National Press Club Announces Run For Austin, a Virtual 5K Race in Support of Journalist Austin Tice

WASHINGTON, Oct. 12, 2021—The National Press Club will host the inaugural Run For Austin Virtual 5K on Saturday, November 13, 2021 to raise awareness and public support for journalist Austin Tice, who has been unjustly detained in Syria since 2012.

The Run For Austin is the next campaign in ongoing efforts from the National Press Club and the Press Freedom community to continue pushing for action in Austin’s case. The Press Club encourages the public to keep Austin top of mind by taking part in the virtual race and sharing on social media.

Sign up here to #RunForAustin. Register as an individual or create/join a team to run or walk any route, from anywhere, at any time, on the day of the race.

Austin Tice is a Marine combat veteran, a seventh-generation Texan from Houston, a graduate of Georgetown University, and an award-winning journalist who has been unjustly detained in Syria since 2012. After seeing reports of the refugee crisis unfolding in Syria, Austin picked up his camera and headed straight to the front lines as a freelance reporter. He delivered important dispatches to The Washington Post and McClatchy before he was detained at a checkpoint near Damascus on August 14, 2012. After more than nine years, Austin has endured the longest detention of any U.S. journalist to date.

Use the hashtags #RunForAustin and #FreeAustinTice to keep the conversation going. Tag @PressClubDC to share with us your trails, your training and your teams as race day approaches! Registered participants may download a personal race bib to print out and wear. After completing the virtual 5K on Saturday, Nov. 13, runners can submit race results through their registered participant account.

Founded in 1908, the National Press Club is the world's leading professional organization for journalists. The Club has 3,000 members worldwide representing nearly every major news organization and is a leading voice for press freedom in the United States and around the globe.

Contact: Kaitlyn Cotter for the National Press Club, 202-662-7511, [email protected]