UAE Healthy Kidney 10K

Summary

The UAE Healthy Kidney 10K was an annual road running event over 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) that took place in May in New York City in the United States. The event featured both an elite-level men's race and a general mass race for fun runners. Almost 8000 runners took part in the event each year.[1] Its course is situated entirely within Manhattan's Central Park. It was one of two major annual 10K races held at the venue by the New York Road Runners Club, alongside the women-only New York Mini 10K.[2]

UAE Healthy Kidney 10K
The mass run in Central Park in 2007
DateMid-May
LocationNew York City, United States
Event typeRoad
Distance10 kilometers
Established2005
Official siteUAE Healthy Kidney 10K

The event was launched in May 2005 by New York Road Runners with the sponsorship of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates. Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, a former president of the country, received treatment and a kidney transplant at the Cleveland Clinic in 2000.[3] He lived until November 2004 and the event was created in his honor soon after, with proceeds from the race going towards the National Kidney Foundation.[4][5]

The course for the race was a single-looped circuit on the paths and roads within the park, comprising a little over one full lap of the park in a clockwise direction. Runners started in the south-west corner of Central Park, heading north past Sheep Meadow and The Ramble and Lake via West Park Drive. It looped southwards past Harlem Meer at the 5 km (3-mile) mark and went south on East Park Drive, passing the Reservoir and Great Lawn and Turtle Pond. The course reached the 5-mile mark just before Central Park's Bandshell. Runners turned back north after Wollman Rink, reached the 6-mile mark at the start line, then crossed the finish line near the Tavern on the Green.[6]

The first two editions of the men's race were won by Craig Mottram.[7] Dathan Ritzenhein became the first American to win the race and Patrick Makau became the first African the year after.[8][9] Ethiopians Tadese Tola and Gebre Gebremariam ran course records under 28 minutes to win in 2009 and 2010.[10][11] Phoenix Kipruto of Kenia set the course record at 27:08 minutes in 2018, the fastest record eligible 10k ever run on US soil. The event does not actively invite an elite women's field, due to the proximity of June's New York Mini 10K women's race, but elite level female athletes who are resident in the area typically take part.[2] Ethiopia's Senbere Teferi holds the women's course record of 30:59 minutes, set in 2019.

The 2020 edition of the race was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[12] It was not held in 2021 either. In 2021, the NYRR were in a crisis due to COVID-19 related revenue drops, layoffs and accusations against senior management. After changes in management, NYRR planned to cull races if sponsor do not align with the organization's values. It decided in fall 2021 not to hold the UAE Healthy Kidney 10K in 2022, which may be related to the UAE's human rights record.[13]

The event has not returned since. NYRR introduced the NYRR Manhattan 10K in 2022, which also takes place in Central Park, but in February. Other races by NYRR held in Central Park are the NYRR Joe Kleinerman 10K in January and Grete's Great Gallop, a 10-kilometer race in August commemorating Grete Waitz.

Past winners edit

 
Australia's Craig Mottram won the first two races.

Key:   Course record

Edition Year Men's winner Time (h:m:s) Women's winner Time (h:m:s)
1st 2005   Craig Mottram (AUS) 28:27.3   Alemtsehay Misganaw Abate (ETH) 35:10
2nd 2006   Craig Mottram (AUS) 28:13   Alemtsehay Misganaw Abate (ETH) 34:48
3rd 2007   Dathan Ritzenhein (USA) 28:07.2   Alemtsehay Misganaw Abate (ETH) 35:31
4th 2008   Patrick Makau Musyoki (KEN) 28:18.4   Aziza Aliyu Abate (ETH) 33:32
5th 2009   Tadese Tola (ETH) 27:48   Aziza Aliyu Abate (ETH) 33:38
6th 2010   Gebre Gebremariam (ETH) 27:42   Bizunesh Deba (ETH) 33:09
7th 2011   Leonard Patrick Komon (KEN) 27:35   Bizunesh Deba (ETH) 33:39
8th 2012   Daniele Meucci (ITA) 28:28   Bekelech Bedada (ETH) 34:54
9th 2013   Leonard Patrick Komon (KEN) 27:58   Aziza Aliyu Abate (ETH) 34:34
10th 2014   Stephen Sambu (KEN) 27:39   Joyce Chepkirui (KEN) 31:17
11th 2015   Ben True (USA) 28:13   Joyce Chepkirui (KEN) 32:33
12th 2016   Lucas Rotich (KEN) 28:29   Cynthia Limo (KEN) 31:39
13th 2017   Sam Chelanga (USA) 28:21   Mamitu Daska (ETH) 31:37
14th 2018   Rhonex Kipruto (KEN) 27:08   Buze Diriba (ETH) 32:04
15th 2019   Mathew Kimeli (KEN) 27:45   Senbere Teferi (ETH) 30:59
2020 cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic[12]

Race finishers edit

Year Total No. of
men
No. of
women
2020 cancelled
2019 7,696 4,212 3,484
2018 7,474 3,978 3,496
2017 8,618 4,584 4,034
2016 8,044 4,159 3,885
2015 7,948 4,255 3,693
2014 7,976 4,112 3,864
2013 5,851 3,128 2,723
2012 7,918 4,181 3,737
2011 7,564 3,920 3,644
2010 7,839 4,113 3,726
2009 7,967 4,178 3,789
2008 6,273 3,438 2,835
2007 5,418 3,087 2,331
2006 4,753 2,589 2,164
2005 4,146 2,335 1,811

References edit

  1. ^ UAE Healthy Kidney 10K. NYRR. Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
  2. ^ a b Grotewold, Sam (May 2009) Gebremariam Sets New Central Park Record at Healthy Kidney. Running Times. Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
  3. ^ "Sheikh Undergoes Kidney Transplant". Toledo Blade. 2000-08-29. pp. 27 of 27. Retrieved 2012-05-23.
  4. ^ 2012 UAE Healthy Kidney 10K. National Kidney Foundation. Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
  5. ^ 2011 UAE Healthy Kidney 10K Race Preview. NYRR. Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
  6. ^ 2012 UAE Healthy Kidney 10K Course Map. New York Road Runners. Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
  7. ^ Finn, Richard (2006-05-20). Mottram breezes to victory, but narrowly misses Central Park 10 km record. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
  8. ^ Fortune, Edward (2007-05-19). Ritzenhein wins in Central Park. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
  9. ^ Calderwood, Stuart (2008-05-17). In U.S. debut, Makau triumphant in Central Park. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
  10. ^ Wallack, Rachel (2009-05-16). Tola smashes Central Park 10k record. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
  11. ^ Gebremariam clocks Central Park 10 Km record. IAAF (2010-05-15). Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
  12. ^ a b "New York Road Runners".
  13. ^ Futterman, Matthew (6 November 2021). "New York Times, After a Rough Year, New York Road Runners Searches for a Leader and Mission". The New York Times., November 6, 2021
List of winners

External links edit

  • Official website at New York Road Runners
  • Searchable results, including all finisher counts, at New York Road Runners