Bringing together runners of all ages and abilities, the .US National 12K features a new name, a fun new alternate race distance and all the elements unique to this season-capping national celebration of distance running.

The .US National 12K will be held November 16, 2014, in Alexandria, Va., USATF announced Friday. The day will showcase a 12K open race for recreational runners and professionals as well as a new 1-mile road race and kids’ fun run.

“The .US National 12K is our national celebration of running on all levels, and we are very pleased to be back in Alexandria for this event,” said USATF CEO Max Siegel. “We are looking forward to continued growth for this race as we engage the millions of runners who provide the bedrock of the national road racing phenomenon.”

Contested last year as the .US National Road Racing Championships, the .US National 12K is sponsored again in 2014 by Neustar as part of a three-year USATF partnership announced in 2013.

“As the administrator for the .US top level domain, we are a proud supporter of this race and look forward to it being held in our backyard for the second year in a row,” said Alex Berry, SVP of Sales. “With a new name, the .US National 12K reflects that this day is about all of the running community, whether a runner is a weekend fitness enthusiast or a national champion.”

Elites, Masters, Clubs vie for titles

The .US National 12K will be the season-capping race to the USA Running Circuit (USARC), a series of races that annually provides nearly $1 million in prize money to American runners. Elite athletes will vie for a combined $100,000 in prize money in Alexandria.

In 2014, the race also will serve at the USATF Masters 12km Championships and, for the first time, the USATF Club Road Racing Championships.

The inaugural event saw Americans Molly Huddle and Aaron Braun win the 12 km National Championships, with Huddle breaking the world best for the distance with her time of 37:50.

The .US National 12K is the final stop on the USA Running Circuit, with the top ten finishers earning double points towards the USARC overall standings. With the winner picking up a whopping 30 points (24 for second, 20 for third, 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2), the standings could see a dramatic difference at race’s end. Molly Huddle and Josphat Boit were crowned 2013 USARC champions in Alexandria.

Celebrating the community

Continuing the community engagement of the 2013 race, the .US National 12K will include a start and finish along the Potomac River in Oronoco Bay Park, with a Fan Festival featuring entertainment, USATF merchandise, photo booth and beer garden.

Highlighting the day’s activities last year in Alexandria was the President’s Race. The Racing Presidents, mascots from the Washington Nationals, raced the expo area. Teddy Roosevelt edged out Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and Abe Lincoln for the win before all four took part in a dance-off with fans and posed for photos.