TCM Head Seeks USA Track & Field Post

Virginia Brophy Achman, the executive director of Twin Cities Marathon, Inc. is seeking the top leadership post in American women's distance running.

Brophy Achman (pictured) has announced her candidacy for the Chair of the Women's Long Distance Running Committee of USA Track and Field. The Running USA vice-president hopes to replace current Women's LDR Chair Elizabeth Phillips who is stepping down at the end of 2008 after six years in the position.

Brophy Achman will stand for election to the post at the USA Track and Field Annual Meeting in Reno, Nevada from December 3 - 7.

"Women’s distance running is experiencing a tremendous era of growth," Brophy Achman said in her campaign biography. "Momentum for the sport continues, as developing runners emerge and public and media interest grows. Effective leadership fosters this growth; all the while, telling the story of running to the greater community."

Brophy Achman, who was TCM's Operations and Finance Manager from 2000-2004 and who was named Executive Director in 2004, secured the five-year title sponsorship deal between TCM and the Medtronic Corporation.

TCM under Brophy Achman has had regular collaboration with USA Track and Field. The Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon and the Medtronic TC-10 Mile has hosted USA Championships nine times since 2002. TCM has been the host of the USA Master Marathon Championships for the past 18 years.

Brophy Achman has served as the vice-chair of the Women's LDR Committee since 2004.

"With eight years of professional running industry experience, I lead with the strong belief that there is great untapped potential in our sport," Brophy Achman said in her biography. "As an industry, running affords both the professional and amateur athlete the chance to compete in the same event and share their accomplishments, something unique to our sport. It embraces young and old, individual and team competition. I have watched running positively impact people’s lives and begin to foster healthy habits in children and families."

"As leaders, I believe it is our job to embrace these opportunities to further develop our future professional athletes, while offering positive associations with fitness," she continued. "I understand the business side of the sport and the need to collaborate with partners for financial support and to create greater visibility of the sport. As Chair of USATF Women’s LDR, I will lead with passion, insight, ingenuity and perseverance."

Photo courtesy of Twin Cities Marathon.