Fifth Third River Bank Run
Encyclopedia
The Fifth Third River Bank Run is an annual road running
race hosted by the U.S.
city of Grand Rapids, Michigan
, in the month of May. The race was first held in 1978 as the Old Kent River Bank Run and continued under that name until 2000, when its name was changed to the Fifth Third River Bank Run.
Today draws over 22,000 participants from around the world; it features the largest 25K road race in the country, and is the site for the USA 25km Open and Masters Championships; the event also features the only 25K Wheelchair Racing division in the world.
and returns downtown to finish.
in Wyoming, Michigan
. More than 1,700 kids between the ages of 5-13 are participate in the 1/2 mile and 1 mile fun runs and 5K Run.
. The race was originally sponsored by Old Kent Bank and was held under the title "The Old Kent River Bank Run". When Old Kent Bank was acquired by Fifth Third bank in 2000 the name of the race changed but sponsorship was uninterrupted. A local rehabilitation center, Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital
provides sponsorship for the Wheelchair and Handchair Divisions. Other sponsors include Metro Health Hospital, Gatorade
, Pepsi
, Gazelle Sports, Comcast
, Meijer
, and others.
Road running
Road running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road . These events would be classified as long distance according to athletics terminology, with distances typically ranging from 5 kilometers to 42.2 kilometers in the marathon. They may involve large numbers of runners...
race hosted by the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
city of Grand Rapids, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, in the month of May. The race was first held in 1978 as the Old Kent River Bank Run and continued under that name until 2000, when its name was changed to the Fifth Third River Bank Run.
Today draws over 22,000 participants from around the world; it features the largest 25K road race in the country, and is the site for the USA 25km Open and Masters Championships; the event also features the only 25K Wheelchair Racing division in the world.
25K Run
The USA 25 km Open and Masters Championships is open to U.S. citizens 14 years of age or older as of race day. The course is a USATF certified loop course which starts in downtown Grand Rapids and leaves the city going south, taking the runners through parks and along the Grand River before finishing back downtown.25K Wheel/Handcycle
The Wheel/Handcycle Division follows the same course as the 25K run. Eligible participants have a physical disability which prohibits them from running the event. Race organizers state, "The race is for competitive cyclist only, this division is not designed for leisure racing."10k Run
This race is open to participants of any age who feel they can safely finish the race. The course is a USATF certified loop course which heads southwest from downtown Grand Rapids to John Ball ParkJohn Ball Park
John Ball Zoological Garden is an urban park located on the west side of the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA. The John Ball Zoo is situated on the ravines and bluffs along the west edge of the park....
and returns downtown to finish.
5K Run
This race is open to participants of any age who feel they can safely finish the race. The course is a USATF certified loop course which takes the participants through downtown Grand Rapids.5K Walk
This race is open to participants of any age who feel they can safely finish the race. The participants follow the same course as the 5K run; they are not timed and awards are not given out.Junior
Fifth Third Junior event takes place the Wednesday before the main event at Rogers High SchoolRogers High School (Wyoming, Michigan)
Rogers High School is a class B high school in Wyoming, Michigan, USA. In the athletic field they compete in the Ottawa-Kent Conference, Green Division, along with fellow district school Wyoming Park.-Clubs:*GSA*Diversity Counsel...
in Wyoming, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. More than 1,700 kids between the ages of 5-13 are participate in the 1/2 mile and 1 mile fun runs and 5K Run.
Clydesdale Division
Participants in the 25K, 10K, and 5K runs may choose to register in the Clydesdale Division, which divides them into either Class A or Class B by weight. Trophies for each race awarded for the top performers in each weight class in each division. Medals are awarded to the top three performers in each weight class in each division.| Class A | Class B | |
| Men | 185-199 lbs | 200+ lbs |
| Women | 145-154 lbs | 155+ lbs |
Age Divisions
Participants in each race are divided into male and female divisions based on age: 13 and under (not available in 25K), 14-19, 20-24, 25-29,30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79 and 80+. The number of awards is three deep in each age division though some 25K divisions may issue fewer due to a reduced number of participants.Sponsorship
The primary sponsor on the event is Fifth Third BankFifth Third Bank
Fifth Third Bank is a U.S. regional banking corporation, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio and is the principal subsidiary of holding company Fifth Third Bancorp ....
