Mark Your Calendar – MAY 1In the last issue of our monthly newspaper, AUSA NEWS, and in a story that recently appeared on the AUSA Web site under "Headline News," was a very important article from the Army Ten-Miler staff at the U.S. Army Military District of Washington that I hope you didn’t miss.But, in case you did, it’s worth repeating here.This year, because of the rush to register for this great annual Army athletic event that reached its cap of 30,000 runners in 2010 and was closed in a record-breaking 35 hours, race officials have a new registration procedure that will allow all U.S. service members of all components – active, National Guard and reserve – to sign up for the run before it is opened up to all runners.With the runner cap remaining at 30,000 runners, Army Ten-Miler race officials have announced changes to the registration date and this year – for the first time – there will be a priority registration for all U.S. service members and runners who have participated in at least seven Ten-Miler races.Approximately one-third of the total 30,000 race entries – the race’s runner cap – will be reserved for this new priority registration program.This is the important part: Priority registration opens May 1 and U.S. service members must use a ".mil" address to register.This includes registration for individual runners and team registration.A searchable data base will be posted for seven-time-plus race participants to determine if they qualify for priority registration.The remaining two-thirds of the race entries will be available to the general public, on a first-come-first-serve basis, beginning May 15.A spokesperson for the Army Ten-Miler office said that since this is the Army’s race, they want to improve the registration opportunities for U.S service members and those "loyal Army Ten-Miler runners" who have been with the race for years.If those with a ".mil" address and who want to run this year miss the May 1 priority registration, the Army Ten-Miler transfer program will open June 1.Last year over 2,500 runners were able to enter the race through the transfer program.Race officials also confirmed that they will conduct a July lottery again for U.S. service members, and this year’s lottery has been increased this year to 1,000 entries.So, mark your calendars and sign up for the 2011 edition of America’s best run, patriotic race.The 27th Annual Army Ten-Miler, produced by the U.S. Army Military District of Washington, will be held at 8 a.m., Oct. 9, at the Pentagon, the day before the opening of the Association of the United States Army’s Annual Meeting and Exposition at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.This year the staging of the race has been moved to the Pentagon North Parking Lot. Because of this move, the race will start on Route 110.The flat, fast scenic course will continue to pass national monuments and memorials as it winds through our nation’s Capital.For the runners’ convenience, race officials will implement a shuttle bus service between the Pentagon North and South Parking Lots.The race’s two-day Health and Fitness EXPO at the DC Armory will be held on Friday, Oct. 7, and Saturday, Oct. 8, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. both days.Over 35,000 attendees visit this great pre-race event.The armory is located at 2001 East Capitol Street across from RFK Stadium in Washington.Free parking will be available to runners and the public during EXPO hours.The Armory is also accessible from the Stadium/Armory Metro Station on the Blue and Orange lines.The Marriott Crystal Gateway Hotel in Arlington, Va., will again serve as the headquarters hotel for this year’s race.The hotel is conveniently located less than a mile from the Pentagon and is on the Metro Blue and Yellow Lines.The hotel will offer a special room rate for runners and host the popular all-you-can-eat GEICO Pasta Dinner on Saturday, Oct. 8.Since the room block and Pasta Dinner always sell out, race officials encourage runners to make their reservations early.Complete race information is available at www.armytenmiler.com.The Lead Sponsors for the 2011 race are the Association of the United States Army and KBR, an AUSA sustaining member.AUSA is proud to not only be one of the race’s Lead Sponsor, but also to be the Founding Sponsor when the race began in 1984 with just over 1,600 runners.We have come a long way.Still Serving!