Henrico County runners to represent, keep pace in the Monument Avenue 10K

More than 26,000 runners will participate in Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k this Saturday.

Among them are numerous Henrico County residents.

For the Nordin family of Henrico, running the 10k is a group activity to do together.  

Matthew’s 13-year-old son Jack first wanted to run the 10K after learning his teacher’s house was on the route. After a successful family 5K trial around Christmas, his older brother Paul, 17, joined in. So, Matthew signed them all up for the YMCA 10k Training Team.

Despite a tough first week training on their own in winter weather, they’ve since loved training with the Tuckahoe YMCA team every Saturday, according to the Sports Backers organization, which puts together the road event.

Not only have the Nordins improved their running running, but they’ve grown closer as a family. On race day, the youngest brother, Gabe, 11, will run the Atlantic Union Bank Mini 10K — with hopes of joining his brothers in the future. 

The Maar-Daala Fitness Freaks running club will be represented at the 10k in a big way this year. The fitness group based out of Henrico’s West End has 250 members participating in this year’s 10K, making them the largest team registered.

 “Maar-Daala” is a fun, energetic phrase in the Hindi language used in the group that loosely translates to “we crushed it” or “we nailed it,” MaarDaala’s leaders, Rohit Ambala explained.

“While the literal meaning can be 'hit' or 'kill' in Hindi slang, in this context it’s all about excitement, high energy, and celebrating a strong effort — especially when paired with 'Fitness Freaks.' Together, it reflects our spirit of pushing limits and having fun while doing it.”

Ambala, who is running his fifth Monument 10K, is responsible for a lot of team recruitment. He’s been a member of the Sports Backers Ambassador Team for years and his passion for active living extends far into the community. 

“It never gets old,” Ambala said. “Each year brings the same excitement, community energy and sense of celebration. As a team, we’re incredibly excited for tomorrow. For us, it’s more than just a race — it’s a family event. This year, we have over 250 participants from our group, ranging from 4 years old to 70-plus, all coming together to run, cheer, and support each other.”

Ambala said he has successfully recruited so many runners over the years through community building and training programming.

“We’ve built a strong and welcoming fitness community through WhatsApp and Instagram, and it’s open to anyone who wants to join,” Ambala said. “Our routine includes four days of bootcamp-style workouts and two days dedicated to running, creating a balanced and consistent training environment.”

In a 2025 social media post, Sports Backers called the Maar-Daala Fitness Freaks a powerhouse team which was 198 members strong, making them the largest group that year. With 148 runners in 2024 and 129 the year before, the group showed how they love to lace up and show up.

"The goal of Maar-Daala is to make communities stronger and healthier, one person at a time," Ambala was quoted in the post.

Collegiate runners are also among the 10K athletes pounding the pavement for prize money.

Sports Bakers is experiencing its fifth year of event growth. The 10k is the largest race in Virginia, and the fifth-largest 10k in the nation. Runners participate from 45 states, Washington, D.C., and six countries.

While the course takes place entirely in the City of Richmond, the Health & Fitness Expo/Packet Pick-Up took place at the Richmond Raceway in Henrico County.

Legions get involved in Sports Backers road running events through volunteering or cheering on the runners.

If you’re inspired by the crowds of runners, the next Sports Backers event is the Markel Corporate Run on June 4.

Sign-ups for training teams are open for upcoming races including the upcoming 8K in the fall, with training locations in various locations including Short Pump Twin Hickory Park and the Traveling Team which meets in Glen Allen the first week.

Dina Weinstein is the Citizen’s community vitality reporter and a Report for America corps member, covering housing, health and transportation. Support her work and articles like this one by making a contribution to the Citizen.