple school records including the 3,000m (8:55), 5,000m (14:13), 10,000m (29:03), and XC 10K (30:13). For his efforts, he was named the Dragons Male Athlete of the Year for both 2019-2020 and 2020-2021. This year has been a breakout year racing on the roads for Nadir. In March, he set a personal best in the half marathon at the Trials of Miles Project 13.1 race in New York, with a time of 63:27 and placing 7^th. In May, he was the winner of the Essential Health Fargo Half Marathon setting a new course record. In his marathon debut in June, he ran negative splits (1:08:08, 1:07:19) to achieve an Olympic Trials Qualifier at Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, MN with a time of 2:15:27.

About RRCA: The Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) is the oldest and largest national association of running organizations and runners dedicated to growing the sport since 1958. The RRCA champions the development of community-based running clubs and events that serve runners of all ages and abilities in pursuit of health and competition. The RRCA’s vision is Empowering Everyone to Run. To learn more, visit: www.RRCA.org

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Contact: Andy Smith

programs@RRCA.org

703-525-3890