ACLI Capital Challenge 2019

Wednesday, May 15, 2019 | 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM | www.capitalchallenge.com

About the Event

What: This three mile road race attracts members of Congress, high-ranking Administration officials, federal judges, active members of the military, television correspondents, print and web reporters and other VIPs who will compete in the race.
Where: Washington, D.C.'s Anacostia Park
When: Wednesday, May 15 at 8:00 a.m.
Website: capitalchallenge.com
Twitter: @ACLInews #CapChallenge

Congratulations to Senator Sinema and Representative Gallagher—the fastest members of Congress in 2019!

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  • In 2019, Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona broke the ACLI Capital Challenge record for Senate female members with a time of 20:45.
  • In 2018, Sinema set the record for House female members with a time of 22:05.
  • Rep. Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin (18:37 in 2019) has been the fastest male member of Congress the last three years.

Above, long-time ACLI Capital Challenge participant, Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), discusses this year’s race.

ACLI Capital Challenge remembers former Sen. Richard Lugar, who died April 28

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  • Sen. Lugar ran in the inaugural Capital Challenge race in 1981 and competed in every subsequent Capital Challenge through 2012. No member of Congress has run in more Capital Challenge races than Sen. Lugar (31).

  • Sen. Lugar’s team won the Senate competition several times, most recently in 2009.

  • The award given to the winning team across all divisions at the ACLI Capital Challenge is called the Richard G. Lugar Fastest Overall Team Award.

Did you know Senator Capito is the two-time defending Senate female champion?

Senator Shelley Moore Capito talks strategy for the 2019 ACLI Capital Challenge

  • Sen. Shelley Moore Capito has participated every year since 2005, except in 2011.
  • In 2005 and 2006, she was the fastest female House member.
  • Capito’s time in 2015 (26:52) was faster than her time in 2005 (27:12).

Did you know that three-time Olympian Deena Kastor will be at this year’s race?

  • Kastor will be the official race starter at this year’s race.
  • She won the bronze medal in the marathon at the 2004 Athens Olympics and set the American marathon record in 2006.
  • In March 2019, she broke the American masters record for the fastest 8K by a woman 45-to-49-years-old.

Did you know Senator Sinema wants to set another record?

Senator Kyrsten Sinema is ready for the 2019 ACLI Capital Challenge

  • Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona set the record for House female members last year with a time of 22:05.
  • The Senate female record is 24:52, set by former Sen. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire in 2012.
  • Since Sinema was elected to the House in 2012, she was the fastest female House member in every race except in 2017, when she was injured and walked the race in a protective boot.

Did you know famous athletes ran with us?

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  • Three-time Olympian and former mile world-record holder Jim Ryun ran several times when he served as a Kansas congressman. His House office team was the fastest in the House of Representatives six times between 1999-2005.
  • NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver Steve Largent ran several times when he served as an Oklahoma congressman. His House office team finished 3rd in 1999, trailing only the teams of Ryun and former Tennessee Representative Bart Gordon.
  • Former Olympian and NBA player Tom McMillen ran in 1995 when he served as co-chair of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.

Did you know famous media personalities ran with us?

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  • NBC’s Andrea Mitchell ran in 1998.
  • Bret Baier of Fox News ran in 2002 and 2003. Shannon Bream of Fox News ran in 2008 and 2013.
  • Many CBS News journalists have run including Major Garrett (2014), John Dickerson (2016) and Margaret Brennan (2016).
  • CBS This Morning co-host Norah O’Donnell ran in 1998 when she was with Roll Call and in 1999 and 2000 when she was with NBC.

Did you know Supreme Court Justices ran with us?

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  • Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court John Roberts ran in 1984 when he worked in the White House Counsel’s office during the Reagan administration.
  • Anthony Kennedy ran in 1990 when he was a Supreme Court justice.
  • Justice Brett Kavanaugh has participated every year since 2010, while he served as a judge on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. He was the fastest federal judge five times (2010-13 and 2015).

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Did you know 2020 Democratic presidential candidates ran with us?

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  • Beto O’Rourke ran in 2016, when he was a member of Congress from Texas. O’Rourke was the fastest male runner from the House of Representatives.
  • Rep. Eric Swalwell of California ran in 2015. He was the fastest male runner from the House of Representatives.
  • Jay Inslee ran in 2004, when he was a member of Congress from Washington.
  • Also in 2004, Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio participated. He beat Inslee by 2:04, but Inslee’s team finished 4th out of 17 House teams, while Ryan’s team finished 7th.

Did you know Al Gore ran with us?

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  • Al Gore participated in the Capital Challenge as a House member, a Senate member and as vice president.
  • Gore’s final Capital Challenge appearance was in 1998. His five-person team from the office of the vice president finished 16th out of 30 teams from the executive branch.
  • Gore’s time in 1998 for the three-mile course was 27:04. Among the 170 people he beat were Andrea Mitchell (NBC News) and Norah O’Donnell (now with CBS This Morning, then with Roll Call).

Did you know Mike Pence ran with us?

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  • Vice President Mike Pence participated in the ACLI Capital Challenge three times (2007, 2009-10) while he served as an Indiana congressman.
  • Several members of Vice President Pence’s family also competed in the race including his wife Karen (2007 and 2010), son Michael (2007), and daughter Charlotte (2007).
  • Vice President Pence visited ACLI in June 2018 to address ACLI members during their fly-in to Washington D.C. 

ABOUT The Cause

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This year, the ACLI Capital Challenge will benefit Junior Achievement USA. ACLI believes strongly in Junior Achievement's purpose to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy. Through our support of Junior Achievement, we will teach the next generation of American workers the importance of planning early for retirement.

Above, students from Junior Achievement of Greater Washington talk about their visit to Capitol Hill.



Above, Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Representative Mike Gallagher (R-WI) share important things they have learned in Washington D.C. about financial security and retirement with students from Junior Achievement of Greater Washington.



Above, watch Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) and Representative Mike Gallagher (R-WI) advise students from Junior Achievement of Greater Washington about planning for financial security.



Above, watch Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Representative Mike Gallagher (R-WI) discuss the importance of financial literacy with students from Junior Achievement of Greater Washington.

Sponsors

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Contact

Jeff Darman
jdarman@capitalchallenge.com
610-925-1976