. The race was originally sponsored by Old Kent Bank and was held under the title "The Old Kent River Bank Run". When Old Kent Bank was acquired by Fifth Third bank in 2000 the name of the race changed but sponsorship was uninterrupted. A local rehabilitation center, Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital
Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital
Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital was started and is led by the Mary Free Bed Guild of Grand Rapids, MI. This hospital is currently an 80-bed, non-profit organization that provides rehabilitation for people of all ages...
provides sponsorship for the Wheelchair and Handchair Divisions. Other sponsors include Metro Health Hospital, Gatorade
Gatorade
Gatorade is a brand of sports-themed food and beverage products, built around its signature product: a line of sports drinks. Gatorade is currently manufactured by PepsiCo, distributed in over 80 countries...
, Pepsi
Pepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo...
, Gazelle Sports, Comcast
Comcast
Comcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
, Meijer
Meijer
Meijer, Inc. is a regional American hypermarket chain based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1934 as a supermarket chain, Meijer is credited with pioneering the modern supercenter concept in 1962. About half of the company's 196 stores are located in Michigan, with additional locations in...
, and others.
Past 25K winners
Key:| Edition | Year | Men's winner | Time (h Hour The hour is a unit of measurement of time. In modern usage, an hour comprises 60 minutes, or 3,600 seconds... :m Minute A minute is a unit of measurement of time or of angle. The minute is a unit of time equal to 1/60th of an hour or 60 seconds. In the UTC time scale, a minute on rare occasions has 59 or 61 seconds; see leap second. The minute is not an SI unit; however, it is accepted for use with SI units... :s Second The second is a unit of measurement of time, and is the International System of Units base unit of time. It may be measured using a clock.... ) |
Women's winner | Time (h Hour The hour is a unit of measurement of time. In modern usage, an hour comprises 60 minutes, or 3,600 seconds... :m Minute A minute is a unit of measurement of time or of angle. The minute is a unit of time equal to 1/60th of an hour or 60 seconds. In the UTC time scale, a minute on rare occasions has 59 or 61 seconds; see leap second. The minute is not an SI unit; however, it is accepted for use with SI units... :s Second The second is a unit of measurement of time, and is the International System of Units base unit of time. It may be measured using a clock.... ) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1978 | 1:17:24 | 1:42:09 | ||
| 2nd | 1979 | 1:14:29 | 1:36:39 | ||
| 3rd | 1980 | 1:16:02 | 1:37:46 | ||
| 4th | 1981 | 1:14:09 | 1:26:21 | ||
| 5th | 1982 | 1:15:00 | 1:26:31 | ||
| 6th | 1983 | 1:16:49 | 1:31:08 | ||
| 7th | 1984 | 1:17:56 | 1:32:18 | ||
| 8th | 1985 | 1:16:58 | 1:27:25 | ||
| 9th | 1986 | 1:16:38 | 1:24:43 | ||
| 10th | 1987 | 1:16:12 | 1:28:17 | ||
| 11th | 1988 | 1:15:56 | 1:28:39 | ||
| 12th | 1989 | 1:16:34 | 1:25:34 | ||
| 13th | 1990 | 1:15:26 | 1:27:02 | ||
| 14th | 1991 | 1:15:31 | 1:28:29 | ||
| 15th | 1992 | 1:14:47 | 1:26:47 | ||
| 16th | 1993 | 1:16:06 | 1:27:27 | ||
| 17th | 1994 | 1:15:01 | 1:25:26 | ||
| 18th | 1995 | 1:15:20 | 1:27:14 | ||
| 19th | 1996 | 1:15:21 | 1:29:47 | ||
| 20th | 1997 | 1:15:21 | 1:26:54 | ||
| 21st | 1998 | 1:13:55 | 1:28:46 | ||
| 22nd | 1999 | 1:14:09 | 1:26:51 | ||
| 23rd | 2000 | 1:16:26 | 1:27:35 | ||
| 24th | 2001 | 1:14:06 | 1:24:39 | ||
| 25th | 2002 | 1:13:56 | 1:26:57 | ||
| 26th | 2003 | 1:16:13 | 1:27:28 | ||
| 27th | 2004 | 1:15:16 | 1:26:39 | ||
| 28th | 2005 | 1:13:27 | 1:25:15 | ||
| 29th | 2006 | 1:14:21 | 1:27:47 | ||
| 30th | 2007 | 1:14:25 | 1:25:54 | ||
| 31st | 2008 | 1:15:07 | 1:29:32 | ||
| 32nd | 2009 | 1:15:36 | 1:27:16 | ||
| 33rd | 2010 | 1:14:42 | 1:23:46 | ||
| 34th | 2011 | 1:15:41 | 1:25:38 |