Event Description

This year, we're calling it the     "WhiteHot 5K 9.5"  

This VIRTUAL RACE is a memorial and tribute to Ashley White who gave her life in service to her country. This would have been the 10th Anniversary of the race, but we're calling it "9.5" and saving the 10th Anniversary race for next year where we hope to be in person in April 2022 on the Kent State campus.

This year, runners will register and receive medals BEFORE they complete their VIRTUAL RUN, so we can gather photos of the participants with shirts and medals. 

Our plan is to have you register by 15 APRIL 2021, so we can order shirts and ship them by the end of April.  Runners are encouraged to run their race in the first two weeks of MAY 2021, posting your photos and tributes. You will have the option in REGISTRATION to either have us MAIL your shirt OR you can PICK UP your shirt and medal on MAY 1st, between 0800 - 1200 at the Army ROTC Building (a new building on Summit St on the south side of campus).

For those of you that are unfamiliar with the race, Ashley is graduate of Kent State University (Dec 2009) and was commissioned as an Army Officer through the Kent State Army ROTC program. Part of her story is below (taken from https://ashleywhitestumpf.com)

1st Lt. Ashley White was killed during combat operations in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan on October 22, 2011 when the assault force she was supporting triggered an improvised explosive device. Ashley was assigned to the 230th Brigade Support Battalion, 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team, North Carolina National Guard, Goldsboro, NC and served as a member of a Cultural Support Team attached to a Joint Special Operations Task Force in Afghanistan. As a Cultural Support Team Member on her first deployment to Afghanistan, White selflessly served. Ashley’s actions exemplify the highest commitment to duty, honor, and country. In every instance she served with distinction in support of the Task Force and our great nation.