The U.S. Army’s decision to move forward with its annual Ten-Miler last weekend, despite an ongoing federal government shutdown, paid off for one McLean High School graduate.
Michelle Vaccaro was the first woman to complete the 10-mile race on Sunday (Oct. 12), beating thousands of other runners visiting from around the world with a finishing time of 56 minutes and 44 seconds.
This was Vaccaro’s first time participating in the Army Ten-Miler, but she has plenty of experience with competitive running, both as a track and cross-country athlete at McLean High School and as a member of a Boston-based racing team, the Battle Road Track Club.
“I actually initially started running as conditioning for lacrosse and field hockey, which were my primary sports my freshman and sophomore years of high school,” Vaccaro said in a statement shared with FFXnow. “But then I realized the running was my favorite part, so I switched to track and cross-country in my junior and senior years and developed a real love for the sport.”
She credits McLean’s head track and cross-country coach at the time, Megan Ney, as “a huge source of inspiration” during her high school years and continuing to this day.
Vaccaro went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Harvard College and is currently studying for a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
To prepare for her first Army Ten-Miler, Vaccaro started training over the summer before working out with her team at Battle Road Track Club, she told Patch.
She ran the race on Sunday with her mother Cecilia Kim, a McLean resident who previously ran the Army Ten-Miler herself, cheering from the sidelines. Her status as the day’s top overall female finisher came as a surprise, as she didn’t realize she was at the front of the pack until organizers brought out the finish line tape.
Now in its 41st year, the Army Ten-Miler is organized annually by the U.S. Army Military District of Washington as a fundraiser for its family and morale, welfare and recreation programs.
Last week, organizers raised the prospect that this year’s race could be canceled as a result of “unforeseen circumstances,” a phrase widely interpreted as a reference to the government shutdown that has been underway since Oct. 1.
However, officials then announced last Thursday (Oct. 9) that they would proceed as planned, noting that costs would be covered as much as possible by registration fees and sponsorships to avoid tapping into taxpayer funds. The Ten-Miler Expo, when runners pick up their packets, had already been relocated to The St. James in Springfield due to the National Guard occupying its usual venue, the D.C. Armory.
Boasting more than 30,000 registered runners from 31 different countries and over 3,000 cities, the in-person Ten-Miler started and ended as usual at the Pentagon, taking participants across the Potomac River and into the National Mall area in D.C. The event was supported by more than 900 volunteers.
The title for first overall male finisher went to U.S. Army Captain Sam Chelanga, a seven-time USA Track and Field champion who also won the title in 2024. This year, he finished the race in 48 minutes and 43 seconds.
The Army Ten-Miler also offers a virtual option for up to 2,000 runners, who can complete the race at any time between Oct. 12 and Dec. 31. They must submit their results by midnight on Jan. 9, 2026.
With this year’s in-person race now finished, registration is open for the 2026 edition, which will be held on Sunday, Oct. 11.
