CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND) - The theme for the 2025 Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend has been announced.
The theme will be "Tradition & Triumph." The theme was chosen by organizers.
Registration for Race Weekend is open for all distances, including the marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K, mile, marathon relay, youth run and all eight multi-event challenges.
The event has selected an annual theme for the past 11 years. The theme is captured in a poster, featuring details that memorialize race weekend. Around 1,000 copies of the poster will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis at the health and fitness expo.
“Both in training and on the race course, participants are taking part in countless rites, rituals and stories that are woven into the Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend’s identity – ones that stem from the ancient sport of running, the B1G conference, the University of Illinois, the C-U community and the participant’s unique background and experience,” said Jan Seeley, race director of Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend. “As participants cross the finish line, they triumph over figurative and literal obstacles and experience the satisfaction of reaching their goal. As we watched the 2024 race unfold, it became clear that these two concepts should come to the forefront as our 2025 theme.”
The 2025 edition of the race will include both new and continuing traditions.
In anticipation of the race weekend, the event will be launching a new campaign to train staff, volunteers, participants and the community in Hands-Only CPR.
2024 marked the return of the marathon distance for the first time since 2019. The race also implemented additional inclusive race features that made the event more accessible to Deaf athletes. Some of these features include ASL interpreters, volunteer training of basic ASL signing and working with PACE, a local organization dedicated to ensuring the full participation of people with disabilities in all spheres of society. These Race Weekend features are returning for the 2025 event and are expected to remain a part of the annual event.
The 2024 event also included the creation and launch of the new non-profit, Kicks for CU Kids, built in partnership with local running store Body n’ Sole Sports. The organization aims to provide free running shoes and socks to youth in need who participate in the 5K or Busey Bank Illinois Youth Run, allowing them to reach their goals confidently during race weekend. In 2024, the organization raised close to $20,000, which included a generous donation of $10,000 from the Village of Savoy.
The Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend is one of the largest running events in the country, with nearly 10,000 registrants in 2024.
Since its inception, the Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend has donated $1.846 million to charities in the community and generated an estimated $5 million in economic impact annually.
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